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         HON. FRANCIS SPRINGER, a distinguished pioneer of Louisa County, of 1838, and now an honored resident of Columbus City, was born in Maine, on the 15th of April, 1811. His father, Nathaniel Springer, a shipbuilder by occupation, was also a native of Maine, and descended from Swedish ancestors, who settled in New England prior to the War of the Revolution. His mother, whose maiden name was Mary Clarke, was a daughter of Capt. John Clarke, of Connecticut, who was a member of an old New England family. His parents, when our subject was about eleven years of age, had removed from Portland to Portsmouth, N. H., and there he separated from them and went to live with a farmer’s family some thirty miles in the country, with whom he had his home about ten years, the first six of which he worked on a farm in summer, and attended the common school in the winter months. In his eighteenth year he attended the fall term of the Rochester (N. H.) Academy, and received from its preceptor a certificate of qualification for teaching. That winter he taught his first term of school at $10 per month, “boarding around” among the families of his pupils. After attending another term at the academy, and further pursuing his studies by himself, teaching a term of school from time to time, three more terms in all, but of course at better pay, he returned, in 1834, to Portland, where he began to read law in the office of William Goodenow, a highly respected lawyer of that city. To help meet current expenses, he served at odd times as assistant editor on the Portland Courier, whose editor and proprietor was Seba Smith, the gifted author of the celebrated “Jack Downing Letters.”

Mr. Springer was admitted to the bar in 1838. The Great West was then attracting the notice of young professional men by its wonderful resources and great inducements to emigrants, where cities were springing into existence on every hand, inviting talent and energy to seek a footing and grow up with the country. Following the popular impulse, our young attorney emigrated from Maine to Iowa, in company with his friend, Edward H. Thomas, who was also a disciple of Blackstone, reaching Burlington, and afterward Wapello, in December, 1838, where a liberal practice awaited them. In politics they were Whigs, and soon won prominence in public matters.

In 1840 Mr. Springer was elected a member of the Territorial Senate for the term of two years, from the district composed of the counties of Louisa and Washington, and the territory west which had then but lately been reclaimed from the Indians. He was re-elected to the same position at the succeeding election of 1842. In 1846 he was elected . . .

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. . . to the State Senate for four years, from the district which was then composed alone of the counties of Louisa and Washington. In 1849, and again in 1850, he was appointed special agent of the post-office department, charged with the duty of visiting the post-offices of Wisconsin, transferring the Government money in those offices to St. Louis, which he successfully accomplished. In May, 1851, he was appointed by President Fillmore Register of the United States Land Office at Fairfield, Iowa, and served until May, 1853.

Mr. Springer returned to Wapello in November, 1853, but his health being somewhat impaired, he removed in December of the same year to Columbus City Township, where, taking rooms in the house of his friend, James Manley, he became engaged in improving and opening two farms on his land in that township, one adjoining Mr. Manley on the north, afterward known as the Morgan farm, on which he had erected by the fall of 1854 a dwelling, in which he moved and continued to occupy until the spring of 1860, when, having in the preceding years opened and improved a farm of 800 acres a half-mile south of Columbus City, he took up his abode in its fine mansion house in May, 1860, and it thereafter became the family homestead. Since 1881 this homestead farm has been the property and residence of his son-in-law, Hilton M. Letts, the present Chairman of the Louisa County Board of Supervisors. In the meantime Mr. Springer had not entirely suspended his law practice. In 1854 he was elected to the office of Prosecuting Attorney of Louisa County, and, on the death of Judge Wright Williams, became ex-officio County Judge, to which office he was elected in 1855. In 1856 our subject was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention, and by that body was elected its President. In 1858 he was elected Judge of the District Court, and was re-elected in 1862 and 1866. He resigned that office in 1869, and accepted the appointment of Internal Revenue Collector, tendered him by Gen. Grant. In that office he served until 1877, since which time he has practically lived a retired life.

In December, 1842, Mr. Springer was married to Miss Nancy R. Coleman, daughter of Hon. John M. Coleman, of Iowa City, her father a native of Kentucky and her mother of Ireland. She was born in Terre Haute, Ind., Jan. 8, 1825, and died of pneumonia, at Cimarron, N. M., Nov. 19, 1874, while on a visit to her son Frank. Mrs. Springer was a lady admired for her intellectual qualities, as well as for her loveliness of character. By their union seven children were born, six sons and one daughter. Two of the sons first born died in infancy.

