Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 4.djvu/288

 a law office. He served as a county judge at the period when that officer had almost supreme financial power in conducting the business of his county; a most efficient system, when the judge was competent and honest, but a most dangerous system when occupied by an unscrupulous man clothed with despotic powers by law. Judge Isbell was of the best class and rendered most excellent service. He belonged to the old Whig party in early days but when the slavery issue sent that neutral party out of existence, Mr. Isbell became a Republican. In 1854 he was a law partner of N. M. Hubbard and from 1857 to 1860 the partnership was renewed. Under the old Constitution, he was in January, 1855, elected by the Fifth General Assembly Supreme Judge, resigning in 1856 on account of failing health. In September, 1862, upon the resignation of Judge Wm. E. Miller of the Eighth Judicial District, Governor Kirkwood appointed Judge Isbell to fill the vacancy. He was elected at the expiration of the term but after serving until August 31, 1864, resigned and removed to California, where he died of consumption the same year. Judge Hubbard, his former partner, pronounced Judge Isbell to have been an able jurist, thoroughly equipped in all that makes an excellent judge. CHARLES J. IVES of Cedar Rapids is an illustration of a class of citizens of Iowa, starting in boyhood with only an inheritance of intellect, energy and a laudable ambition to accomplish something worth living for, has attained a high position in one of the great industries of the age. He was born in Rutland County, Vermont, October 4, 1831. He had but a limited school education, working on his father's farm until grown when he went with the crowds of gold seekers to the mining region of Pike's Peak. Returning to Iowa he obtained a subordinate position in a local office of the Burlington Railroad Company. Obtaining a knowledge of the business, in 1871 he was appointed freight agent of the first division of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railway Company. From this position he gained more knowledge of the growing railroad system and business then in the process of rapid development and developed the qualities required by that great industry and arose rapidly and steadily from one position to another until he had mastered the exacting problems of successful management and attained the control of the complicated business, holding the positions of president and general superintendent of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway. When he first entered its service, the entire length of the road was forty miles. Largely owing to his executive management and enterprise the system now has lines over the State aggregating 1,500 miles in length. FRANK D. JACKSON, fourteenth Governor of Iowa, was born at Arcade, Wyoming County, New York, January 26, 1854. In 1867 he came with his parents to Jesup, in Buchanan County, Iowa, where he attended the