Hepburn, C.M. - Mrs Hepburn, wife of Capt. C. B. Hepburn, of Roanoke, Va., died at the Johns Hopkins University hospital in Baltimore, Md., Tuesday, June 22, 1920.
She had been taken to the hospital for treatment. Information regarding her death has been received by Mrs. J. L. Brown and Mrs. Herman Russell of this city. The funeral and interment were at Manasquam, N.J. Captain Hepburn is the son of the late Col. W. P. Hepburn, and Mrs. Hepburn who now makes her home in Washington, D. C. CLARINDA JOURNAL, Clarinda, Iowa, Jul 1, 1920

Miss Frances Minerva Hepburn died Thursday, Feb. 4, at the home of Col. W. P. Hepburn in Washington, D. C, at the advanced age of 92 years, 7 months, 20 days. She was a sister of Col. W. P. Hepburn and had made her life home virtually with the family of her brother since his location in this city in 1867 and at the national capital during his long terms in the lower house of congress and since that time. Miss Hepburn was a noble specimen of womanhood and a devoted Christian lady. She was well known to everyone in this community in earlier days and her passing away brings grief to the numberless friends of "Aunt Fannie." The remains were brought to this city, accompanied by her nephew and niece, Charley Hepburn and Mrs. Margaret Chamberlain, and the funeral services held from the Methodist Episcopal church, at 2:30 Saturday, conducted by Rev. A. S. Woodard, and interment in the family cemetery. PAGE COUNTY DEMOCRAT, Clarinda, Iowa, Feb 11, 1915

Francis Minerva Hepburn.
Francis Minerva Hepburn was born at the United States Arsenal near Pittsburg, Pa., in 1823. The eldest daughter of Lieutenant James S. Hepburn, and Anne Fairfax Catlett Hepburn. Her father died when she was ten years old, and her mother married Mr. George S. Hampton of Eddyville, Ky., and removed with him to Willsville, Ohio, where he and her brother conducted a general commission business, running a line of flat boats between Pittsburg and New Orleans. In 1840 the family removed to Iowa City, the then Capitol of the state, where they made their home, until 1874 when they came to Clarinda to spend the remainder of their lives with Col. Hepburn. Miss Hepburn died at his house in Washington from diseases incident to her age, at eight o'clock in the morning of February 4, 1915. She was always a devout Christian, and died in the faith. She was for many years a member of the Baptist church in this place, and was also much interested in the work of the Daughters of the Revolution.
"So when the iron portal shuts behind us,
And life forgets us in its noise and whirl;
Visions that shunned the glaring noonday find us, And the glimmering starlight shows
the gates of pearl."
The remains were brought to Clarinda by her niece and nephew, Mrs. Roy Chamberlain and Capt. Chas. B. Hepburn of Washington, Mrs. George Bremmer of Chicago and also Mr. and Mrs. Ott Byington being present, interment Sunday, Feb. 7th in Clarinda cemetery. CLARINDA HERALD, Clarinda, Iowa, Feb 11, 1915

Hepburn, William Peters - PIONEER STATESMAN DIES

Southwest Iowa's Foremost Citizen Passes to Final Reward Monday 12:30 pm.

