Biographies
For
Muscatine County Iowa
1889



Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 212

HON. SAMUEL McNUTT, one of the prominent citizens of Muscatine County, now living a retired life in the city of Muscatine, was born near Londonberry, Ireland, Nov. 21, 1825, and is a son of Samuel and Hannah (Stuart) McNutt. The family is of Scotch origin, and descended from a long line of somewhat noted ancestors. While our subject was yet a child his father died, and the family emigrated to America, settling in New Castle County, Del., near the village of Newark, after a brief stay in Philadelphia. The widowed mother never married again, but devoted her life and energies to the education and interests of her seven children, and lived to see them all comfortably and honorably settled in life. Her second son, Robert, was an eminent physician in Louisiana at the outbreak of the Rebellion, and the third son, James, who is a physician in Missouri, both joined the Union Army. Mrs. McNutt died in Iowa, Dec. 24, 1874, at the advanced age of eighty-five years.

Our subject was reared to farm life. Books were scarce in those early days, but before he had reached the age of thirteen years Samuel had committed to memory the shorter catechism, the Psalms of David in meter, the Proverbs of Solomon, most of the four Gospels, the Scotch Martyrs, and Weems' Life of Washington, and those volumes laid the foundation for his character and influenced his whole life. He first attracted the attention of the public by poetical compositions published in the Temperance Star, of Wilmington, his nom de plume being "Harmony Plowboy." These poems attracted the attention of Dr. J. S. Bell, one of the professors of Delaware College, which was located in the adjoining village of Newark, and he offered the young lad literary assistance and the use of his library. Samuel soon after entered that institution, where he received a liberal education. In those years he contributed to "Peterson's Magazine," "Neal's Gazette," "Godey's Lady's Book," "Saturday Courier," and other periodicals.

Leaving college Mr. McNutt engaged in the profession of teaching, and later was elected President of the New Castle County Teachers' Association, to which position he was twice re-elected. In the meantime he began the study of law, under the direction of Hon. Daniel M. Bates, then Secretary of the State of Delaware, and afterward Chancellor. In 1851 he was admitted to the bar, and hearing of the openings in the West for young men, emigrated to Wisconsin, where he began the practice of his profession, but being offered a Professorship in the Collegiate Institute at Hernando, Miss., he removed to that State, remaining there about three years. In 1854 he came to Muscatine County, Iowa, and in the summer and fall of 1856 was Principal of the First Ward public school in this city. His next venture was in the newspaper business, purchasing a half-interest in the Muscatine Enquirer, the firm then being McNutt & Biles. In April, 1857, he became associate editor of the Dubuque Herald, under the management of J. B. Dorr, who was afterward Colonel of the 8th Iowa Cavalry, and remained in that capacity until 1860, when the firm sold out to D. A. Mahony & Co. Up to this time Mr. McNutt had been a Democrat in politics, and an ardent supporter of Stephen A. Douglas, but when the Southern States began to secede, and war was threatened, he declared himself in favor of the constitutionally elected administration of Abraham Lincoln, and of every means that could be used to put down armed rebellion. The Herald being opposed to the measures of the administration Mr. McNutt was urged by his Democratic friends who favored it to edit a paper, the Daily Evening Union, at Dubuque, and counteract the teachings of the Herald. This he did, and in that time of excitement and passion passed through some stirring scenes, and a bound volume of the Union, which he now possesses, contains many highly prized mementoes of that memorable period. From a financial standpoint the paper proved a failure, and after losing about $2,000 he discontinued it, and became one of the editors of the Dubuque Times, which connection continued until the fall of 1862, when, with the intention of entering the army, he removed his family to his farm in Muscatine County, where he has since resided. In 1863, while engaged in recruiting volunteers for the 8th Iowa Cavalry, he was nominated by the Republicans of Muscatine County for a Representative to the Tenth General Assembly, and was elected by a handsome majority. His course was so satisfactory that he was twice re-elected, an honor never before conferred by Muscatine County. At the close of his third term in the House he was elected without opposition to the Senate, for a full term, which ended Jan. 1, 1874, he thus serving ten consecutive years as a member of the Iowa Legislature. His course received not only the approbation of his constituents but also his political enemies, and in both Houses he was an advocate of all needed reforms. In the Lower House he was one among the first to advocate measures for controlling railway corporations, and the author of several bills for that purpose, which finally prevailed. In 1864 he introduced the bill which wiped out the "black laws," and really made Iowa a free State, and was also author of the joint resolution by which Iowa ratified the amendment to the Federal constitution abolishing slavery throughout the Republic. In 1864 he managed the passage through the House of the bill to drive out of the State the "wildcat" currency then in circulation and in the Senate he was the author of many bills and sections of the Code of 1873, among which was the proviso in section 866, and all of sections 1,305 and 1,306. He was the Senate member and Chairman of the committee to visit and report upon the penitentiary at Ft. Madison, in 1872, and wrote the report to the Legislature which resulted in preventing the State from paying a bogus claim of prison labor contractors of over $17,000, and he recommended the building of a new penitentiary at some point where rock could be quarried. This advice was followed by the location of a new penitentiary at Anamosa. In the summer of 1872 he was a prominent candidate before the Republican State Convention for State Treasurer, and had a large support, but the various corporations which he had fought, together with the enraged prison contractors and other candidates combined, caused his defeat. Since the close of his term in the Senate he has retired from political life, and until lately resided at his pleasant home in this county.

On the 14th day of April, 1857, Mr. McNutt was united in marriage with Miss Anna Lucas, of Portsmouth, Ohio, a niece of ex-Gov. Robert Lucas, of that State, and Territorial Governor of Iowa. She is a lady of most pleasing manner, highly esteemed for her many excellencies of character, and by their union three children have been born. William was graduated from the business department of the Missouri State University in 1883, and the following year wedded Carrie, daughter of Samuel Brand, Esq., of Cedar Valley; Robert is a graduate of the Iowa State University, and is now practicing dentistry in the city of Muscatine; and Samuel is yet at home.

Mr. McNutt has been a prominent member of the Patrons of Husbandry, was Master of a local grange, member of the State Grange, and for three years President of the Muscatine County Council of the order. In 1884 he was appointed by Gov. Sherman to represent the Second Congressional District of Iowa in the Farmers' National Congress, which met at Nashville, Tenn. He took an active part in that body, and through his instrumentality a resolution was passed condemning the sale of large tracts of land to aliens, and calling upon Congress to prevent the same. In religious belief he is a Presbyterian, but entertains very liberal views. In 1841, when sixteen years of age, he joined the Washingtonians, the Odd Fellows in 1851, the Union League in 1861, and the Patrons of Husbandry in 1872. He was one of the originators of the Mutual Life Insurance Company, of which he served as Vice President ten years. For nearly twenty years he has been an officer of a county agricultural society, one year its President. Probably no citizen in the county has borne such a prominent part in political affairs, and his honorable, upright course through his years of public service has won him the confidence and esteem of all with whom he has been brought in contact.


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