Being an historian, even an amateur one like myself, so much time is required to collect the information on a subject or person you want to write about. I can remember, vaguely, those days before the advent of the Internet, when travel and time scouring, reading and taking notes seemed endless. Then there are days when you “bump into” someone or something that is golden, a source of information that saves so much time and makes what you do that much easier.

Living in Webster City, studying and writing a bit on our history, I’m indebted to those before me. People like Ed Nass, Charles Aldrich, Bessie Lyon and J.W. Lee come to mind. Another I’d like to credit is, perhaps, a bit less well known …

Isaiah Doane came to Hamilton County in 1854 to begin a new life, as so many did in the mid-1800s. He arrived with his wife of one year, Lydia, and a son of her’s from a previous marriage. They were from Indiana, though Lydia had been born and raised in Ohio; indeed, she had often played in the tanning yard owned by Jesse Grant, father of the future General and President Ulysses S. Grant. Isaiah had read a description of a farm for sale in Hamilton County. His arrival at the new site is best described by himself, “The reader can, perhaps, imagine better than I can tell, the mingled feelings of chagrin, indignation, disgust and almost utter despondency that came over me when I arrived at the afore-mentioned cabin minus the comfortableness, cultivation and fencing, almost penniless, and with my wife, her son and father and mother to care for.”

Isaiah always had a way with words.

Things got better. In 1860 Isaiah was elected to the county board of supervisors for a two-year term. As his work, and interest, turned to Webster City, he and Lydia moved to town in 1864. Lydia’s son had enlisted in the Second Iowa Cavalry and, after discharge, moved west to Oregon. The couple bought a house on Bank Street where they lived for 38 years. Isaiah followed up his county supervisor position with terms as county recorder, auditor, judge and three terms as mayor. He was always known as a hardworking, honest person with a rather lighthearted demeanor.

In 1889, Isaiah was the keynote speaker at the Centennial Day celebration of George Washington’s inauguration. An article in the July 8th Webster City Freeman states, “He was very glad to meet the people on this occasion, because it was the first opportunity of the kind that he had ever been privileged to enjoy and, “owing to circumstances over which he had no control,” he could not possibly be present at the next centennial celebration.”

You have to appreciate a sense of humor …

Lydia Doane passed away in August of 1902, having suffered a debilitating fall some months earlier. Isaiah himself was not in the greatest of health and followed her two months later in October. In December of the same year, “A Biographical Record of Hamilton County” was published, written by Isaiah Doane. It is an absolute treasure of information on early residents of this county and Doane’s wit is evidenced throughout. A copy of the entire work is available online through Google Books, along with a plethora of other historical works about our state, county and city.

Personally, I sum my own feelings up in a byline, “History is Something to Look Forward to …”

Our Neighborhood is a column by Michael Eckers focusing on the men and women whose presence populates Graceland Cemetery in Webster City.