Cedar Rapids

Alpheus Williams, 1810-1878, was an important Civil War general, sometimes referred to as the most unsung hero of the war. He fought at Antietam and other battlefields. Was our grandfather named after him? Perhaps. We don’t know exactly when William Alpheus Hickman arrived back in Linn County and why he returned there. He was less than six years old when they originally left. Family lore has it that he didn’t get along with a stepmother. It’s possible this could have referred to his stepfather, Mister Pelley, after his mother died or even to a third wife of Mister Pelley since he was still relatively young and may have remarried again.

Plenty of events in Clay County had taken place in his young life: from the age of 8 to about 19 he went through his father’s death, his mother’s move to a different home, his own moving in with his grandfather, his mother’s remarriage, a stepfather, possibly a stepmother and then his grandfather’s death. If he was looking for stability, Linn County was his mother’s home. She had lived there for almost 30 years, having arrived shortly after her birth.

He was probably in Linn County by 1895, farming near Toddville. Toward the end of the century he met a widow named Alice May Garretson Gustaffson who had a young child named Otto. They were married in Toddville in December of 1900 and soon after moved into town, the thriving metropolis of Cedar Rapids . They lived there for the rest of their lives, and during the last 22 years, at least, they resided at their home on 8^th street in the northwest part of town.

While there are many, many families that have experienced the syndrome of non-communication, surely our family has set the record for being close-mouthed. For example, none of us now really know exactly what he did for the majority of his life. If he only farmed for a few years prior to his marriage, he must have had a phenomenal memory because I can remember him reeling off name after name of the families who lived on the farms we passed on the country roads one day in the 1940s. In 1938 when he was 65, the City Directory shows a listing for him as a bottling machine operator at the Lagomarcino Company in Cedar Rapids. His grandson Robert seems to remember that he did work for that company for many years. We do know that after his retirement he was an elevator operator at the county courthouse in the late 40s and 50s.

Will, as he was known, liked to ride his bike to his courthouse job along with his friend and neighbor, Earl Tubbs. He was also a fairly devout man, member of the old St. James Methodist Church before it was replaced by the new one across Ellis Boulevard and turned into a YMCA or community building. He could be seen there most any Sunday, greeting people as an usher, a friendly smile on his face. If someone found out you were Will’s grandchild, they would always comment on what a nice man he was. The meals at Grandpa’s house were always started with a long prayer by Grandpa. He didn’t use a bible or notes but simply went on and on, his voice starting strong but becoming more and more muffled as he slowly but surely ground to a conclusion. We three hungry kids always had trouble suppressing a giggle or an irreverant roll of the eyes as we waited not so patiently to dig in while Grandpa droned on.

Grandpa loved girls. When we three kids went to his house, he paid little or no attention to my brother and me and Betty was like a little queen. Not so little since she was the oldest, but you get the idea. I vaguely remember that if Bob or I got the least bit out of line, we were put right in mighty quick order. Grandpa lived over 80 years. As I close my eyes the image comes to mind of big blue eyes and a full head of white hair.

Grandma Hickman is only a vague picture in my mind. I was the youngest of three children and she died when I was four years old. Therefore I have few memories of her but I seem to remember that she was rather stern. From pictures I know that she was thin and I know her health in later years wasn’t good, something called heart trouble. She died short of her 60^th birthday. They tell me that she used to call me Little Fegley because I resembled my mother’s side of the family. Her granddaughter Betty said that Grandma made good peach pie and always gave the kids marshmallow cream by the spoon when they would come over. She also spiced her peaches and canned them.

From visits to her house two things come to mind. There was always this picture on the wall in the dining room of an Indian with a spear slumping forward on his horse with his head down, the whole scene situated on a mountain overlooking a valley. I never quite understood what was wrong with the Indian that he should sit slumped that way. I think it was a well-known picture that was popular in that era but I don’t know what it was called. And finally, there was the closet in one of the rooms that you could go into, duck under the coats and come out the other side in a completely different room. It was magical, but in those young years many things were.

Family of William Alpheus Hickman

William Alpheus Hickman born 8 Sep 1873 in Benton Co, IA, died 26 Feb 1954 in Cedar Rapids, IA, married on 7 Dec 1900 in Toddville, IA to Alice May Garretson born 11 Apr 1877 in Linn County, IA, died 21 Feb 1937 in Cedar Rapids, IA.

married after 1946 to Cecelia Robinson born 1890, died 1970 in Iowa

Children:

1. John Fredrick Hickman born 15 Nov 1903 in Linn County, IA, died 2 Jun 1968 in Phoenix, AZ, married 19 Jun 1924 in Cedar Rapids, IA to Amber Lucile Fegley born 8 Oct 1901 in Cedar Rapids, IA, died 17 Jan 1964 in Cedar Rapids, IA

2. Ruby Mildred Hickman born 28 Feb 1906 in Linn County, IA, died Jun 1993 in Phoenix, AZ.

William Alpheus was buried at Silver Creek Cemetery in Delaware County, Iowa, just north of Linn County.