The author, who is almost the only living representative of the earliest ante-state period remaining with us who is available as a witness, is gifted with an excellent memory which is well stocked with pioneer lore, and has the natural bent of his mind inclined to order and method, a trait which has been largely cultivated by occupation. In addition he is of most industrious habits, and moreover his love of the pioneers and his pride in having been a partaker with them in their frontier hardships, all conspire to give his testimony the weight of reliable orthology.

Professor Parvin is naturally jealous of the fame of his coadjutors and is quick to resent the appropriation of the credit due the pioneers to a later body of citizens, believing that the "twig" of Iowa Territory had given to it its inclination to a firm and symmetrical growth by the pioneers rather than by those who joined in her development and growth at a later period.

DEATHS.

EDWARD WORDEN died at Iowa City, December 5th, 1896. On the occasion of his funeral the following tribute was paid by Mr. G. R. Irish:

"Edward Nathaniel Worden, son of Nathaniel and Calista Worden, was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, May 18th, 1827, moved to Peoria, Illinois, 1838, moved to Iowa City, 1840. Received his education in Iowa City under Dr. Reynolds. Commenced the study of surveying with Cyrus Sanders, 1847. Respect for a school mate and lifetime friend moves me as an old settler to mark the departure of one who has passed his life in this community by a few words ere the grave closes and the shadows of forgetfulness fall around our memories of the dead. As a scholar Mr. Worden was bright, always with the leaders of his school. Socially he was grave and given to solitary contemplation of the acts of men and the works of nature. His chosen vocation was pursued with

energy and scholarly exactness. Perhaps no man in the county was more widely known to its inhabitants, and none were as familiar with the hills and dales of the county. His lines and stakes and corners will bring to mind the bent form of the old surveyor when decay shall have consumed his body and rust destroyed the instruments with which he wrought; his life was useful to his fellow men, and its long and many years were to him a season of pleasure. His labors over, his record made; admonished by his errors, guided by his virtues, we lay his body to rest and say farewell to a friend who goes before us through the dim mists of death to the hoped for bright beyond."

NOTES.

LIEUTENANT CHAS. YOUNG, of the 9th Cavalry, is the only one left in the army of the twenty colored youths sent to West Point since the experiment of appointing negro cadets was begun in 1870. Only three were graduated, all the rest failing to complete the course. Lieutenant Flipper was the first to successfully pass the academic board. After a couple of years of rather dashing and popular service he became involved in difficulties which forced him out of the army. Lieutenant Alexander, also of the 9th Cavalry (whose enlisted men are all colored), who was the next to successfully pass through the West Point course and gain a commission, died in 1894 at Wilberforce, Ohio, where he had been detailed as instructor at the Military Academy for colored boys.

We never realized the inadequacy of our pages more than now, when we desire to reproduce some of the valuable historical contributions offered at the Semi-Centennial Celebration in the form of addresses, letters, and poems. We wished to cull one of the poetic specimens, even the shortest of the occasion, but find no room, and have to content ourselves with copying one address and one letter.