Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 877
THOMAS M. C. LOGAN

Thomas M. C. LOGAN, of River Sioux, Iowa, forms an important factor in the history of Harrison County, with which he has been closely identified for almost a quarter century. While in a brief biographical notice it is impossible to do a prominent man's career ample justice, yet in keeping with the remainder of the representative men of Harrison County, the subjoined notice must suffice. Human life is full of two kinds of history -- the writeen and unwritten, and not infrequently dies it occur, in fact it is a general rule, that the deed's of one's life which are of the most value to the world and the community, never find their way into printed history. The followig is an outline of Hon. T. M. C. Logan's life.

He is a native of Indiana, born in Rush County, on the 13th of February, 1830. He is the son of Samuel and Sarah (SNODGRASS) LOGAN, natives of Ireland and Virginia respectively. The father was an extensive business man, who died in Cincinnati, Ohio during the cholera epidemic of 1843, when our subject was but four years of age. By our Subject's father's second marriage there were two sons born -- T. M. C. and Jacob M. LOGAN, the latter dying on the cars in 1861, near Hadley, Ill. Our subject's early life was spent in the Hoosier State, and he received his education at the district schools, and at the High School at Fairfield.

His first business experience, on his own account, was in 1857 when he engaged in the stock and grain business in Richland County, Ill., continuing in the same until 1864, when he came to Cedar Rapids, Iowa where he handled grain in connection with Leech Bros., and remained there until 1877, and then came to Logan, Iowa, where he embarled in the grain and live stock trade. In 1887, he commenced operations in River Sioux, buying grain and stock there, and at Blencoe which business he is still following. During the last year (1891), he shipped two hundred thousand bushels of grain from two points. He owns a flouring mill at River Sioux, which has a capacity of sixty barrells per day, and also has an elevator, having a capacity of ten thousand bushels, also is operating one in Onawa.

Politically, Mr. LOGAN is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, believing as he does that under its administration, this country is most prosperous. In 1881, was nominated at Denison, for State Senator, on the Republican ticket, in the thirty-fourth Senatorial district, the candidate for Governor of Iowa in 1891, H. C. WHEELER being an opposing candidate in the convention. The district was then composed of Harrison, Monona, Crawford, Ida and Sac Counties, and our subject was elected by a majority of one hundred and ten, holding the position four years, and serving much credit, to himself as well as his constituents. In 1879, he was elected as a member of the Board of Supervisors in Harrison County, and has always been active in educational matters, as well as espousing the cause of temperance, and let it here be remarked that the thousands of loyal, party workers, who believe in temperance, have been the redeeming feature and saving power, of the Republican party in Iowa.

At the time our subject took his seat as a Supervisor in Harrison County, county warrants were at twenty and twenty-five percent discount, but through his efforts and others, the debt was bonded and the credit of the county brought up to par. Again the law of Iowa requires that in order to hold a bondsman, funds must be called in and counted at regular specified times, and through our subject's persistency in requiring this to be done, he saved the county several thousand dollars.

As to Logan's domestic relations, it may be said that he was first married at La Porte, Indiana, in February, 1851, to Miss Charlotte SNODGRASS, a daughter of John and Matilda (STEWARD) SNODGRASS. By this marriage union, there wer two children -- Rueben and Charlotte. Reuben was born in Bush County, IN, July 1, 1853 and Lottie, in Linn County, Iowa, January 18, 1865. The mother of these children was called from earth in 1866.

For his second wife our subject married Miss Harriet HERBERT at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is the daughter of Samuel and Dehelia HERBERT. By this marriage union, nine children were born -- Louise S., born Jan 19, 1868; William E., Sep 30, 1869; Merrit J., May 1, 1872; Ernest A., Jan 3, 1874; Mabel M., Nov 21, 1875; Maude A., Dec 10, 1877; T. M. C., Jr., Aug 8, 1880; Nita E., Sep 25, 1884; Harrison G., May 8, 1886; all born in Harrison County, Iowa.

Like many of the respresentative men of Harrison County, our subject is identified with various civic societies, which have for theor object, the upbuilding and maintenance of good society. He belongs to Masonic Lodge, No. 220, A.F. & A.M.; Missouri Valley Chapter, and Ivanhoe Commandery of Knight's Templar at Council Bluffs, and is also an honored member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Logan.

In reviewing the life of such a one as our subject, one is impressed with the value of intelligence and uprightness of character as found in his daily walk. In political circles, he has always been classed as one of the leaders and not unfrequently do you hear the remark that certainly one can learn more from Mr. LOGAN in one evening than from many others in a lifetime. He keeps himself well posted in this line as well as others and therfore is always able to explain the position he takes by facts and figures which never cease to be interesting. He has one of the best political libraries in the country among which is Young's Political history Tom Benton's Thirty years in the Senate (two volumes); Cooper's Political history Blaine's Twenty Years in Congress; also the American Brittanica and Johnson's Encyclopedia.

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