BABBITT, Lysander W. 1812 - 1885

GENERAL HENRY DODGE

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Date: 11/17/2002 at 22:53:06

LYSANDER W. BABBITT 1812 - 1885

LYSANDER W. BABBITT was one of the pioneers of Iowa. He was born in Seneca
County, New York, January 31, 1812, and came to the Mississippi valley in
1836, locating at Burlington, which was then in Michigan Territory. In 1838
he was appointed by General Henry Dodge adjutant of a regiment organized to
protect the frontier. In 1842 he explored the upper valley of the Des Moines
River and while camped at the mouth of the Raccoon, predicted that the
furture capital of the State would be located in that vicinity. In 1844 he
journeyed with an ox team to Knoxville where he built a mill and opened a
store. In 1848 he was elected on the Democratic ticket, Representative in
the Legislature for the district composed of Marion, Jasper, Polk and Dallas,
and all of the counties in that tier to the Missouri River. He served two
terms in the House. While a member he introduced and urged the passage of a
bill to remove the capital from Iowa City to Des Moines, then a new town laid
out upon the spot where he had camped six years before. In 1853 he was
appointed Register of the United States Land Office at Council Bluffs and
removed to that place. In 1857 he purchased the Council Bluffs Bugle, one of
the leading journals of his party in the State. In 1859 he was the
Democratic candidate for Lieutenant-Governor but was defeated. In 1867 he
was again elected to the Legislature. He removed to Arkansas in 1881 where
he died October 4, 1885. He had been one of the influential leaders of the
Democratic party of Iowa for half a century.

Debbie Clough G-erischer http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/