of
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| History of Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume I, 1911, page 371
D. C. CLOUD. David C. Cloud came to Muscatine May 2, 1839. He was a native of Champaign county, Ohio, and from six to twelve years of age he attended the public schools three months in the year. When fifteen years of age he commenced learning the trade of book binding but subsequently took up carpentry. While an apprentice he worked on the lunatic asylum at Columbus, OhiO. In company with his father-in-law, a Mr. Dibble, and family he removed to Muscatine, landing here May 2, 1839, where he worked at his trade about eight years but during that time read law and in December, 1846, was admitted to the bar and began practice. While reading law he was elected justice of the peace and soon after his admission to the bar was elected prosecuting attorney of the county, serving two terms. In 1852 he was elected attorney general of the state, the first to hold that position, and served until 1856. In the latter year he was sent to the legislature and in 1860 supported Lincoln for the presidency, continuing to act with the republican party until 1872. He had been elected attorney general on the democratic ticket. He was an active supporter of the Union party during the war and wrote a work entitled "The War Powers of the President," which was received with favor. In 1872 he was a delegate to the democratic convention at Cincinnati and helped nominate Horace Greeley for the presidency. In the same year he published a book entitled "Monopolies and the People," which was largely sold. For almost a half century David C. Cloud was one of the leading members of the bar of this section of the state.
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