EASTMAN, Enoch

EASTMAN, PARVIN, MILLS

Posted By: Debbie Clough Gerischer
Date: 11/10/2008 at 11:01:25

ENOCH W. EASTMAN was born at Deerfield, New Hampshire, April 15, 1810. He was educated in the public schools with a few terms at an academy, and worked on his father's farm until the age of twenty-one when he began the study of law, practicing in his native State until the summer of 1844 when he removed to Iowa, locating at Burlington. Although a Democrat, he distinguished himself the first year of his residence in Iowa by taking the stump against the adoption of the Constitution recently framed by his party and helped to defeat it at the election. Under this Constitution the boundaries of the State would have extended north taking in a large portion of southeastern Minnesota and would have excluded all of the Missouri slope west of a line running north and south from near the west side of Kossuth and Ringgold counties. Enoch W. Eastman, Theodore S. Parvin and Frederick D. Mills, all Democrats and young men, warmly opposed the adoption of such boundaries and influenced enough of their Democratic associates to unite with the Whigs to defeat the Constitution. This was one of the most important public services ever rendered the State. When Iowa was called upon to contribute a stone for the Washington monument in 1850, Enoch W. Eastman was the author of the inscription placed upon it: "Iowa-Her affections like the rivers of her borders, flow to an inseparable Union." Mr. Eastman removed to Oskaloosa in 1847 and to Eldora in 1857. When the Rebellion began he left the Democratic party and united with the Republicans. In 1863 he was elected Lieutenant-Governor and in 1883 he was elected to the State Senate. He died on the 9th of January, 1885.