Ottumwa Public Library

Sam Kirkwood, Iowa’s Civil War Governor,
to Appear at Reminisce Society

Tuesday, May 22, at 10 a.m.

He has an Iowa community college named after him as well as a town in Illinois, a hotel in Des Moines, an elementary school in Coralville, and streets in both Iowa City and Davenport. His sculptured likeness is maintained among the two coveted statues apportioned to each state on display under the rotunda in Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. He led Iowa through the tumultuous days of the Civil War, and later became a U.S. senator and the Secretary of the Interior. His name? Samuel Kirkwood, and courtesy of Ottumwa attorney, Rich Gaumer, Kirkwood will be making an “appearance” at the Ottumwa Public Library’s Reminisce Society on Tuesday, May 22, at 10:00 a.m. in the library’s meeting room.

Gaumer, who is president of the Ottumwa Civil War Round Table and an avid student of Civil War history, will portray Iowa’s Civil War governor as he faced the challenges that the War Between the States brought to our state and nation. Adopting Kirkwood’s persona, he will entertain listeners with stories not only of Kirkwood’s Civil War years in Iowa, but also of his life and subsequent service in the U.S. government.

Reminisce Society programs are free and open to the public, and are held the 4th Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. in the library’s meeting room. They are especially for those with an interest in local and Iowa history, but everyone is welcome to attend. This will be the last Reminisce Society program for the season; the Reminisce Society will be taking a break for the summer, and all new programming is scheduled to begin in the fall. For further information, please contact the library’s Reference Desk at 641-682-7563, extension 205.

OPL is launching a new program for people interested in local and family history. The Reminisce Society will meet once a month, on the fourth Tuesday at 10:00 a.m., and will feature speakers and workshops focusing on Ottumwa and area history and family genealogy, with plenty of opportunities for participants to share reminiscences about the “good old days.”

The Reminisce Society’s first meeting will be Tuesday, September 21, in the library’s Meeting Room, and will feature Ottumwa historian Sue Parrish discussing School Days. Everyone is welcome, and there is no cost or obligation. Bring your memories, your old school memorabilia, and your friends, and enjoy some time kicking back and reflecting on the “Good Old Days.”

Upcoming programs include Getting Started in Genealogy with Dee Hall of the Wapello County Genealogical Society in October, and Identifying and Dating Your Old Photographs with master photographer Michael Lemberger in November.

For more information, contact Patricia at 641.682.7563x205, or email her here .

The Ottumwa Public Library has extensive collection of local newspapers. There were a number of early newspapers published in the Ottumwa area, but unfortunately, the library does not have copies of every one of them. The earliest newspaper that is included in our collection is dated January 3, 1871. There are some gaps in our holdings, especially prior to 1900. Our newspapers are stored on microfilm, and are found in the Iowa Collection/Genealogy room.