History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/Frank Springer

by Benjamin F. Gue

FRANK SPRINGER is the son of Judge Francis Springer and was born at Wapello, Iowa, June 17, 1848. He graduated from the State University in 1867 and immediately began the study of law at Burlington. The following year he matriculated with the senior class at the State University and was admitted to the bar in 1869. He entered upon the practice of law in Burlington and was soon appointed Special Prosecuting Attorney. In 1873 Mr. Springer removed to New Mexico where he was employed as attorney for the famous Maxwell Land Grant Company which brought him into prominence before the United States Supreme Court. In 1883 he became a resident of Las Vegas where he has since resided. He was chosen president of the Maxwell Land Company in 1891 and has been counsel for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company since 1878. Mr. Springer served several terms in the Territorial Legislature of New Mexico and was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1889. In the same year he was elected president of the Bar Association of New Mexico. In 1902 he was a member of the New Mexico Irrigation Commission and president of the Board of Regents of the Normal University. From early youth Mr. Springer took a deep interest in natural science, and while at the University gave special attention to geology. At Burlington he became acquainted with Professor Wachsmuth and was associated with him in his studies and publications on crinoids. He was also author of the “Revision of the Palæocrinoidea,” published by the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences. He and Professor Wachsmuth consolidated their collections and libraries, added much by exchanges and erected a fire-proof building at Burlington where the wonderful collection is housed. The principal scientific writings of Mr. Springer are in collaboration with Professor Wachsmuth. He is working upon a continuation of the “Monograph of North American Crinoids,” the first three volumes of which appeared in 1896, with Professor Wachsmuth as joint author. This is the most important scientific work ever produced in the State.