Deeds, Edward

DEEDS, FORMAN, LUELLEN

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 10/7/2020 at 15:11:08

Edward Deeds, attorney at law, Brighton, is a native of Butler County, Ohio, born Oct. 1, 1837. His father, Silas Deeds, was a native of Plainfield, N.J., who emigrated to Ohio at an early day, and from there moved to Jefferson County, Iowa, soon after the birth of Edward. In 1840 he built a sawmill, and two years afterward erected a gristmill at the same place, which was long known as Deedsville, people coming a distance of 100 miles, and having to wait weeks for their grist. He married Lucy A. Forman, a native of Ohio, by whom he had a family of five children, two sons and three daughters, of whom only two are now living – Edward, the subject of this sketch, and Eletha, the wife of Robert Hicks, of Jefferson County, Iowa. The father died of smallpox in January, 1863, and the mother is still living in Brighton. Silas Deeds was a man of great energy and excellent judgement. In early life he was politically a Whig, and with others of that party had a great admiration for Henry Clay and Daniel Webster. He was not what would be termed a politician, never asking nor expecting office, but always managed to keep well posted in regard to men and events.

The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools, and for a time was a pupil of Luke Howe. He also took a partial course at Witenburg Academy, Springfield, Ohio, with the intention of going through college, but his father requiring his assistance, he had to abandon this desire. When a young man he developed a taste for the law, and has made that his life profession. He was married in Henry County, Iowa, in 1859, to Miss Lucinda Luellen, a native of Ohio, born in 1838. By this union there were six children, five living – Carroll, Charles, William R., Addison and Juniata.

Politically, Mr. Deeds was first a Republican, casting his first and second Presidential votes for Abraham Lincoln. When the war ended, he believed that all past issues should be buried out of sight, and therefore was classed among the liberal Republicans who voted for Horace Greeley for President in 1872. In 1876 he advocated the election of Peter Cooper, and has since acted with the Greenback party. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, a Master Mason and member of the Royal Arch. For several years he was Master of Brighton Lodge No. 64, A.F. & A.M. He also represented the lodge in the Grand Lodge of the State. He was the first Mayor of Brighton elected to that position. For the past ten years he has given himself exclusively to the practice of his profession, and is regarded as a safe and reliable counselor and good advocate.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of Edward Deeds, page 276.