The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-20
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Sioux City, Iowa, June 20.-The retire
ment Of Judge H. C. Caldwell from the
bench of the eighth United States cir
cult marks the departure from public life
of one of the last of the "Keosauqua
colony" famous, at least, in the west
The little, provincial, way-back town
OF Keosauqua, Iowa, numbering at its
last census scarcely 1900 people, has,
however, furnished to the United States
two United States district Judges, one
United States circuit judge, one United
States supreme judge, three United States
senators, two members of congress, one
nominee for governor, three millionaires,
two of them having colossal fortunes, one
attorney general of Iowa, one secretary of
state for Iowa. and one member Of the
presidential cabinet.
Among these men are, Senator w. A.
Clark of Montana the, late A. g. Davis
Of Montana, Judge Caldwell, United States
Senator George G. Wright, United States
Senator j. B. Howell. Judge George w.
McCrary, secretary. Of war under resi-
dent Hayes, and John F. Dillon, the re-
nowned attorney Of New York city, coun-
sci for the Gould interests.
There is no town Of any size IN Iowa
that has produced half the prominent
men as the village Of Keosauqua and it
is certain that no town SO small anywhere
else in the United States can approach the
Van Buren, county metropolis.
How did 1t happen?" repeated G. l..
Wright Of this city, son of Senator
Wright. Il don't know and have never
found any one who could explain it, One
Of the remarkable phases OF it is that
these men came from all parts of the
east. They just CHANGED to land at Keo-
sauqua.'' 49, ~
Had to Seek It Out.
1t is certain that Keosauqua possessed
no attractions sufficient to account for
the settlement of distinguished person
ages The town was even smaller In
those days and to-day has but one rail-
road. The men who became famous
trudged overland or rode horseback that
they might find the place. Later the line
of travel passed up and down the Des
Moines river and as Keosauqua was but
a short distance above Keokuk, it was ma
tura1 that settlers should make their way
there. @...@
At that day and ever since the village
householders sat on boxes in the local
stores and told yarns over their whitfield
sticks. To-day the people of Keosauqua
point with pride to the products Of the
village, but they are still on the store
boxes. The town itself is a forgotten
Advent of George Wright.
George Wright in an early day left his
Indiana brother, Joseph, who later be-
came governor of Indiana and minister
to Berlin under Lincoln, and went to ST
Louis. At ST. Louis he bought.ra horse
and rode up the Mississippi river till he
came to the Des Moines, when he turned
to the northwest and followed Its shores
He came to a settlement of "a hundred
struggling houses, clinging to high bank
and fskirted by a graceful bend OF the
reelected president ,of the normal school
at Madison, Wis.
For1nand DAHL j. N. Kildahl and Lars
Swenson were appointed tor select the
place of next meeting. "A friendly greet
ing from the Swedish Lutheran Angus.
tana synod, in session at Paxton, ILL.,, was
received and acknowledged. Tomorrow
an ordination service will be held and fit
teen young men will be commissioned
to serve as ministers Of the church.
Causes Much Feeling.
The Professor Schmidt controversy il
still uppermost In the minds Of the dele.
gates, and the telegram received from the
Norwegian synod late yesterday Afternoon
has stirred up much feeling. This @te1e.
gram Is taken to mean that the synod
l