The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-07

and later moved to California where
she died few years ago.
A Gifted Daughter.
Mrs Upham spoke of Sue Harry
Claggett who came to keokuk in 1854
with her parents, Judge and Mrs.
Thomas Clagett. They lived for some
time in Mrs. Kilbourne's house at 1903
High street and later lived in the
house now owned by Mrs. William
Ballinger. Judge Claggett was the
founder of the Keokuk Constitution
and his daughter, Sue Harry Claggett
wrote for the paper She was a self
reliant girl without fear and used
often to go home alone late at night
from the theatre or from the home OF
friend. One night man followed
her from down town. She managed by
walking fast, to keep ahead of him
and when she came near home, hur-
ried into the yard and shut the gate
and then said with much politeness to
the man: II thank you sir" Mrs. Up
ham said as girl she attended the
same Bible class which the Rev. Mr..
McIlwain conducted and said Miss
Claggett drove him almost to despera-
ton by introducing at every lesson
arguments to substantiate the doc
trine Of predestination. She was the
author Of book "Her Lovers" the
plot of which originated in an expert.
ence in a summer camp. Mrs. George
b. Smythe, Miss Kate Perry and 9th
er Keokuk people with the Claggetts
made up the camping party. The
book was first named Zone sum
mer," and was later changed because
another author had chosen the same
name for novel,
Mrs. Upham also told Of Major Lor-
en- S. Tyler's book, History of the
Fifteenth Iowa Volunteers" Much OF
the compiling of this history was done
in Keokuk. General Be1knap did
much to assist Major Tyler in COM
piling this book.
Mrs. LeBron told of the life and lit
erary work of Mrs. Rebecca Pollard
whose pen name was Kate Harring-
ton. She spoke Of Mrs. Pollard's re-
cent death and of the debt the world
owes her for the easy method by
which children are taught nowadays
to read by the synthetic system
Some of the books we're written here
in Keokuk and her book "Maymie, ;"
was published in The Gate City print
shop.
Mrs Cole told of James III. Ander-
son, author of Riddles of Prehistoric
Times" Mr. Anderson is a brother
of Mrs. w. J. Roberts and now lives in
Dallas, Texas. His book which is
written in the form of a sailors log,
was published in 1912. He suffered a
stroke of paralysis in 1905 and the
book was written since he became a
semi-invalid.
Mrs. Rubidge spoke of the unusual
literary work which Miss Ida Human
has done and is still. doing. Her best
known book is 1.-THE Washington
Sketch Book" which contains the bio
graphical sketches of the prominent
people of many administrations. She
issues this year supplement number
six. AS administrations change she
adds new supplement. She has pub
llished also this year the Life of Tim
| othy Blackstone. The book Is ex.
quisitely bound in gold colored silk
land Is most artistic from the print
| er's standpoint Miss Human writes
| in a charming. readable style. For
years she has contributed to period1
calls and was for five years Washing
ton correspondent for a leading New
York paper. In 1891 she went to
Europe on commission to study the
socialistic movement in Germany
and upon her return to America
wrote series of articles which were
published and widely read.
Mrs. Upham spoke Of Col. J.. M
Reid who wrote book of Reminis
cences. His home in Keokuk was at
] 1909 Blondeau street and his law Of
flee was at "a North Fifth street. He
entered Co. A, Second Iowa infantry
as a private and rose to the rank OF
colonel in the civil war.
/ Preacher-Writer.
! Mrs. Connable spoke of the life and
work of the Rev. John Burgess who
was the author and publisher of q
number Of books of sermons and OF
pleasant Recollections of Prominen;
People" Mrs. Connable also told Of
ID. B. Smith who came to Keokuk IN
1916. who was a civil engineer anc
SURVEYED the Des Moines valley rail
road. He was later deputy sheriff Of
Lee county and then treasurer. II
the latter office he was charged with
embezzlement, convicted and served 6
term in the penitentiary at Fort Madi
son. While there he wrote Two
Years in the Slave Pen of Iowa" He
dedicated his book to Humanity Ii
General and to Christians in Particu
liar" It was scathing criticism or
the management Of the penitentiarJ
system as it was at that time.
Mrs. Cole spoke of DR.. Frank G
/ Beardsley's books History Of Ameri
can Revivals," and Christian Achieve