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Shelby County |
Home 1915 History Index |
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Shelby County |
Home 1915 History Index |
CHAPTER XIX.LITERARY DEVELOPMENT.
W. M. Bomberger, the well-known horticulturalist of Shelby county, has written many special articles, not only in his own particular line, but along many lines of economic and political thought.
Hon. W. F. Cleveland, of Harlan, is the author of an elaborate history of Masonry, in Iowa, of which three volumes have already been issued from the press. Prof. A. B. Warner, for eleven years city superintendent of the Harlan schools, is master of a very strong and trenchant literary style. He has contributed largely to educational publications and occasionally to the local press. Charles Escher, Jr., of Botna, Iowa, has written more or less for livestock journals, and has frequently appeared on programs at banquets abroad given to stock breeders. John J. Louis, a graduate of the State University of Iowa, and for several years city superintendent of the Harlan schools, wrote a very thorough article, entitled, "Shelby County; a Sociological Study," in which he developed with great interest certain features of the political institutions of the county and the life of her people. This was published in The Iowa Journal of History and Politics. Miss Mollie Paul, a daughter of Dallas F. Paul, at one time county auditor of Shelby county and prominent resident of Cass township, published for private circulation a book descriptive of scenes and incidents of her European travels. Bert Mills, a son of John S. Mills, for many years in the drug business in Harlan, is now and for many years has been a reporter on the Des Moines Capital. Elmer Pennell, for many years a local leader of the Socialist party in Grove township, which at one time polled thirteen or fourteen votes in that township, is now editing a socialist paper somewhere in the state of Missouri. Rev. Clifford L. Snowden, for several years a pastor of the Harlan Congregational church, did much newspaper work and was the author of several magazine articles. Mrs. Emma Nelson-Johnson has done some literary work for the World-Herald of Omaha. G. K. Swift, a son of Hon. and Mrs. C. F. Swift, of Harlan, has shown ability of high order as a newspaper correspondent, and has had some important assignments from the World-Herald of Omaha, including the reporting of President Taft's campaign through Nebraska. Mrs. Grace Jack-Hall, a daughter of Col. and Mrs. John T. Jack, writes well and has had some of her work published in one of the magazines. R. A. Kirkpatrick, formerly principal of the schools of Earling and at one time editor of the Earling Observer, has done some literary work for magazines. J. D. Walker, a former editor of the Harlan Tribune, published a volume of verse many years ago at Harlan. Mabel Cullison, a daughter of Attorney George W. Cullison, has done some literary work for an eastern magazine. R. M. Maxwell (father of J. D. Maxwell, of Cass township, and of Allan Maxwell, of Union township), for many years a resident of Douglas township, north of Harlan, wrote with more than ordinary ability and power many articles on political and economic subjects, particularly on the single tax theory of Henry George, in which Mr. Maxwell was a firm believer. He at one time carried on more or less correspondence with Henry George, himself, and with other single taxers all over the United States. Rev. Dr. Frank G. Beardsley, now pastor of the First Congregational church of Keokuk, Iowa, published two books while serving as pastor of the Congregational church of Harlan. The first one, which received a first prize of a fine gold medal offered by a religious society, was entitled "History of American Revivals." The second work was entitled "Christian Achievement in America." Rev. Alva W. Taylor, now a professor in the State University of Missouri, is the author of a work entitled "Social Side of Christian Missions," which is regarded by. and has been adopted as, a standard work by the Christian Foreign Missionary Society. Rev. J. B. Hummert, the" veteran priest of Earling. has prepared a number of pamphlets and has written to some extent for the local press. W. C. Campbell, of the Harlan Tribune, and P. B. Brown, of the Shelby County Republican, write so clearly and well on very many topics of general interest that they are frequently quoted by the daily and weekly press of Iowa. Their best work rises to the dignity of something more than the commonplace "hack-work" of the average weekly newspaper. Much of the local history of Shelby county has been well told by them in their newspapers issued from week to week. Editor J. C. Lunn, of the Vaegteren, has occasionally written historical articles for his journal on topics of the Danish settlements of Shelby county. Rev. P. C. Nelson, a former Cuppy's Grove boy, is the author of a number of creditable short poems and other literary compositions. B. W. Hon. of Polk township, has shown some talent for the composition of verse. From the Shelby County Record, issued in the seventies, the author found this rather clever piece of writing by E. J. Currier, who owned the farm in southwest Harlan later owned by M. K. Campbell, and following his ownership, by W. W. Wheeler, and now known as College Heights: "EDITOR RECORD: I see by your paper that I am billed for a concert. Issacharlike, I generally do whatever I am asked to do if I can do it with a clear conscience. Instead of the concert, however, I will give a matinee lasting from five o'clock A. M. to eight o'clock A. M., at my home in Lincoln township. PROGRAMME."Chorus, by P. Chicken and family, 'Spring is Coming.' "Song, by Mr. G. Ander, 'The First Quack.' (Comic). " 'Meet Me by Moonlight Alone,' sung by Mr. Thomas Cat, Esq. "Baritone Solo by Profundo Basso, 'Get Up.' (Sung in characters, but not in costume, and very comical.) " 'Sparkling Duet' (upon the cook stove), by Miss F. Ire and Miss S. Wood. "Equine chorus, 'Feed Me Till I Want No More.' " 'Give Me Three Grains of Corn, Mother,' by Porcine Troupe. "K. O. Wapsie, Esq., from West Liberty, has been requested to sing, but it is feared his cold will prevent. "Prof. T. H. Under, the celebrated bass soloist, has been invited to participate in the exercises, and will, no doubt, come, unless he is unavoidably detained at his winter home in the South. "Closing piece, 'Come to Breakfast,' by A. Bell. "E. J. Currier."
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