By the death of an upright and honorable citizen the community sustains an irreparable loss and is deprived of the presence of one whom it had come to look upon as a guardian, benefactor and friend. Death often removes from our midst those whom we can ill afford to spare; whose place it is difficult to fill; whose lives and actions have been all that is exemplary of the true and thereby really great citizen, and whose whole career, both business and social, serves as a model to the young and a rejuvenation to the aged. Such a career sheds a brightness and a luster around everything with which it comes in contact. It creates by its usefulness and general benevolence a memory whose perpetuation does not depend upon brick or stone, but upon the spontaneous and freewill offering of a grateful and enlightened people.
By the death of Hon. Ernst Claussen, which occurred Wednesday, March 30, 1892, the City of Davenport lost its most eminent citizen, the bar of the State of Iowa one of its shining lights and the cause of individual freedom and liberty one of its most ardent supporters.
He was born in the town of Heide, Holstein, Germany, on March 2, 1833. His father, Hon. H. R. Claussen (a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume), has led a most active and honorable life and has justly earned for himself an eminent name, both in this country and in Europe. He was a patriot in the fullest sense of that often misused term ; he clamored for liberty and freedom in Europe in the early forties, and for his patriotic bravery and fearless speech, which advocated most strenuously the rights of the masses, he was banished from his native land, and located in the "land of the free.”
Ernst Claussen, although a mere boy, was enthused by the doctrines advocated by his father and while less than seventeen years of age, buckled on his armor and fought for the right.
He was educated at the University of Kiel; his term at the university was shortened, however, by his resigning to enlist as a volunteer in the Schleswig-Holstein Army against the Danes. For over two years he was a member of the third “ Jagers' corps" and participated in all the encounters of the armies. When Prussia and Austria, however, resolved, by an army entering Schleswig- Holstein, to compel the people thereof to subjection and obedience to the Danish king, Hans Reimer Claussen, as one of the leaders of the revolution, was banished. Taking his family with him, he removed to the United States; their prospective point was Davenport, Iowa , and the trip was made via St. Louis and up the Mississippi river.
Ernst was an independent youth and was determined to earn his own living and carve his own fortune; he obtained employment in St. Louis and did not accompany his parents to their new home; two years later he visited the family at Davenport and was persuaded to remain. In 1855 he removed to Lyons, Clinton County, Iowa, where his father had erected a large grist mill; this business proving unsuccessful, the family returned to Davenport in 1838 and Hans R. Claussen reëntered upon the practice of the law, Ernst becoming an employé in the business. Under his father's tuition he rapidly acquired a thorough knowledge of the law and in 1860 was admitted into partnership by his father, the firm continuing the business as H. R. & E. Claussen, and it was so conducted until 1871, when the senior partner retired. Ernst Claussen conducted the business by himself until he admitted his son Alfred into partnership, forming the firm of Ernst Claussen & Son.
As before mentioned, Ernst Claussen was a patriot and firmly be lieved in individual liberty; as soon as war was seen to be inevitable, and President Lincoln called for seventy-five thousand volunteers, among the very first to respond was he who while still a boy had entered the ranks of his native army to battle for the right. He enlisted as first sergeant of Company G, First Iowa Infantry, and fought under Lyons and Sigel in Missouri, participating in the first battles under those brave generals, among them being the fierce and bloody battle of Wilson's creek.
For many years he was affiliated with the Republican party; he cast his first vote for Fremont; he was opposed to the institution of slavery and therefore was a Republican. During the war and immediately thereafter he was strong in his allegiance to that party, but believing the leaders of the party were too radical he joined the Liberal Republican movement in 1872 and voted for Horace Greeley. For many years subsequent to this election he took but little interest in politics; he was, however, induced to accept two terms in the city council, the first as a Republican and the second as an Independent.
About this time the Republican party in the State of Iowa indorsed the prohibition movement, and, believing sumptuary laws of all kinds entirely antagonistic to the principles upon which this Government is founded, he strongly denounced the party of prohibition and allied himself firmly with the Democratic opposition.
His fellow-citizens, appreciating his fitness for the position, honored him with the office of mayor and for seven successive terms he was elected to and filled the position as head of the city's government an unprecedented record. He was most liberal in all things, and largely to his belief in the rights of the people against fanatics is the fact due that Davenport and the other river towns have never succumbed to the prohibitory law of the State. His administration of municipal affairs was characterized by progressiveness and care; he carefully guarded the interests of the city in all things and was especially careful of its finances. It can be safely stated that during the seven years he was at the head of the city government, the prosperity of the city was greater than ever before known.
In his business he stood at the very head of his profession ; his clients were his friends; he had no enemies; all that knew him felt kindly disposed toward him, for he was kind, generous and very hospitable. Not only did he enjoy the confidence of the people in this vicinity, but much of the important business transacted for foreign clients was entrusted to him; the German consul transacted all of his business in this section through the firm of Ernst Claussen & Son, and Now entrusts the affairs to his successor.
Mr. Claussen was twice married, first in 1862, his wife by this marriage dying in 1875. His second marriage occurred in the fall of 1876, and he is survived by the wife, two sons and one daughter.
About two weeks previous to his death, although unconscious that his wishes would be carried out so soon, Mr. Claussen expressed to his wife his desire to be cremated upon his death. The following extract from the Davenport “Daily Times ” of Monday evening, April 4, 1892, describes the last honors paid to him on this earth: "The route of the funeral procession of the late ex-Mayor Claussen yesterday afternoon was lined with throngs of people. Before two o'clock societies began to arrive at the house and carriage after carriage deposited its load of occupants.“ The services at the house were brief, consisting of a dirge by the Männerchor and a farewell address by Gustav Donald of "Der Demokrat." The funeral procession moved in the following order:
Platoon of police,
Schleswig-Holstein Veterans,
German Krieger Verein,
Sharpshooters' Society,
Harugari,
Free Brotherhood Society,
Turner Society,
Individual members of Grand Army of the Republic,
Carriages with floral offerings,
Pall-bearers in carriages,
Hearse,
Carriages.
“The funeral cortege consisted of about four hundred on foot and over four hundred carriages.
"The crematorium had been appropriately decked for the occasion. Over the speaker's stand was an American flag; on the right the Schleswig-Holstein colors and on the left the standard of the German Veterans of '48, black and gold streamers.
"After an ode by the singing section of the Turner Society, Gustav Donald delivered a lengthy and final address.
“After the eulogy the casket was lowered into the room beneath, the floor closed and the mortal remains of Ernst Claussen were given to the retort. "
BIOGRAPHIES