A Narrative History of The People of Iowa with SPECIAL TREATMENT OF THEIR CHIEF ENTERPRISES IN EDUCATION, RELIGION, VALOR, INDUSTRY, BUSINESS, ETC. by EDGAR RUBEY HARLAN, LL. B., A. M. Curator of the Historical, Memorial and Art Department of Iowa Volume IV THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Inc. Chicago and New York 1931 Part 5 Bio of the Hon. Millard Fillmore Rohrer "Judge W. C. Janes, 'Old Blackhawk,' the handsomest man the city ever produced, was a lawyer, county judge, mayor in 1874 and city alderman several terms. He built many of the largest buildings in the city to this day. "J. Smith Hooton was mayor in 1857 and 1858, and a conspicuous citizen. "Squire W. L. Biggs was proprietor of one of the leading hotels of the city - The Biggs House - in which many of our prominent citizens lived. I enjoyed the pleasure of serving him as his hotel clerk in 1871. He was an active Odd Fellow and every rarely missed attending meetings. He was city alderman in 1859, 1861 and 1862, an din later years was justice of the peace. "Dexter C. Bloomer, LL. D., was a newspaper man and a lawyer. He was the first receiver for the United States land office here. He was mayor in 1869 and 1871, and city alderman in 1856. He was trustee in 1867 of the Young Men's Library Association, a trustee of the public school library, 1871 to 1876, and a trustee of the Council Bluffs Library Association, 1878 to 1882. The Free Public Library was organized in 1882 and he was a trustee continuously from the organization to the time of his death, February 24, 1900. I served with him as trustee continuously from 1888 and succeeded him as president of the board of trustees by election on March 12, 1900. For eleven years he was a member of the board of education. "Bloomer School was named in his honor. He was editor of the Northwest Odd Fellow, a publication issued in this city abut 1872 to 1876. When nearly four score years of age he spent his time in preparing a life of his his wife, Amelia Bloomer, which was published in book form. His wife was the designer of the famous 'bloomer costume,' and bought it to public notice throughout the United States by wearing it herself. "Thomas H. Benton was a banker, colonel of the Twenty-ninth Iowa Regiment, brevet brigadier general, a state officer and, next to General Dodge, the most conspicuous soldier from south-west Iowa. "Louden Mullen was a large landowner and platted Mullen's subdivision to this city. "Seth H. Craig, a soldier of the Mexican war and captain of Company A, of the Twenty-ninth Iowa Regiment, was sheriff of this county and warden of the state penitentiary at Fort Madison. "With the names of the very early members of this lodge, last, but not least, I record the name of our most distinguished citizen, Gen. Grenville M. Dodge, who spent his early life chiefly in building railroads. He was a member of the city council in 1859 and 1860, and elected a member of Congress in 1866. He was made a member of this lodge on Christmas Eve, 1855. "It was fortunate for Council Bluffs and Omaha that Abraham Lincoln paid a visit to Council Bluffs sixty-nine years ago, or in August, 1859, at which time history says he was being favorably mentioned as a candidate for President of the United States and elected the following year to said office. "It did not take Mr. Lincoln very long to learn after his arrival in Council Bluffs that Grenville M. Dodge had been making explorations and surveys west of the Missouri River for the Union Pacific Railroad. Mr. Lincoln stated that there was nothing more important before the nation at that time than the building of the railroad to the Pacific Coast. "General Dodge in his published Recollections of President Abraham Lincoln says that while Lincoln was in Council Bluffs he and the citizens took him up what is now Oakland Avenue, to the point where the road turns into Rohrer Park, and he was greatly impressed with the beauty of the landscape. "The exact spot on which Lincoln and Dodge stood has been made beautiful by the erection of the Lincoln memorial by the Lincoln Memorial Association, of which General Dodge was president, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. "In view of the competition on the north and on the south for the location of the eastern terminus of the Union Pacific Railroad, it was fortunate, indeed, for the cities of Council Bluffs and Omaha that Lincoln and Dodge met in Council Bluffs in August, 1859, which resulted in making Council Bluffs and Omaha a metropolitan center of the United States today; otherwise, they might not be on the map. "I was personally acquainted with General Dodge about forty-four years previous to his death. January 3, 1916. General Dodge was a civil and military engineer, a soldier and builder of the Union Pacific Railroad and many other railroads. He presented the city with what is known as the Nathan P. Dodge Memorial Park. He was far the greatest man ever produced in Iowa, and did more to make the city famous than any man who ever dwelt in it." The oldest member of the lodge is R. W. Ball, of San Francisco, California, former city circulator of The Nonpareil, who left the city fifty years ago. Mr. Rohrer is the oldest resident member. He became a member December 27, 1872. On the occasion of his eightieth birthday he was honored with a dinner, at the Chieftain Hotel in Council Bluffs, by forty of his closest friends. For years he had been in the habit of entertaining his friends, but this time they turned the tables on him, and gave him the honor of being guest. Lauded by the toastmaster, Emmet Tinley, as a constructive citizen who had spoken "not one unkind word in sixty years." Mr. Rohrer was presented with a gold wrist watch with the expressed hope that he would be able to enjoy it for the next twenty-five or thirty years. There were several other prominent speakers present, and in response Mr. Rohrer recalled high lights in his long career of public service and expressed appreciation of the honor conferred upon him at the dinner. Debbie Clough Gerischer Iowa History Project _http://iagenweb.org/history/_ (http://iagenweb.org/history/) Scott County, Iowa _http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/index.htm_ (http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/index.htm) **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1220439616x1201372437/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D668072%26hmpgID %3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62)