Re: copperhead snakes
COPPERHEADS
Posted By: Laaurie Wittmayer-O'Neill (email) In Response To: copperhead snakes (James Mahaffy)
Date: 11/17/2015 at 20:30:56
This question came also to the Washington County Historical Board. As a volunteer for their research at times, I did search extensively and all I could find about snakes was the rattlesnakes were very happy in a rocky habitat in all of southern Iowa. Especially around Geode State Park.
I inquired of our well known state historian, Mike Zahs. His answer was a definitive, "That refers to the people living in the states supporting the north during the civil war (such as Iowa) and sympathetic in various degrees, to the cause of the Confederacy.
As you can imagine, those beliefs of pro slavery were not held by almost all the Iowans. Therefore the conflicts arose from those opposing views. One speaker standing on a buckboard in Tallyrand was shot and killed for the Southern sympathizer views he was outspoken in proclaiming. With so many people in the crowd, the shooter was never found, and no one was prosecuted.
To the best of my knowledge of print resources and a verbal declaration of a highly respected scholar, this is a true account.
Washington Queries maintained by Joanne L. Breen.
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