John A. Pitzer

MCCAUGHAN, PITZER, ROGERS

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 9/10/2004 at 09:50:47

Should some one ask who was the most prominent citizen of Madison county we would answer without hesitation, John A. Pitzer. We accord him this honor because he was doubtless the first white man who thoroughly explored the county lived here longer, and was more continuously and prominently identified with its affairs than any other. We do not accurately know the date when he first visited the county, but it must have been prior to 1847, or about the time the state was admitted to the Union. We are led to this belief from the fact that he surveyed the north part of the county, and this was completed some time between the beginning of 1846 and 1847. After completing this survey, he became a prominent citizen of the county and remained so until his death.

He was born in Virginia in 1813. His father, Frederick Pitzer, was born and reared on the James river, in Virginia, where several generations of Pitzers lived before him. The first man of the family emigrated from Germany early in the history of our country. In 1815, Frederick Pitzer removed to Christian county, Kentucky. There he spent his youth and received such education as the meager facilities afforded. In 1834 the family moved to Macoupin county, Illinois, and when twenty-three years old, Mr. Pitzer married Elizabeth Rogers, of Morgan county, the same state. During his stay there he employed his time in teaching school and tending a small farm. In 1839 he moved with his family to Jefferson county, Iowa, first stopping at a small settlement called Lockridge, six miles from Fairfield. He afterward moved to Fairfield and became clerk of the territorial court. In the state archives may be found his name signed to many public documents, which he executed during his term of office. The clerk then performed all the duties now exacted from both the county clerk and county auditor. At the termination of his office as clerk of Jefferson county, he surveyed the north part of Madison county and south part of Dallas county, and in 1849 settled permanently in Winterset, which had then just become the county seat of Madison county. He started the first store of general merchandise on the west side of the square and the next year moved his family to town. There was at that time but one frame house in town, the rest being log cabins. The male population at that time consisted of Enos Berger, William Compton, J. H. Evans, Dr Gaff, Jack Porter, Sam Peters, Squire Guiberson, Mr. Miller, A. D. Jones and John Daugherty, the last named being the proud owner of the one frame house. Some time later Mr. Pitzer became owner of the most eligible residence lots in the city, the same being the places now owned by Dr. Embree and J. J. Gaston There he erected a two-story frame house, which in later years became the residence of J. J. Hutchings. Still later he became owner of the stone residence which now constitutes the Arcade Hotel, built by Dr. Gaff, where he lived until his death.

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In 1852 Mr. Pitzer became county judge and held that office continuously for eight years He next gave his attention exclusively to mercantile business and continued as a merchant with the exception of his service in the army. For one term he was county treasurer. As a business man he was courteous, even tempered and generous. He did as much as any other man to improve and develop the town of Winterset, and possibly more, considering his means. One of the lasting monuments of his enterprise is the St. Nicholas Hotel, which he erected in 1855, and which for many years was the most popular and imposing hotel building in central Iowa.

In 1864 Mr Pitzer was appointed paymaster in the army, with the rank of major. His son William was his deputy; they first went to St. Louis, and from there they went to pay off the troops in southwestern Missouri. While in that department General Price made a raid through the country, when he and his son barely escaped with over a million dollars. He was then assigned the duty of post paymaster at Little Rock, Arkansas, where he remained until after the close of the war.

During the years immediately following the war, a county office had become quite a lucrative and honorable position, and owing to the prevailing patriotic sentiment these honors and emoluments went by common consent to some veteran of the war; as a result the official so elected, while worthy in other respects, was in some cases deficient in ability. Captain Stitt was one of this kind. He was elected in 1865 and during his term of office a defalcation occurred. Out of this grew a division in the dominant party which took several years to dispose of. Upon Mr. Stiff's retirement Mr. Perkins, his deputy, was a candidate. Dr. Leonard was also a candidate. There were reasons why many actively advocated the nomination of Perkins, while there were reasons why others wanted Leonard, one of the most effective of which was his honorable record while in the army. Leonard was very outspoken and fearless and had the faculty of making enemies as well as friends. Leonard was nominated by a small majority over Perkins, the friends of the latter claiming by unfair means. Perkins bolted, ran as an independent candidate, and had the support of democrats as well as disgruntled republicans. The campaign was long and bitter. Leonard was elected. For some reason not necessary here to state, some of Leonard's friends turned against him during his first term of office and near its close a conference was held in the office of the clerk, at which place Dr. Bevington and Dr. Leonard were both present. The effort to settle the controversy failed, and Dr. Bevington, turning to Dr. Leonard, said, "We will beat you for a second term," and facing Judge Pitzer, who was also present, said, "This is the man we will beat you with." Judge Pitzer consented to run as an independent candidate. Some of his old time friends became his political enemies. Republicans patronized the democrats; no one could tell who had the advantage until the votes were counted; Pitzer received 1,119; Leonard, 977.

Judge Pitzer was a member of the Baptist church, in which he was honored and useful. As a citizen he was genial, generous and upright. He died suddenly, May 19, 1876. So rapidly do the years move along and so great are the changes in population that but few remain who were acquainted with Mr. Pitzer; the large majority of our people probably never heard of him but his life will remain one of the staples of Madison county history. Mrs. Pitzer, now ninety-seven years old, resides in California; W. F. in Oklahoma; Marsh Pitzer in Florida; Lester in Pennsylvania; Mrs. McCaughan, a daughter, lives in Mexico; Clara, a lovely girl, the youngest of the family, died years ago.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915”