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HAM, Mathias: Difference between revisions
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Ancestry.com--https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/4958279/person/24043575436/facts | Ancestry.com--https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/4958279/person/24043575436/facts | ||
[[File:MHAM.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Photo source: '''History of Dubuque County, Iowa'''. ]]HAM, Mathias. (Knox Co., TN, Apr. 12, 1805--Dubuque, IA, Mar. 8, 1889). Ham's parents moved to Missouri when he was fifteen years of age | [[File:MHAM.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Photo source: '''History of Dubuque County, Iowa'''. ]]HAM, Mathias. (Knox Co., TN, Apr. 12, 1805--Dubuque, IA, Mar. 8, 1889). Ham's parents moved to Missouri when he was fifteen years of age. He lived there and traded along the river. Ham came to Dubuque in 1827 and permanently settled in this area in 1833. | ||
Although interested in [[MINING]] and smelting, Ham secured permission to operate [[FERRYBOATS]] at [[EAGLE POINT]] at a site that became known as Ham's Landing. Among the "firsts" credited to him were shipping the first boatload of dressed pork from Galena by river to New Orleans, constructing the first blast furnace and public school in Dubuque, and making the first bricks in the city. (1) | |||
He surveyed Ham's Addition to Dubuque and owned twenty-five thousand acres of land including [[CITY ISLAND]] | He surveyed Ham's Addition to Dubuque and owned twenty-five thousand acres of land including [[CITY ISLAND]], originally known as Ham's Island, which stretched three miles along the river. (2) Among his wide-variety of business ventures were mining, smelting, brick making, and lime kilns. A widely repeated story credits Ham's nickname, "the "Sauerkraut King," to his cultivation of cabbage which was often made into sauerkraut for pioneers. | ||
Ham was involved in contracting and several buildings were erected under his direction including the [[BARMIER HOUSE-757 W. 3RD]]. His involvement in the construction of the [[DUBUQUE CUSTOM HOUSE AND POST OFFICE]] gave him access to stone which did not meet the approval of government engineers. This stone authorities believe was used to build the front portion of [[HAM HOUSE]]. (3) | |||
Ham's financial status rose and fell several times. Caught up in the excitement of [[RAILROADS]], he became president of the [[DUBUQUE & TURKEY VALLEY RAILROAD CO.]] only to lose most of his wealth when the infant venture failed. Ham entered the construction business | Ham's financial status rose and fell several times. Caught up in the excitement of [[RAILROADS]], he became president of the [[DUBUQUE & TURKEY VALLEY RAILROAD CO.]] only to lose most of his wealth when the infant venture failed. Ham entered the construction business and donated the lumber to build the city's first public school. | ||
In 1857 Ham was listed as the fifth wealthiest person in Dubuque County. (4) | In 1857 Ham was listed as the fifth wealthiest person in Dubuque County. (4) [[HAM HOUSE]], an [[ITALIAN VILLA ARCHITECTURE]] 23-room home known as the "southerner's open house, Inand designed by [[RAGUE, John Francis|John Francis Rague]], he hosted General U. S. Grant; Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of ''Uncle Tom's Cabin''; and high society locals. [[HAM HOUSE]] was completed just as he lost nearly his entire wealth in the financial crash of 1857, one year after the death of his first wife Zerelda. He worked the rest of his life to maintain his family in comfort. | ||
In addition to his business ventures, Ham was a life member of the board of trustees of Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa and an alderman of the fifth ward. | In addition to his business ventures, Ham was a life member of the board of trustees of Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa and an alderman of the fifth ward. | ||
Latest revision as of 17:53, 18 May 2026
Being revised
Ancestry.com--https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/4958279/person/24043575436/facts
HAM, Mathias. (Knox Co., TN, Apr. 12, 1805--Dubuque, IA, Mar. 8, 1889). Ham's parents moved to Missouri when he was fifteen years of age. He lived there and traded along the river. Ham came to Dubuque in 1827 and permanently settled in this area in 1833.
Although interested in MINING and smelting, Ham secured permission to operate FERRYBOATS at EAGLE POINT at a site that became known as Ham's Landing. Among the "firsts" credited to him were shipping the first boatload of dressed pork from Galena by river to New Orleans, constructing the first blast furnace and public school in Dubuque, and making the first bricks in the city. (1)
He surveyed Ham's Addition to Dubuque and owned twenty-five thousand acres of land including CITY ISLAND, originally known as Ham's Island, which stretched three miles along the river. (2) Among his wide-variety of business ventures were mining, smelting, brick making, and lime kilns. A widely repeated story credits Ham's nickname, "the "Sauerkraut King," to his cultivation of cabbage which was often made into sauerkraut for pioneers.
Ham was involved in contracting and several buildings were erected under his direction including the BARMIER HOUSE-757 W. 3RD. His involvement in the construction of the DUBUQUE CUSTOM HOUSE AND POST OFFICE gave him access to stone which did not meet the approval of government engineers. This stone authorities believe was used to build the front portion of HAM HOUSE. (3)
Ham's financial status rose and fell several times. Caught up in the excitement of RAILROADS, he became president of the DUBUQUE & TURKEY VALLEY RAILROAD CO. only to lose most of his wealth when the infant venture failed. Ham entered the construction business and donated the lumber to build the city's first public school.
In 1857 Ham was listed as the fifth wealthiest person in Dubuque County. (4) HAM HOUSE, an ITALIAN VILLA ARCHITECTURE 23-room home known as the "southerner's open house, Inand designed by John Francis Rague, he hosted General U. S. Grant; Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin; and high society locals. HAM HOUSE was completed just as he lost nearly his entire wealth in the financial crash of 1857, one year after the death of his first wife Zerelda. He worked the rest of his life to maintain his family in comfort.
In addition to his business ventures, Ham was a life member of the board of trustees of Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa and an alderman of the fifth ward.
---
Source:
1. "Local Legend-the Ham House," Telegraph Herald, May 21, 1976, p. 60
2. "An Early Mansion of Stone," Telegraph-Herald, February 18, 1934, p. 5
3. 'Ham House Named National Historic Place, Telegraph Herald, July 25, 1976, p. 5
4. "Local Legend..."
Oldt, Franklin. The History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1880, p. 799