History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/Johnson Brigham
JOHNSON BRIGHAM
State Librarian
JOHNSON BRIGHAM was born at Cherry Valley, New York, in 1846. His early education was acquired in the public schools of Elmira and Watkins, while later he attended Hamilton College and Cornell University. When the Civil War began Mr. Brigham enlisted in the One Hundred Fifty-third New York Volunteers, but was rejected by reason of being under age. He then applied for a position in the service of the United States Sanitary Commission, was accepted, remaining in Washington for a year. He was promoted to chief clerk, first assistant in the central office at the National Capital for services rendered during and following the exchange of prisoners near Savannah in the autumn of 1864. Nine years later he was appointed canal collector at Brockport, New York. In 1881 Mr. Brigham came to Iowa, locating at Cedar Rapids where for twelve years he was editor-in-chief of the Daily Republican. While there he served as chairman of the Fifth District Congressional Committee and in 1892 was president of the Republican League of Iowa and prominently mentioned for Congress. Later he was appointed United States Consul to Aix la Chapelle, which position he resigned and, coming to Des Moines, founded the Midland Monthly, a periodical devoted to the development of the literary interests of the middle west. In 1899 he was appointed State Librarian by Governor Shaw, and sold his magazine which was moved to St. Louis. He has been chosen president of the State Library Commission. Mr. Brigham is a man of wide culture and unusual literary ability. Articles from his pen are sought by such periodicals as the Century Magazine, Youth's Companion, Chautauquan, Forum, Review of Reviews, International Monthly, Library Journal, as well as the Annals of Iowa and the Iowa Journal of History and Politics.