Frank Springer, the third son, was born in Wapello, June 17, 1848. In his years from eight to twelve he attended the Columbus City district school, later, a year or more, the Baptist College in Burlington, completing his collegiate education at the State University at Iowa City, where he was graduated in 1867, with the highest honors of his class. He received a legal education in the office of Strong & Smythe, in Burlington, and later at the law school of the State University. He was admitted to the bar in 1869, and began practice as a partner of Hon. Henry Strong in Burlington. In February, 1873, he removed to the Territory of New Mexico, where, pursuing his law practice, he became attorney for the Mexican Land Grant Company, and one of the attorneys of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company. His present residence is Las Vegas, N. M. As a lawyer he ranks high in the courts of that Territory, and in recent years has won much distinction at the bar of the federal courts. He was the attorney-in-chief in the celebrated case of the United States vs. the Maxwell Land Grant Company, a case involving the title to a million and a half acres of land, heard on an appeal in the Supreme Court of the United States, in Washington, in March, 1887. What was thought at Washington of Mr. Springer’s argument of the case may be seen from the following extracts from congratulatory letters received by Judge Springer, one from Hon. Henry Strong, written on the day the argument had been made, the other from Justice Samuel F. Miller, of the United States Supreme Court, written after the decision of the court had been announced.

Extract of letter from Hon. Henry Strong:

WASHINGTON, D. C. March, 11, 1887.
MY DEAR JUDGE SPRINGER:


          “Your paternal heart would have swelled with pride had you heard Frank for past two days in . . .

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. . . the United States Supreme Court. I have never seen counsel appear to better advantage; I have never heard an abler, clearer, more convincing argument in support of the legal positions taken. The court was interested, instructed, and most flatteringly attentive. Frank’s manners and delivery are also admirable. * * * * * * *
“I write this without notice to Frank or his consent, as I know you would be gratified to hear of his success. * * * * * * *


“Faithfully yours,
“H. STRONG.”

         Extract of letter from Justice Samuel F. Miller:

“SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES,
“WASHINGTON, D. C., April 24, 1887
“Hon. F. Springer:


          “MY DEAR OLD FRIEND: --Ever since your son Frank argued before our court the Maxwell Land Grant case, I have had a strong desire to write to you and tell you how much I was impressed by the skill and ability of the argument. He was given an extension of time and justified the indulgence of the court by the manner in which he used it.
“It was not only the force of reasoning which pleased me, but the easy and graceful manner, the absence of rant and over-strained voice, and the orderly arrangement of what he had to say, which is so seldom seen from our Western young men.
“The other Judges were also well pleased, though they had not the personal interest that I had in the speaker, as the son of an old friend, long loved and respected. * * * * * *
“The judgment of the court was unanimous. * * * * * *
“I am, my dear Judge, your affectionate friend,


“SAMUEL F. MILLER.”

Frank Springer was married in New Mexico some twelve years ago to Miss Josephine Bishop, a lady from Wisconsin. They have six children, four daughters and two sons. He has the honor of having had Springer, the county seat of Colfax County, named for him.

Warren C. Springer, the fourth son, born in Fairfield, Sept. 25, 1853, educated at Burlington and Iowa City, but not a graduate, a bright young man, much loved by all who knew him, for his kind-hearted, genial qualities, was drowned March 28, 1872, in the Iowa River, while hunting in company with his friend John Reiner.

Arthur Springer, the fifth son, was born on what is known as the Morgan farm, already mentioned, Sept. 30, 1855, also educated at Burlington and at the State University, being graduated from the law department in the class of ’77, is now practicing in Columbus Junction. He was married, Sept. 15, 1880, to Miss Nelia C. Carpenter, to whom were born three children, two sons and a daughter, two of whom, Arthur and Edith, are living. The first-born son, Frank, died in his fifth year.

Charles, the youngest son, was born on the Morgan farm, Dec. 19, 1857, also educated at Burlington and the State University, and has resided in New Mexico since 1881, engaged in the stock ranch business. In 1884 he married Miss Lottie Chase, daughter of M. M. Chase, a prominent and wealthy ranchman in Colfax County, that Territory.

Nellie, the only daughter, born Dec. 8, 1860, on the homestead plantation south of Columbus City, educated at Burlington, Iowa, Galesburg, Ill., and Ottumwa, Iowa, is the wife of Hilton M. Letts, and is mistress of the fine residence in which she was born, and the mother of two daughters, of the ages respectively of seven and two years.

A fine portrait of the Judge accompanies this sketch.

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