American Biography

Charles Edward Ruth, M.D., was among the eminent gentlemen who composed the faculty of the Keokuk Medical college.

His father, Alexander Ruth, was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania on July 18th 1836, and moved to Iowa in 1857. It was from Iowa that he enlisted to fight in the Civil War for ‘old glory,’ serving with the gallant Fourteenth Iowa Volunteer infantry for eighteen months. Later Alexander was transferred to the Seventh cavalry, and received his discharge late in 1864. He was a farmer by occupation, and in 1889 had accumulated sufficient means to enable him to leave the old homestead in Johnson county and enjoy life in the beautiful city of Muscatine, Iowa.

Dr. Ruth’s mother, Sarah Jane Funk, was also a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1840. She came to Iowa in 1858 with her parents, and married Mr. Ruth in 1860. She died at Muscatine, Iowa on July 21st 1896.

Dr Ruth’s ancestors on both sides for at least four generations were farmers. The founders of the family came to this country prior to the revolution — on the paternal side from England and Ireland; on the maternal side, from Germany.

Dr. Charles Edward Ruth was born in Johnson county, Iowa, August 17, 1861. After having finished the high school of Iowa City, he entered the medical department of the Iowa State University, from which he graduated on March 7th 1883.

He located first at Atalissa, Iowa and engaged in practice there until January 1887, when he moved to Muscatine and formed a partnership with Dr. G. O. Morgridge. That business partnership lasted for two years. It was severed by reason of the election of Dr. Ruth to the chair of descriptive and surgical anatomy, in the Keokuk Medical college, a position he continued to hold until late in the 1890s.

In 1893 Dr. Ruth was made professor of clinical surgery at St. Joseph’s hospital, and he regularly held weekly clinics there as a part of the regular course of the Keokuk Medical college. Later, he once again engaged in general practice, surgical work chiefly occupying his attention. His research gave the first published record of the resistance of the brain to penetration by probes of given diameters, discovered in exploring that organ for bullets which have traversed its substance. A full account of that research appears in the report of the American Medical association, from its meeting in Detroit in 1892.

Dr. Ruth is the inventor of various surgical instruments and appliances, including bullet forceps, turbinated gouges, scissors for sectioning the second and third divisions of the fifth nerve far from the surface in the smallest possible space, placental detachers and a metallic rotary adjustable aseptic operating table. He also invented a combined rotary bookcase and desk. He performed the first successful resection of the caecum for sarcoma in a child 5 years old, in which the Murphy button was used to make an end to end anastomosis of the ileum to colon.

The doctor is a republican and prohibitionist. He is a member of Eagle Lodge A.F. and A.M.; Sons of Veterans; American Medical association, being chairman of the Iowa State section in this society on obstetrics and gynecology for 1898; Military Tract, Tri-State, of which he was elected president in 1898; and the Des Moines Valley and Southeastern Iowa Medical societies.

Dr. Ruth belongs to the Methodist church. He was married October 3rd 1883, to Miss Adella Tautlinger, of Lone Tree, Iowa. They had three children — Verl Alton, Una Gertrude and Zana.

The doctor’s success was due entirely to his own efforts. He earned his first dollar by binding oats for a neighbor at night, after his work for his father was done. With the money thus earned he purchased his first book, Webster’s Academic dictionary. He left home at the age of 18 to complete his education with just 11 cents, a present and start in life from his mother and sister, this being all the money they possessed. That money is one of his most treasured keepsakes for he did not part with it.

Dr. Ruth was appointed major brigade surgeon by President McKinley, June 4, 1898, but was compelled to resign July 29, 1898, on account of ill health. Dr. Ruth died December 4th, 1930 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Dr. Eber Lewis Mansfield was born January 26th 1821, in Canaan, Athens county, Ohio. His parents were Martin Mansfield and Margaret (Durham) Mansfield, who were natives of Pennsylvania and Maryland respectively. After their marriage they removed to Ohio and the father followed the occupation of farming. The father died August 7, 1860, when sixty-one years of age, and his wife passed away on the 28th of August, 1863, at the age of eighty-five years. He was a justice of the peace for twenty-one years and his decisions were strictly fair and impartial, winning for him golden opinions. His father, Samuel Mansfield, was a soldier of the Revolutionary war and served full three years, participating in the battles of Germantown, Monmouth and Brandywine as a member of the Third Maryland Regiment. While taking part in the battle of Brandywine he sustained a gunshot wound through the hip. This never healed and finally caused his death.

