Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/609

 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 549 he found himself amply fitted for its work, Mr. Houck turned to other fields of labor. He had become interested in the resources of this section of the state and determined to begin the building of railroads. From 1881 up to the present time he has been engaged in this work. In the chapter on railroads an account is given of his activities. Southeast Missouri owes to him, however, more than simply a debt for railroad building. It is due as much to his ability as a writer as to any other one cause that the resources and opportunities of Southeast Missouri have been made known to the state at large. Numbers of articles haA'C been contributed by him to papers and magazines in which he has set out with force and skill the situation actually existing in this part of the state. During all the years of his active life here he has given most in- telligent attention to collecting material re- lating to the history of the state. His private library is one of the best and largest in ]Iis- souri and in spite of the numerous occupa- tions which have engaged him, he has devoted himself to the preparation of an adequate ac- count of the early days in Jlissouri. His his- tory of Missouri from the earliest time to the formation of the state government is a monu- mental work which represents years of study, the accumulation of a great deal of material, and the expenditure of large sums of money. It is not a mere composition from second-hand authorities but has resulted :'om patient in- quiry into sources of early history. A com- panion work, The Spanish Regime, is an ac- count of the Spanish rule, containing transla- tions of all the old dociunents relating to the government of Missouri during the Spanish period, many of these having never before been translated. It is doiibtful, however, if the gi-eat work which Mr. Houck has wrought both as a rail- road builder and as a student of history out- weighs his service to the state as a regent of the State Normal School at Cape Girardeau. For more than a cjuarter of a century he has been president of the Board of Regents and during that time has been active and untir- ing in his work for that great institution. To him perhaps, more than to any other one man is due the credit for its buildings and con- tinued growth. He has given it the best serv- ice of his life and his wide experience, his untiring energy and the respect and confi- dence in which he is held by a large circle of acquaintances throughout the state have en- abled him to secure a consideration for the claims of the school not possible otherwise to be obtained. Lownes H. Davis was born at Jackson De- cember 14, 1836. He received a good educa- tion, being graduated at Yale College in 1860, and at the Louisville Law School in 1863. After his graduation he began the practice of law at Jackson, and in 1868 was elected pros- ecuting attorney, sending for four years. Later he was a member of the State Legislature and in 1878 was elected to the 46th Congress and was twice reelected. He is a Democrat and recognized by his as.sociates as a man of abil- ity and uprightness of character. Robert H. Whitelaw is a native of Virginia, coming to Cape Girardeau with his parents in 1862. He was educated in the public schools and in the law school of the Univer- sity of Michigan. He began the practice of law at Cape Girardeau and in a short time became interested in politics. He was prose- cuting attorney of Cape Girardeaii from 1874 to 1878, and from 1881 to 1885 was a repre- sentative in the general assembly. In 1890 he was elected to congress serving one terra