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The Blue Book of Iowa Women A History of Contemporary Women

Compiled by Winona Evans Reeves, 1914.

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Mrs. William Logan

Mrs. Sarah J. Jackson Logan was born July 30, 1849, at Nauvoo, Ill.  She is the daughter of Archibald Jackson and Katharine Little.  Her father was a native of Scotland, born at Glasgow, and came to America in 1833 in a sailing vessel, the ocean voyage taking nine weeks.  On Dec. 26, 1872, she was married to William Logan, a young man, who in later years has come to be a financier and a promoter of many great interests.  One of the greatest works in which he had a part was in the Keokuk & Hamilton Water Power Co., through whose efforts the greatest power plant in the world, was developed at the Des Moines rapids in the Mississippi River at Keokuk.  On July 6, 1899, the late Charles P. Birge called together twenty-five prominent men of Keokuk and Hamilton to organize a water power company.  Seven men of the twenty-five were chosen as directors:  C. P. Birge, Sam M. Clark, A. E. Johnstone, Judge William Logan, Edmund Yaeger, R. R. Wallace and S. R. Parker.  The next day the Keokuk & Hamilton Water Power Co. was organized.  C. P. Birge was chosen president and R. R. Wallace secretary.  With the aid of Senator W. B. Allison, Col. B. F. Marsh, Thomas Hedge and W. P. Hepburn, and many others of the U. S. Congress, the necessary legislation was passed in 1905, permitting the work to be done in the river.  Judge Logan, John N. Irwin and A. E. Johnstone made a trip to Washington in January, 1905, and presented the case in person which was the means of securing the necessary legislation.  On April 1, 1905, the stockholders of the company assigned all their stock to John N. Irwin, A. E. Johnstone, Wm. Logan and C. P. Dadant, giving them full authority to sell or dispose of it and the franchise in any way they saw fit.  They issued a prospectus of 30 pages, telling of the possibilities of this power, which was given wide circulation.  In September, 1905, Hugh L. Cooper, who was building a power plant at Niagara came to Keokuk, looked over the situation and decided he could build the dam, and accordingly a contract was made with him, Sept. 15, 1905.  From that date until Jany. 10, 1910, when the first shovel full of earth was thrown beginning the work, Mr. Cooper sought capital to carry on the enormous enterprise.  He finally secured capital and the great work was completed May 13, 1913, Judge Logan being interested in the project through all the years and is a director of the corporation.  He is president of the State Central Savings Bank of Keokuk, and of the Iowa State Ins. Co.  He owns banks at Glenwood, Queen City and Downing, Mo.  He owns large tracts of land in Missouri and has many additional business interests.  Two children were born to Judge and Mrs. Logan:  William Archibald Logan, who died in 1905, and Eva Isabel, who is Mrs. James Huiskamp of Keokuk.  Mrs. Logan is a member of the Congregational church and a faithful worker in all of its agencies.  She is a director of the Civic League.  She is interested in every measure for public good.

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