Encyclopedia Dubuque
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McNUTT, Samuel
McNUTT, Samuel. (near Londonderry, Ireland, Nov. 21, 1825--Muscatine, IA, Jan. 10, 1911). McNutt was raised on a small farm in Delaware. His contribution of some poems to the Temperance Star of Wilmington, Delaware attracted the attention of Dr. J. S. Bell who assisted the young man in obtaining an education. (1) He received his liberal education at Delaware College and studied law in the office of D. M. Bates, Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and was admitted to the bar in 1851. (2)
He began a professor in a collegiate institute in Hernando, Mississippi before leaving for Iowa. (3)
McNutt moved to Iowa in 1854 and served as principal of the First Ward public School in Muscatine County, Iowa. In 1856 he bought a half interest in the Muscatine Inquirer and became its editor. He later served as the associate editor of the Dubuque Herald when it was managed by Joseph B. Dorr. (4) He remained in that position until 1860 when the paper was sold to Mahony and Company.
McNutt had been a Democrat and friend and supporter of Stephen A. Douglas until the southern states began to secede. He then came out strongly in support of the United States constitution and the administration of Abraham Lincoln. When it became apparent that the Herald was opposed to the administration, McNutt started the Daily Evening Herald in competition to the other paper. Because of heavy financial losses, the paper was discontinued within one year and McNutt became one of the editors of the Dubuque Times. In 1862 he left Dubuque for Muscatine. (5)
In years to come, McNutt was a member of the Iowa legislature. He was elected as a Republican to the Iowa House for the 11th and 12th General Assemblies and the Iowa Senate in 1869 serving in the 13th and 14th General Assemblies. He was the author of the joint resolution by which Iowa ratified the amendment to the Federal constitution abolishing slavery. (6) McNutt was also a leader of the Grange and United States Consul to Venezuela during the Cleveland administrtion. In 1895 he was an officer in the Scotch-Irish Society of Iowa. (7)
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Source:
1. "Local News," Express and Herald, December 27, 1860 p. 3
2. Obituary, Annals of Iowa, Des Moines: State Historical Society of Iowa, Volume 10, Number 1 (1911), Online: https://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3686&context=annals-of-iowa
3. Ibid.
4. "Scotch-Irish Meet," Dubuque Herald, March 17, 1895, p. 4
5. Ibid.
6. Obituary
7. "Scotch-Irish..."