History of Deering, (Hillsborough County) New Hampshire United States of America

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James Wilson Grimes, governor of Iowa, was born in Deering, N.H., Oct. 20, 1816. He was graduated at Dartmouth in 1836, receiving his A.B. degree in 1845, and practised law in the "Black Hawk Purchase," Wisconsin Territory, afterward the site of Burlington, Iowa, 1837-72. He was assistant to the territorial librarian, 1837-83; was a delegate to the assembly of Iowa Territory, 1838 and 1843, and a representative in the state legislature, 1852. He was governor of Iowa, 1854-58, having been elected by the Whigs and Free-Soil Democrats; was a Republican United States senator, 1859-69, and resigned in 1869; was a delegate to the peace convention of 1861; was a member of the committee on naval affairs in the senate, 1861-69, and chairman of the committee, 1864-69. He advocated the building of iron-clads and of earthworks for coast defence rather than wooden vessels and stone forts; opposed the enlargement of the regular army in 1861 and later opposed a high protective tariff. He voted against the impeachment of President Johnson. In 1865 he gave to Iowa college 640 acres of land valued at $6400, which constitutes the Grimes foundation to be applied to the maintenance of four scholarships without regard to the religious tenets or opinions of the beneficiaries. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from both Iowa and Dartmouth in 1865. He also founded a free public library in Burlington. His life written by William Slater was published in 1876. He died in Burlington, Iowa, Feb. 7, 1872.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Deering, (Hillsborough County) New Hampshire

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