Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 4.djvu/219

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Cafe and was admitted to the bar just before the War of the Rebellion In May, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, of the famous Second Iowa Volunteer Infantry and in December was promoted to second lieutenant and in June, 1862, became first lieutenant and adjutant of the regiment. He served with distinction in the great battles of Fort Donelson and Shiloh, and marching to Corinth with Grant's army he bore a conspicuous part in the two days' desperate battle in that famous town, having two horses shot under him. When the First Alabama Cavalry was organized from Union men Captain Godfrey was commissioned major, in 1863, and was soon after promoted to lieutenant-colonel. In this regiment he served with distinction in Sherman's famous march to the sea. At the close of the war he was mustered out with his regiment at Huntsville, Alabama. Before his return to Iowa Colonel Godfrey was elected a member of the House of the Eleventh General Assembly on the Republican ticket. In the spring of 1866 he completed his law course at the State University at Iowa City and began the practice of his profession. He served as city solicitor and assistant United States District Attorney for several years. In 1876 he was one of the presidential electors chosen by the Republicans. In 1870 he was appointed receiver of the United States Land Office at Des Moines. In 1882, upon the creation of the Utah Commission, Colonel Godfrey was appointed a member. The object of the Commission was the suppression of polygamy in the Territory. The Commission consisted of five members appointed by the President, was non-partisan and had supervision of all elections. The membership was changed from time to time, with the exception of Colonel Godfrey who served during three administrations and was for four years president of the Commission. When the Commission was established to superintend the erection of monuments on the battle-field of Shiloh, Governor Shaw appointed Colonel Godfrey one of the members. In 1903 he was appointed surveyor of the port of Des Moines.

STEWART GOODRELL was a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1813. He was a mechanic and in 1842 came to the new Territory of Iowa, making his home in Washington County. He became an active Whig politician and in the spring of 1846 was chosen a member of the Second Constitutional Convention which assembled at Iowa City on the 4th of May and framed the Constitution under which Iowa was on the 28th of December following admitted as a State. He was, in August of the same year, elected to the House of Representatives of the First General Assembly where he helped to frame the first code of laws for the new State. He served also in an extra session which was held in January, 1S48, was reëlected and served through the Second General Assembly. On the 3d of March, 1856, he was appointed one of the commissioners to locate the capital of the State at Des Moines. Here he purchased property and soon removed to