Iowa Old Press
Davenport Daily Gazette
Davenport, Scott co. Iowa
Wednesday, April 1, 1868
Terrible Calamity at Agency City
The Legislature and the Capital were cast into feelings of the deepest grief Saturday morning, upon receiving intelligence of the terrible calamity which had befallen Hon. Charles Dudley, one of the representatives from Wapello county. The telegraph has doubtless given the public the main facts of this awful event. It seems that the house - a large two-story, wooden building, oneof the best farm houses in Wapello county - took fire in the rear part, from some ashes place there by a servant. It must have been some time after midnight when the flames commenced to burn, for it was about two o'clock when the burning of the three children took place, Mr. Dudley had four sons in his family, who slept in the second story - one eighteen years of age, one thirteen, one eleven and the other three. The one thirteen years old was awakened, doubtless by the smoke. He aroused his elder brother, who got partially up. He then ran to another room and aroused the two younger boys. They escaped from the room in which they had slept, but, bewildered and frightened, they ran into a third room where they perished before aid could be brought. The eldest boy, perhaps not fully awake, perished in his bed. Mrs. Dudley, and three daughters, who slept on the first story, were aroused by the lad who had escaped from above, and were able to save themselves from the flames. The brief dispatch to Mr. Dudley announcing that his house had been burned and three of his sons had perished in the ruins, was received just about the time the Legislature was to resume the morning session. It cast the gloom of the grave upon all hearts.
Special Dispatch to the Gazette - Des Moines, March 31
-The Senate passed the bill establishing a new insane asylum at Independence
-M.L. Edwards of Henry and Geo. Hutchinson of Jefferson were appointed Trustees of the Insane Asylum.
Iowa News
J.L. Loomis has purchased his partner's interest in the Buchanan county Bulletin; and now runs the concern himself.
A colony of one hundred families of Swedes is to settle in Mitchell county this summer
Davenport Daily Gazette
Davenport, Scott co. Iowa
Friday morning, April 3, 1868
Death of Mr. Richard Tyner - A telegram from Capt. N.N. Tyner was received last evening by the relatives here, announcing the death of his Father, Richard Tyner, at Brookville, Indiana, on yesterday afternoon. His remains will be brought here for interment. Due notice of funeral services will be given.
Iowa News
The Kirk Vincent trial cost Poweshiek county $3,000
A peripatetic hotel swindler, calling himself George P. Ransom, has been "doing" Dubuque.
The Washington county Press calls Anna Dickinson a "servile imitator" and a "mountebank". Rather rough talk as ungallant as it is unjust.
The Dubuque Times is publishing synopsis of the speeches made by Rev. J.W. Hanson of that city, Universalist, and Rev. R. Swearinger of Dyersville, Methodist, on the question of eternal punishment.
Mr. Joseph Hasket, an old resident of Iowa county, was taken to the Insane Hospital, at Mt. Pleasant, on Saturday last. Some financial troubles are said to be the cause of his insanity.
We beg pardon of Montezuma Republican, and repeat the following State item, corrected: Three weekly papers in Poweshiek county: The Republican, at Mentezuma, the Central Iowan, at Brooklyn, and the Herald, at Grinnell.
Davenport Daily Gazette
Davenport, Scott co. Iowa
Tuesday morning, April 7, 1868
Iowa News.
The Ogilvie House, Muscatine, has been purchased by Reuben Baker, for &10,000.
The name of the Waverly Phoenix has been changed to Republican, and the paper enlarged and improved.
A new paper, the Enterprise, has been started in West Liberty, by C. Baker. It is edited by S.W. Sedgwick.
Ephraim Watson was badly shot in the thigh at Ottumwa on Thursday night by a revolver in his own pocket.
N.B. Clark, of Council Bluffs, walked off a bridge fifteen feet high the other night, and was injured so badly that it is feared he cannot recover.
Miss Lizzie M. Boynton, a young lady of Des Moines, is publishing an original story in the Register, entitled "Prejudice, a story of town and country"
Lewis Cook, aged fifty, an old resident of Clark county, committed suicide last week by shooting himself in the head. No reason assigned.
Mr. Turner, of Princeton, has his leg broken on Tuesday last, by being kicked with his horse. He had just hitched his horse in a sulky and was starting with his family to go west when the accident happened.
The 93d anniversary of the birthday of Mr. John Forsyth, of Clay township, Marion county, was celebrated at the house of his son last Friday. He voted for Thomas Jefferson in his young days and now votes the Republican ticket.
The Press says there is a woman in Washington county, a Mrs. Grant, who has crossed the plains sixteen times since 1860, several times with her husband (now dead) teaming out and driving stock back. She is perhaps forty years old, a woman of quiet yet resolute bearing, and modest withal, and is the most self-helpful person of her sex we have ever seen. She was last week negotiating with Mr. E. Crane for the sale of her farm of 346 acres in Franklin township, and proposed to leave for Southeastern Kansas on Monday. She rides her pony like a captain, sitting woman-fashion on a man's saddle. We don't suppose Mrs. Grant was ever heard to say much about "woman's rights." But in point of executive ability and self-reliance she shows herself the equal of any man, and has earned an equal claim to all his privileges.
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Submitted by S.F., April 2007