Encyclopedia Dubuque
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HETHERINGTON, Henry S.-1209 Prairie
HETHERINGTON, Henry S. (Millersburg, PA, Feb. 9, 1820--Dubuque County, IA, Jan. 15, 1898). MAYOR. Hetherington learned the trade of masonary and bricklaying before moving west to Iowa in 1843. He came to Dubuque in 1845 and was involved in contracting and building until 1853. (1)
Hetherington entered the office of Surveyor General and remained there for five years. He was elected mayor in 1858 and served one term before entering the business of farming.
In his inaugural address made in April, 1858 among the points covered was his belief that the outward signs of prosperity were deceptive. The city officials, he felt, had wasted the money collected and ruined the city's credit by carrying out costly improvements without the means of meeting their expense. The city had been forced to make short-term loans at high interest rates. The last city council had spent $350,000 while only taking in revenues of $137,000. There had been $93,208 in city bonds issued to retire city scrip. (2)
Among the reforms accomplished in city government in 1858-9 were the following: reduction of "ferriage;" blending of offices; closing of the House of Refuge and City Hospital; macadamizing streets partly at private expense; improvement of city credit; funding of the city debt; providing for the payment of interest; and abolishing the office of city printer. (3)
A committee of citizens prepared a new charter for the city in January, 1859. Hetherington and the city council were widely criticized in their handling of the matter concerning the CENTRAL ISLAND IMPROVEMENT COMPANY. (4)
Hetherington was involved in the grain and produce business for four years before joining CARR, AUSTIN AND COMPANY. He remained in the planing business for two years and then entered the business of pork packing for six years. Around 1871 he joined George John RATH in constructing the first building that grew into GEORGE RATH AND SON. (5) In 1879, Hetherington was elected secretary of the DUBUQUE BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATION. (6) He also served as the secretary of the Fair Association.
The home was later the residence of Abby McDonald KLAUER-DANCER.
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Source:
1. Oldt, Franklin T. History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1880, p. 811
2. Oldt, Franklin T. and Patrick J. Quigley. History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Chicago: Goodspeed Historical Association, p. 124
3. "Dubuque Sought Business Methods From Beginning," Telegraph Herald, March 27, 1921, p. 14. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bi5eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SmANAAAAIBAJ&pg=6644,4092622&dq=james+fanning+dubuque&hl=en
4. Oldt.
5. "A Packing House in Ashes," Dubuque Daily Herald, February 8, 1891, p. 4. Online:https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=_OG5zn83XeQC&dat=18910208&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
6. "Dubuque Sought..."