Many regard the practice of medicine as a sphere of greatest usefulness and it is a self-evident fact that few men come into closer relation or have larger opportunity for doing good than the physician. Of kindly spirit, of generous disposition and at all times free from ostentation, Dr. E. L. Mansfield won for himself a place in public regard second to none. His life was one of intense and well directed activity, his fellowmen benefiting by his labors at all times so that when he passed away on the 26th of May, 1887, his death was deeply regretted by the many friends whom he had won during an upright and honorable life.

Dr. E. L. Mansfield spent his youthful days on his father’s farm, where he attended the common schools and acquired a good English education. He afterward became a student in the academy at Guysville, Athens county, Ohio, and later attended the University of Ohio at Athens, where he was a classmate of S. S. Cox and also of Johnson, of the National Surgical Institute. After the completion of his academic course he made his way to the south and was engaged for some time in teaching in Mississippi and Kentucky. Returning to Ohio, he took up the study of medicine, his reading being directed by Dr. Blackstone for two years. He then engaged in practice at Harrisonville, Meigs county, Ohio, in 1845, but in the meantime attended the Western Reserve College at Cleveland, where he pursued a course of lectures and in scholarship ranked third in a class of one hundred and nineteen.

In 1847 he moved to Cedar Rapids Iowa, the embryo village presenting little promise of future growth and development whereby it would attain to its later prominence. At that day there was not a plastered wall in the town, nor a fenced lot. A few cabins constituted the village and the surrounding country was but sparsely settled. Dr. Mansfield began practice there and continued actively in his profession for thirty-five years, or until 1882. He was the first regular physician of the city and the ability which he manifested soon won him a patronage that was extensive and gratifying.

In 1849 Dr. Mansfield formed a partnership with Dr. S. D. Carpenter, the relationship being dissolved, however, the following year, when Dr. Mansfield went to California in search of gold. He was accompanied by John Brown and George McCullough, who never returned. While on the coast Dr. Mansfield handled a pick and shovel and also practiced his profession during the following year. Not meeting with the success that he had anticipated in search of gold, however, and feeling that Cedar Rapids offered a better field for the practice of medicine, he returned to that city in 1851.

Next he formed a partnership with Dr. Milligan in 1854. This relationship was maintained until 1856, after which Dr. Mansfield was alone in practice until 1863, when he was joined by Dr. Smith in a business relation that was maintained until 1867. In 1870 he formed a partnership with Dr. George P. Carpenter, which was dissolved in 1876. He was then again alone in practice until 1882, when he retired.

As the years passed on he made extensive investment in real estate and at different times owned between fifteen and twenty thousand acres. He not only operated largely in farm property but also was connected with the business life and activity of the city. He built the Mansfield block, was one of the organizers of the City National Bank and continued as one of its stockholders until 1882. He was also one of the men that aided in the establishment of the woolen mills, the plow works and the water works, subscribing liberally to the stock of the different enterprises.

On the 6th of April, 1852, Dr. Mansfield was united in marriage to Miss Lucy A. Warriner, a native of Indiana, and unto them were born three children: Sylvia, the wife of C. J. Deacon, Lura, the wife of James A. Reed, of Kansas City; and Lewis Warriner, who was later engaged in the land business in Cedar Rapids. The wife and mother died August 26, 1868, and Dr. Mansfield afterward married again, his second union being with Miss Mary E. Warriner, of Watertown, New York, who died in 1889.

In his political views Dr. Mansfield was independent and at different times served as a member of the city council, exercising his official prerogatives in support of many progressive measures. He was a supporter of the federal government during the Civil War and a follower and admirer of Horace Greeley. He was also a champion of the cause of education and at different times served as a member of the school board. He did much for the growth and development of the city and his efforts were always along the line of progress and improvement. He was one of the founders of Coe College and for many years served as a trustee of that institution when it was called the Coe Collegiate Institute.

