Will Cumback, who had been a distinguished member of Congress from Indiana, came with his money-bags and paid the boys in gold and silver-the last "hard money" any of them saw probably till long after the war, say 1879, when specie payments were resumed. The son of this paymaster, a few years ago committed suicide in a fit of despondency, at a hotel where he was stopping, in an Iowa town. And so the winter wore away with the battalion in guarding the railroad, scouting in the neighborhood, capturing rebel horses, and the like. And through it all the men improved as soldiers; the delicate got strong; the homesick recovered their spirits. What sickness occurred, whether measles, small-pox or mumps was mild. But one soldier died during our stay there. When the first symptoms of early spring appeared the troops west of us, who had been freezing in tents at Sedalia, began to march by us over the muddy roads for St. Louis. This mode of transportation soon became too slow, as the exigency for reinforcements in Tennessee became more urgent, and thenceforth the regiments would whirl through the town in trains at night, when the enemy would know less of the movements. Finally, early in March, it came our turn, and one evening, loading our baggage on a long passenger train— not cattle cars-we whizzed off for St. Louis, bidding an almost reluctant adieu to California and the old Judge. Our train was not supplied with a "sleeper;" slumber and snoring were indulged in, in the sitting, nodding attitude. The Major was the last man but one to surrender to the drowsy god, and the last motion that one saw him make, by the flickering light of an expiring oil lamp, was the cape of his overcoat flapping upwards and his hand under it holding a bottle. IOWA PAMPHLET PUBLICATIONS. HON. THEODORE S. PARVIN, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Iowa of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, has recently put forth the proceedings of the fifty-first com munication of the order in Iowa, held at Cedar Rapids, June, 1894. It is an octavo work in pamphlet form of 265 pages, with an appendix of 157 pages, besides an index, making quite a large book, in which may be found not only the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Iowa, but some reference and information relating to nearly all the other Grand Lodges of the United States. It is a work which displays great erudition in Masonic lore, wonderful industry, tremendous energy and excellent taste on the part of the venerable secretary, who has served the order in Iowa in this capacity, with but one short break of interregnum, for over half a century, and is alike a credit to his son and assistant, Newton R. Parvin, who is also beginning to grow grey in the office of Deputy Grand Secretary. THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF Iowa, at the instance of its President, Dr. J. L. Pickard, seconded by the Board of Curators, has lately issued its second publication, Early Leaders in the Professions of Iowa. This pamphlet, consisting of 135 pages, contains three addresses and one monograph relating to the work of the professions of medicine, law, teaching and the ministry in Early Iowa. The addresses were given before the Historical Society and the public: that on "Early Medical Practitioners" by Dr. William Watson, of Dubuque; on the "Early Teachers" by Professor L. F. Parker, of Grinnell, and on "Early Members of the Bar" by Hon. Theodore S. Parvin, of Cedar Rapids; and the monograph on the "Early Clergy" was compiled by Dr. J. L. Pickard, of Iowa City. The information gathered and preserved in this work is of infinite value, being accurate and reliable, coming as it does from lips and pens of living witnesses, and must be very helpful to those who shall write in connected form the early history of our State. ERROR CORRECTED.-In "Early Clergy of Iowa" monograph, under the article regarding "Baptists," the first Association formed was called "Davenport," not "Dubuque," Association, as published. DEATHS. MRS. CHRISTINA SHEW died December 9th, 1894, at Princeton, Iowa, at the age of eighty-one. Mrs. Shew came to Le Claire in 1837, and was one of the first members of the Presbyterian Church, organized in 1840. She was a native of. Belfast, Ireland, was three times married, and has been a widow for several years. She had seen the growth of Iowa from its beginning, and had a noble share in its development. NOTES. THE account of his Arctic expedition given in this number of THE RECORD by Mr. Frank Russell is the modest, direct relation of personal adventure, bespeaking the true hero. Mr. Russell does not seem to realize the magnitude of the undertaking he so signally achieved. Of all the Arctic expeditions which have found publicity in print, the Russell one seems to us the most daring. Others were made after long and minute preparation, with ample, and sometimes lavish, expenditure, and generally with powerful governments at their back, ready to send succor, if need be. This one was made unheralded, with scanty private means, not by a whole company, but by one man, who, after his return, bringing the trophies of his expedition in proof of its success, does not seem to appreciate the dangers he incurred, the difficulties he surmounted, or the importance of his journey. Think of twenty-one hundred miles traveled on snow-shoes, and two hundred and eighty miles alone in a canoe, in a strange land of the Arctic region! Though Mr. Russell should stay at home the remainder of his life, he has had adventures enough to entitle him to have his name enrolled on the list of great travelers and explorers. and to have an honorary place in the Geographical Societies. But, having the modesty which often accompanies true greatness, he evidently cares little for such honors. HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF IOWA. This Society was instituted by the Legislature of 1857. A Library and Cabinet are rapidly accumulating, and the HISTORICAL RECORD is issued quarterly. To gather the rapidly wasting historical material of the State, the Curators of the Society solicit the following contributions. 1. Old letters, journals and manuscript statements of pioneer settlers, relative to the early history and settlement of the State, with sketches of prominent citizens of Iowa, either living or deceased, and acts relative to the Indian tribes, chiefs and warriors; and also Indian implements, ornaments and curiosities. 2. Newspapers, exchanges or papers of old and curious print and date, pamphlets, magazines, catalogues of institutions of learning, minutes of ecclesiastical associations, conventions, conferences and synods, with their origin and history. All such are placed on file and bound when volumes are completed. 3. Books of all kinds, and especially such as relate to American History, travels and biographies in general, and in the west in particular, family genealogies, maps, historical manuscripts, autographs of distinguished persons, coins, medals, paintings, portraits, statues and engravings. 4. Editors and publishers of newspapers, magazines and reviews, will confer a lasting favor on the Society by contributing their publications regularly for its Library, or at least such numbers as may contain articles bearing upon Iowa history, biography, geography or antiquities; all of which will be carefully preserved for binding. THE IOWA HISTORICAL RECORD. This is a quarterly publication, Its object is to collect and preserve in a permanent form, facts connected with the history of the State. Of the various classes of historical facts, it will be its special endeavor to publish 1st. Such as relate to transactions of its early days, which are liable to be soon lost by the passing away of the participants. 2d. Descriptive sketches of localities in the olden time, as their primal features are pictured upon the memory of observers. 3d. Biographical sketches of prominent citizens. 4th. The origin growth and development of the Institutions of the State, with their bearing upon the various interests which have called them into existence. 5th. From time to time such of the hitherto unwritten history of the great war of modern times as relates to the valorous deeds of Iowa soldiers, practicable for introduction, or which seems necessary to preserve it from passing from the knowledge of men. 6th. Reminiscences of early settlers of every character of fact pertaining to pioneer life. To aid in the accomplishment of this purpose, contributions are requested of those who have in memory any portion of the early history of the State, and those having material for history, or authentic manuscripts, will confer a favor by forwarding them to the Secretary. The subscription price of the HISTORICAL RECORD is one dollar a year, in advance. All subscriptions, communications and donations to the Library and Cabinet should be addressed to M. W. DAVIS, SECRETARY, |