Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 746
E. R. CADWELL

A lawyer by profession and a broad-minded and capable citizen of Harrison county, who at various times has filled many of the different local city offices, Mr. CADWELL has made his presence felt in every laudable undertaking of his locality as a public-spirited citizen interested in whatever tends to promote the material progress of the community and the social and moral advancement of his fellow men, his influence having been salutary and his example worthy of imitation.

E. R. CADWELL was born near Racine, Wisconsin, August 21, 1850, the eldest child of C. C. CADWELL and Emily E. (ROSS) CADWELL, who located shortly after their marriage in 1848 near Racine, Wisconsin, where they remained until 1857, at which time they went in a covered wagon to Buchanan county, Iowa, living on a farm two miles west of Independence, the nearest point to a railroad at this time being thirty-five miles. They resided there until 1890, after which time they made their home with their children at different places. They were the parents of five children, all of whom are still living.

As a boy E. R. CADWELL had small advantages in school, but his parents both having been school teachers he acquired much good instruction from them. When sixteen years of age he went to Vermont and made his home with his uncle, Jonathan ROSS, judge of the supreme court of that state for twenty-five years, and who later was appointed to succeed the late Senator MORRELL, serving the balance of the latter's term as United States senator. Mr. CADWELL was graduated from the St. Johnsbury Academy and entered Dartmouth College in 1871. He remained there only one year, returning to his former home in Iowa, where he began the study of law, teaching school part of the time. In August, 1874, he located at Magnolia, Harrison county, Iowa, having purchased the office and practice of Hon. J. R. ZUVER, who had become district judge. Soon after the firm of HART, CADWELL & DAVIS was formed, having offices at Magnolia and Logan, the partnership continuing until the removal of the county seat to Logan in 1875. Shortly before the removal Mr. CADWELL had purchased the office of clerk of the district court and was the acting clerk for over two years. In the spring of 1877 he became associated with his uncle, Phineas CADWELL, in a bank at Logan, remaining there two years, at the end of which time he severed his connection with the bank and removed to Dunlap where he entered into a partnership with J. A. PHILLIPS in the practice of law.

In 1884 Mr. CADWELL removed to Council Bluffs, having been made general agent for the New York Life Insurance Company. For about ten years he devoted his time to the insurance business, residing at different places in his field. In 1891 he formed a partnership with F. G. RUST at Glidden and resumed his law practice, remaining there eight years. In 1899 he returned to Dunlap and renewed his partnership with J. A. PHILLIPS. After the death of Mr. PHILLIPS in 1906 Mr. CADWELL continued in practice until 1913, in which year his son, C. C. CADWELL, joined with him in business, taking up insurance and real estate.

In 1875, while at Magnolia, E. R. CADWELL became acquainted with Margaret BACON, who was visiting her uncle, Captain G. S. BACON, and in the following June they were married at her home in the state of New York. To this union have been born four children, Florence, who married L. B. WRIGHT, C. C. CADWELL, George B. and an infant girl, deceased.

Mr. CADWELL always has taken an unusual degree of interest in the welfare of the different communities in which he has resided, taking an active part in any movement which would be of benefit to the citizens. The family is held in high esteem and is regarded as one of the representative families in all social and religious matters. Mr. CADWELL and his wife for many years have been active members and workers in the Congregational church. Politically Mr. CADWELL is a stalwart Republican, being regarded as one of the most influential members of that party in this section of the state.

Mr. CADWELL is a man of genial temperament and makes friends readily, his relations with his acquaintances being of the most congenial character. He is well known not only throughout Harrison county, where he enjoys a well deserved popularity, but has a large acquaintance in many parts of the state. As a lawyer he would be classed as an attorney or counsellor, not having fitted himself for the actual trial of cases, but enjoying an extensive practice in probate and real estate law.

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