Dr Mansfield ranked prominently not only in the medical profession but also among the businessmen of Cedar Rapids. He operated to a considerable extent in real estate in his later years. He possessed a charitable, kindly nature and in the practice of medicine responded as readily to the call of the poor as to the rich. He was always lenient with his patients who were unable to pay for services rendered them.

When his daughter, Mrs. Deacon, was an infant only a few days old Dr. Mansfield was called to Boone to amputate a man’s leg. It was before the days of railroads and he had to make the journey there and back in a buggy. Months and years rolled by and the bill was never paid. Finally, after twenty-one years, when the infant daughter had grown to womanhood and was married, the bill was paid without interest and the doctor invested the amount in a silver pitcher, which he presented to his daughter with the remark that it was to requite her for so suddenly leaving her on a long journey when she was but three or four days old.

Dr. E. L. Mansfield gave generously of his means to the poor and needy, yet always without ostentation. He was well known, however, as a most charitable and benevolent man and won friends wherever he went. For years he remained the loved family physician in many of the leading households in Cedar Rapids and in the surrounding country. He died very suddenly May 26th 1887, and the news of his demise was received with deep sorrow wherever he was known. He was a man of strong personality and marked characteristics and at all hazards he would defend the right as he saw it, nor was his position ever an equivocal one. He formed his opinions from close study and keen observation and his judgment was rarely if ever at fault. He believed in the enjoyment of life and took pleasure in his work and in looking after his buildings and real estate. Said one who knew him well and had excellent opportunity to judge: “He was an upright and excellent physician, a very positive character, a true friend, and in his death Cedar Rapids has sustained a great loss.” Such was the opinion voiced of all who knew him. He set himself resolutely to the tasks of this world and accomplished what he undertook, but never allowed the serious side of business to so engross his life that joy and pleasure, helpfulness and benevolence had no part in it. On the contrary, few men had more largely embraced their opportunities for doing good, and the record which he leaves behind him is a credit to the city which his life adorned.

George Allen Lincoln was a three term mayor of Cedar Rapids, and a familiar figure in republican state conventions. He occupied a prominent position in the councils of the republican party in Iowa for many years.

Born in Chicopee Massachusetts on January 31st 1848, George was the son of George D. Lincoln and Mary E. Lincoln. With his parents he moved to Madison Wisconsin in 1858.

When the war broke out he was anxious to do his part, but he was too young. Just before his 16th birthday he enlisted in the Third Wisconsin light artillery — December 22nd 1863, and served as a private in the army of the Tennessee until discharged July 3rd 1865.

A couple years after the close of the war he moved to Cedar Rapids Iowa — March 25th 1867, where he engaged in the clothing business. In 1878 he used his profits from that occupation to go into the real estate business.

George Lincoln organized the first volunteer fire department in Cedar Rapids in 1869 and was chief engineer from 1870 to 1876. He has always been identified with the State Fireman’s association and was president in 1892 and 1893. His connection with the city government of Cedar Rapids began in 1874, when he was elected alderman of the Third ward. In 1878 he was recorder and assessor of the city.

Mr. Lincoln was elected mayor in March, 1895, and was twice re-elected, serving until March, 1898. He was always elected as a republican and was actively identified with all the movements of that party in Iowa from 1867 onward. During all that time he hardly ever missed being a delegate to the county and state conventions every year. He served as a member of the republican state central committee from the Fifth district during the years 1890 and 1891. In 1891 he was appointed postmaster of Cedar Rapids, and served four years. After that he was the chairman of the republican county central committee of Lincoln county. Although a strong anti-prohibitionist, he did not leave the party during the prohibitionist fight, believing that the time would come when the party would not make that a test of party fealty and would remove the issue from politics.

George Allen Lincoln had a great part in the development of the enterprising and rapidly growing city of Cedar Rapids. He was identified with all its improvements and contributed liberally to promote public enterprises. During his administration as mayor, large public improvements were made, including paving, sewering, an improved railroad passenger station, and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul station. It is largely on account of his influence and activity that the republican state convention was twice located in Cedar Rapids.

Mr. Lincoln was married in Cedar Rapids, February 17, 1869, to Fannie Atwell, and they had one daughter, Bertha, born February 10, 1875.