Dissertations and Theses @ UNI
Availability
Open Access Thesis
Keywords
Williams, William B, --1798-1874; Fort Dodge (Iowa)--History; Iowa--Fort Dodge; History;
Abstract
This is a biography of Major William Williams, the founder and first citizen of Fort Dodge, Iowa. Williams emigrated to Iowa in 1849 after running into trouble with his employer, the Exchange Bank of Pittsburgh. The Bank held Williams financially responsible for several business transactions that prompted his flight from Pennsylvania. Williams came to Muscatine, Iowa because his brother already resided there serving as the Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court. Williams spent several months in Muscatine searching for an opportunity to begin a career in land speculation. An opening came when the United States Army established Fort Dodge in 1850. Williams obtained the position of post sutler. The post provided a vehicle to reach the frontier and unclaimed acres. Williams first attempted to establish a town called Dakota. The project failed, but Williams succeeded later when the troops abandoned Fort Dodge. The Major secured the land from from the State of Iowa in an interesting story discussed in chapter two. He then spent the next twenty years building Fort Dodge's infrastructure and doing everything possible to ensure the success of the community he founded. Major Williams played a prominent role in northwestern Iowa during this time period. Besides being an integral component in Fort Dodge's early history, Williams served as a key figure in dealing with the Sioux Indians. The State appointed him as an official representative with the Sioux after several attacks on settlers. Williams served in that capacity when he raised an expedition following the Spirit Lake Massacre. The battalion never met the Sioux in combat, but their courageous battle with mother nature became part of Iowa legend. The citizens of Fort Dodge elected Major Williams as their first mayor. Williams served only one year because of failing health, but the community could not think of giving the honor to anyone else. Major Williams was a household name in Iowa by the time of his death in 1874. Today, his memory has virtually been forgotten. The purpose of this biography is to record and recognize the life of Major William Williams.
Year of Submission
1996
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Department of History
First Advisor
David Walker
Second Advisor
Wallace Hettle
Third Advisor
Donald Shepardson
Date Original
1996
Object Description
1 PDF file (124 leaves)
Copyright
©1996 Kevin George Kapparos
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Kapparos, Kevin George, "Major William Williams: The Founder and First Citizen of Fort Dodge, Iowa" (1996). Dissertations and Theses @ UNI. 3128.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd/3128
Comments
If you are the rightful copyright holder of this thesis and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit a request to [email protected] and include clear identification of the work, preferably with URL.