Robert E. Lee’s benediction for two Confederates from Iowa
Four years after Appomattox, Robert E. Lee wrote to former U.S. Senator George Wallace Jones. They had a friend in common, General Charles Gratiot. Besides that, two of Jones’s sons…
Gifted doctor, unpredictable man, Part 2
In Part 1, W.H. Farner left Iowa and became a Denver city councilman and physician to the 1st Colorado Infantry. After he accused the soldiers of misdeeds in the field,…
Gifted doctor, unpredictable man, Part 1
Politicians today are accused of flip-flopping, but Dr. William H. Farner fit the bill. He jumped careers and political parties with ease. He first practiced medicine and was active in…
From gunpoint to graciousness: Jefferson Davis and Dubuque, Iowa
The president of the Confederacy had a long history with Dubuque. This is a story of trust, service, and gratitude. In the winter of 1831-1832, lead mines were booming…
Slavery in Dubuque, Iowa
Slaves might be the last people you’d expect in Iowa. Confederates might be a close second. After all, Iowa has always been free. However, 17 slaves appear on the 1840…
Be careful what you write: Agonies of a double-talking Democrat
Herman H. Heath made a huge political U-turn after Ft. Sumter. Like many others, he became a Republican. But Heath, an Episcopalian, had a secret. He might’ve forgotten the words…
Think like Dr. Phil: “Love will keep us together,” part 2
In the last post, two Iowa newlyweds, John and Nancy, had marital problems after they moved to Tennessee. Two times, John sent Nancy back to Muscatine. I invited readers to…
Think like Dr. Phil, new round: “Love will keep us together” — or will it?
Let’s have a little fun. In this post, I’ll introduce newlyweds who are a Confederate from Iowa and his wife. I’ll describe challenges in their early marriage. I invite you…
Correction to “A chart is worth a thousand words”
Sometimes it pays to recheck data. I discovered that seven Confederates from Iowa (not three, as originally shown) had at least one brother in the Union Army. Ten percent of…
A chart is worth a thousand words: Data about Confederates from Iowa
I've documented 74 males who left Iowa and served the C.S.A. Research is ongoing. I've received interesting questions about their pre-war Iowa residences, their birthplaces, and their parents' birthplaces. The…