The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-09-23
keokuk's Early Days.

To the Editor Of The Gate City:
A cousin esent me q copy OF your
paper OF September Is, containing
your splendid write-up OF my old
schoolmate, Major D. B. Hamill. Many
things In 1t touched the tenderest
chords In my heart and I have read
it several times, for the scenes Of my
childhood are precious to me.
knew him for more than sixty years,
was with him in the private school Of
Colonel William Terrence, and the
mention OF his name brings tears to
my eyes for owe him 80 much. Once
while / was driving a delivery wag-
on, he said to me: Joseph. you Will
not always do this. God has larger
field for YOU" II mistake not he
fell at Selma, Ala, but his grave ia
in your beautiful cemetery, not Tar
from that OF my kindred. and have
dropped the tears OF affection on his
sleeping dust. am profoundly
thankful for the noble character that
Brother Hamill built up and the last
ing influence that is heritage OF all
who loved him; and doubly 80 of hIa
kindred, to each OF which say, God
bless you and bring you to the life
everlasting, through Jesus Christ,
our Lord.
In the same issue Of The Gate City
I read with kindling emotions the
celebration Of Captain ]. F. Daugh-
erty's eighty-frst birthday. In my
boyhood days / knew 1iim well. He
lived in our city (Cataraugus) and II
there was any fighting to do we could
always count on Frank. His rem
iniscences of Keokuk took me back
as far as memory goes, and his mem.
ory is marvellous. How / enjoyed
them. The old st. Louis and Keokuk
packets, the admiration of my child
hood The Df Vernon, the largest OF
her class, followed by namesakes OF
Quincy, Keokuk, Hannibal, Louisiana,
etc. The early jobbing houses, down
on the levee, Chittenden C McGavic,
Stafford & McCune, Connable, Smythe
& Co.; the Tightening" over the
rapids that made the levee busy
SPOT in Keokuk from so to go, the
grading OF Main street, much OF the
labor done by the Mormons, who were
encamped on the bluff overlooking
the river and waiting to start for
their far off city Of Zion( Salt Lake,,
then a vision or dream. / have seen
it twice, and live almost In sight OF
Lamont. Iowa, sixteen miles away,
that divides the honors with indie
pendence, Mo-, as being the headQuar-
tiers OF the Reorganized Church OF
Latter Day Saints. I had the honor
of speaking to them July 4, 1887, and
1889. There was a very fine celebra-
ton.
We are proud OF Brother Hamill's
religious life. Those beautiful years
will live on, for they are embalmed in
human hearts, and to live in which is
not to die.
l.. NJ. wickersham, of the old
Pennsylvania foundry, Eighth and
Main streets. lives near me. and was
my seatmate in the Terrence school.
My father and uncle, James and
Thomas Burrows, made and built the
first brick house ever erected in the
city OF Keokuk. We came to keokuk
from Manchester, England, in 1912 I
was born in Manchester on May Is,
1910. attended school in Quincy
and clerked for Cluts & Walker in
Keokuk in 1856 and 1857. left Keo-
kuk in June, 1889 for Centerville,
Iowa, went by rail to Bentonsport.
and by stage the rest of the way. /
took charge of William Wittenmyer's
general store for two years and went
to Putnam county, Missouri in 1861.
I came here in 1862 and have lived
here ever since. / was a merchant
for forty years and represented
Mercer county, Missouri, six years in
the house of representatives and was
the last member of congress from
the old Tenth district (gerrymandered
out) / was in the forty -seventh con-
gress and introduced the first bill
for the reduction OF postage from