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         PROF. EDWIN R. ELDRIDGE, an honored and respected citizen of the county, was born in White County, Ind., Aug. 31, 1843, and is a son of Elijah and Charlotte (McLaughlin) Eldridge. His father was a native of Hamilton County, Ohio, born Nov. 15, 1810, of Dutch parentage. Previous to his union with Charlotte McLaughlin he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Gibson, a native of Miami County, Ohio, and seven children were born unto them: Prudence, widow of Thomas Barnes, who was a prominent citizen of White County, Ind.; Levi, who died at the age of fourteen years; James, who died at the age of twenty years, in White County, Ind.; Mary, wife of George Small, of Carroll County, Ind.; Margaret, now Mrs. Samuel Montgomery, a resident of White County, Ind.; Isabel, who died at the age of six years; and John, whose home is also in White County. After the death of his first wife Mr. Eldridge was married to Miss McLaughlin, their union being celebrated in White County, Ind., in November, 1842. She was born in Greene County, Ohio, in May, 1821, and was of Scotch descent. Throughout his life the husband followed the occupation of farming. A man who took great interest in public affairs, he was frequently honored by his fellow-citizens with positions of public trust, . . .

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. . . having served many years as Justice of the Peace, and also held various other offices. A man of great personal popularity, he once received the nomination as candidate for the Legislature, and although the party to which he belonged was greatly in the minority, he lacked but a few votes of carrying the district. In 1840 he migrated from Ohio to White County, Ind., where he remained until 1857, and then removed to Iowa, settling in Washington County, where he purchased a farm near the city of Washington. For thirteen years he continued to reside upon that land, until called to his final home in the month of August, 1870. After his death the mother, in order to give her children better educational advantages, removed to Grand View, this county, where her death took place Dec. 2, 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Eldridge were devoted members of the United Presbyterian Church, and early taught their children, both by precept and example, to follow in the path that leads to eternal life. Their children were eight in number, namely: Edwin R., the subject of this sketch; Jonathan, who is engaged in farming in Adams County, Iowa; Lydia, who died in White County, Ind., aged six years; Cyrus N., a resident of Osage County, Kan.; George F., Principal of the public schools at Clarion, Iowa; Albert W., a merchant of Central city, Iowa; Hugh Judson, who died at the age of four years, in Washington County; and an infant sister, who also died in that county.

Our subject received his primary education in Burnettville, Ind., which was supplemented by a course at the Washington College, at Washington, Iowa. While in attendance at the latter institution the Civil War broke out, and as soon as his age would admit of his enlistment he responded to his country’s call for troops to put down the Rebellion, becoming a member of Company F, 11th Iowa Infantry, on the 18th of September, 1861. On account of physical disabilities he was discharged March 13, 1862. After lying sick with pneumonia in a Southern hospital for four months, his father brought him to his home. He was totally disabled. For six months he could not walk at all, and the physicians despaired of his recovery, but little by little he grew stronger, and when health was partially restored returned to college. During the fall and winter of 1863-64 he was engaged in teaching in Washington County, and there, on the 17th of March, 1864, was united in marriage with Sarah M. McConnell, a native of Butler County, Pa., and a daughter of Robert and Margaret (Black) McConnell. Her father was born in County Antrim, Ireland, and her mother was a native of Pennsylvania, though of Scotch and Irish parentage. Mrs. Eldridge was educated in the public schools of Washington County, and also attended Washington College.

After his marriage Mr. Eldridge again took up arms in defense of the old flag, becoming a member of Company B, 45th Iowa Infantry. He held the rank of Second Lieutenant until the following September, when, the term of service of the regiment having expired, he was discharged, and then returned to Washington County. At once he resumed his studies, but on account of his impaired health was soon obliged to abandon them. For the next five years he was alternately engaged in teaching school and in farming, in the meantime pursuing his studies as his health permitted. On the 8th of January, 1870, he entered upon the duties of the office of County Superintendent of Public Schools of Washington County. After serving two terms he was unanimously renominated. After his term of service as County Superintendent and also while discharging the duties of that office, Prof. Eldridge was continuing the course of study which he began at college. Little by little, step by step, he rose until he took rank among the ablest scholars of the State of Iowa. He has received a life diploma from the State Board of Educational Examiners, and is one of the most successful instructors in this section of the country.

In the fall of 1870 Mr. Eldridge organized the first Normal Institute in the State, at Washington, being assisted in the work by Dr. Jerome Allend, an educator of National reputation, who is now Professor of Pedagogy in the University of New York, and also the author of many educational works of great value. Prof. D. W. Lewis, of Washington, and Prof. F. M. Witter, of Muscatine, Iowa, rendered valuable aid in the organization of that institution. Prof. Eldridge has conducted no less than seventy sessions of Normal Institutes in various . . .

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. . . part of Iowa and Illinois, in which he has been most successful.

In September, 1874, the Eastern Iowa Normal School was opened at Grand View, under Prof. Eldridge’s supervision, and is the oldest Normal School in Iowa, having been in existence two years longer than any other of the State. A sketch of this institution may be found elsewhere in this work. After fourteen years’ continuous service as President of the Eastern Iowa Normal, Prof. Eldridge resigned in order to enter upon the duties of the Presidency of the State Normal School, at Troy, Ala., to which he had previously been elected. He has delivered hundreds of lectures, whose themes involve nearly every phase of educational work. The citizens of Louisa County, as a testimonial of their appreciation of his genius and ability, presented his name to the Republican Convention of 1887 as a candidate for the nomination of State Superintendent of Public Instruction, but that most excellent educator, Henry Sabin, of Clinton, Iowa, who has had fourteen more years of experience than our subject, received the nomination.

Six children graced the union of Prof. and Mrs. Eldridge: Robert E. J., who was born Dec. 21, 1864, received an injury, after which he met with an accident which augmented that, from the effects of which his death occurred April 22, 1882; Leila C., born Feb. 26, 1868, is one of the alumni of the Eastern Iowa Normal School, and is a teacher; George G., born July 1, 1870, is also an alumnus of the Eastern Iowa Normal School, and is a teacher of White County, Ind.; Mabel, who was born Dec. 2, 1875; and Frank F. and Margaret Grace, twins, who were born May 17, 1878. Prof. Eldridge, his wife and three eldest children, are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which he is an Elder and one of the active workers. He has always taken great interest in the Sunday-school work, and has done much for the cause. Mrs. Eldridge has also taken a deep interest in the welfare of the church, and is a member of the W. C. T. U., in which she has served as County President.

As a closing statement we will say that the Safeguard and Gazette of Columbus Junction, in July, 1888, published the most complimentary resolutions toward Prof. Eldridge, passed by the Board of Trustees of the Eastern Iowa Normal College, in view of his departure for another field of labor. The “Iowa Normal Monthly,” in its issue for August, 1888, spoke in the most flattering terms of the Professor and his work, while greatly lamenting the fact of his removal from the State.