Funeral Thursday, Feb 10th 3 PM

Public Record of One Hundred Sixteen Bills; Thirty of Which Became Laws

Our city and the whole of southwest Iowa was plunged into grief at the notification of the sudden death of our foremost citizen, Colonel Hepburn. He had not felt well during the previous day, but on the morning of his death felt very well and expressed his intentions of arising.   His breakfast was taken to him and he ate quite well, after which he visited awhile and dictated some letters, then asked for the daily papers which were brought to him, and his glasses were laid on the table at his bed. He    accepted the papers but did not open them.   He laid over easily on the pillows, with the papers in his hand, and it was thought he was sleeping. Thus closed one of the grandest careers of Iowa men.
The following from the Page County History gives in detail the noble career of our dead hero.
William Peters Hepburn, for twenty-eight years a representative in congress from the Eighth congressional district of Iowa,   and   for fourteen years chairman of the committee on interstate and foreign commerce, was born in Wellsville, O., on the 4th of November, 1833, and passed away on the 7th of February, 1916.   His father was Lieutenant James S. Hepburn of the First United Staes Artillery, who was graduated with the   first class after the reorganization of the military academy in 1819.   His mother, who bore the maiden name of Ann Fairfax Catlet, was a daughter of Surgeon Hanson Catlet of the U. S. Army and a granddaughter of Matthew Lyon, who represented the state of Vermont and Kentucky and the territory of Arkansas in the house of representatives.
In his youthful days William Peters Hepburn became a resident of Iowa, his parents coming from Ohio and taking their abode on a farm near Iowa City in 1841, where Mr. Hepburn received educational instruction in private schools.   His experience   in a printing office also proved educative in a way for in the year 1849 he entered a printing office, where he remained for nearly four years.  He then took up the study of law antl it was in this path of profession that he won distinction and honor, winning fame both as a lawyer and lawmaker.
In October, 1855, Mr. Hepburn was united in marriage to Miss Melvina A. Morsman, the eldest daughter of Dr. M. J. Morsman, and unto them were born five children. In February, 1856, he removed with his family to Marshalltown, la., and there entered upon his public career, being elected chief clerk of the Iowa house of Representatives in January, 1858. In the fall of the same year he was chosen district attorney of the eleventh judicial district, then comprising twelve counties. In 1860 he was a delegate to the national Republican convention which nominated Abraham Lincoln in Chicago and throughout that year he watched with the keenest interest the progress of events in the south, noting the threatening attitude of the states which later organized as the Southern Confederacy. A few months after the outbreak of hostilities, when it was seen that the war was to be no mere holiday event, but a long and severe struggle for supremacy, Mr. Hepburn enlisted in August, 1861, being mustered into the volunteer service of the United States as captain of Company B, Second Iowa Cavalry. He was promoted later to the rank of major and afterward to lieutenant colonel and he also served upon the staff of Colonel and Brigadier General Philip H. Sheridan and of Major General Rosencrans. After the war Colonel Hepburn remained in Memphis until June, 1867, when he returned to Iowa and located in Clarinda. At this time he was admitted to the Page county bar and was considered a member from that time on. Here he engaged in the publication of a newspaper and in the practice of law and from that time forward has been a leading factor in the public of the state, leaving the impress of his individuality as well upon the legislative history of the nation. In 1880 he was elected a representative from the Eighth district, and in 1886 he was defeated for the office. In April, 1889, he was appointed by President Harrison solicitor of the treasury, in which position he remained until he became a member of the Fifty-third congress. He served continuously in congress for sixteen years, all the time a member of the committee on interstate and foreign commerce, and for fourteen years was its chairman. During his chairmanship the Nicaragua-Panama canal, the national quarantine laws, pure food laws, the sixteen hour law, Hepburn bill, interstate railway regulation laws, the act of creating the department of commerce and labor with its dominating bureau of corporations, the law promoting the revenue cutter service, the laws making prominent and effective the marine hospital and public health service, were enacted, improved or made more effective. Mr. Hepburn retired from congress with the sixtieth. In commenting upon his official record the Afton (Iowa) Star-Enterprise said: "If we look at Mr. Hepburn's record it will be found that upon a great many of the questions pending before the congresses of' which he was a member, beginning with the first he has participated in the discussions, doing his best to get what he considered legislation of benefit and value to the country and the people.
"He has introduced many bills of a public nature, in addition to those private ones interesting peculiarly some of his constituents.   The bills relating to or creating national quarantine; the board of health; the investigation of particular diseases, many of them he introduced and all of them he aided in perfecting; the various safety appliance acts; the law fixing the hours of labor on railroads; the act creating the department of commerce and labor, have all had his support in committee and in the house by vote and voice.
He is the author of the original act as it passed the house providing for the Isthmian canal; the pure food law is his, that is, he framed the bill and was diligent in advocating this legislation. The railroad rate law he introduced and gave very vigorous support in committee and on the floor, and the appropriation of five hundred thousand dollars to enable the attorney-general to investigate and prosecute the trusts and combinations, was made by an amendment drawn by Mr. Hepburn.
"The records show that during the time Mr. Hepburn was a member of the congress he has introduced one hundred and sixteen public bills.. Thirty of them have become laws. He has introduced a great many private bills granting or increasing the pension of veterans of the Civil war. More than fifty of them have passed both houses and become laws.
"In the United States there are now about six hundred buildings owned by the general government, less than one and a half on an average to each of the three hundred and ninety-one congressional districts. Mr. Hepburn has secured three of these six hundred public buildings and an appropriation for two others. When the appropriation for the government building at
Council Bluffs was made, Pottawattamie county was in the Eighth district. Mr. Hepburn secured that building very early in his congressional career.
"He next secured a building for Creston and a division of the federal court of that city; then an appropriation for a building at Centerville, next an appropriation for his home town, Clarinda, and an appropriation for one at Shenandoah.  Evidently he has been industrious along this line, otherwise he could not have been able to get five public buildings when the average is less than one and a half to the district, The people of these towns will no doubt say that Mr. Hepburn has done something for his district and the fifty or more old soldiers whose pensions have been increased by special legislation owing to their congressman's efforts, will say that he has done something for them.
"In the matter of installation and extension of the rural mail service in his district Mr. Hepburn certainly has been industrious. In this he was able to do as much for his people, for the farmers and their families   as any member of congress and a great deal more than the majority of the congressmen.   The Eighth Iowa district ranks among the first of all the districts of the United States. Without doubt farmers of this   district will not charge Mr. Hepburn with neglecting their interests in this work; on the contrary they are generally convinced that he was diligent and active in securing for them this service."
With the death of   Col.   Hepburn Iowa has lost one of her greatest men. As we   go to  press we learn  that the funeral of Colonel Hepburn will be held at the Methodist church Thursday afternoon, February 10th, at 3 p. m. The funeral will be the Masonic ceremony and the body will lay in state at the church from 10 a. m. to 3 p. m., at which hour the final rites to the deceased member will be held.
The court, on February 7th, appointed three committess to prepare memorials for the most respected of men. The committee on resolutions was H. H. Scott, Earl Ferguson and Wm. Orr. Committee on program, Earl Peters, J.E.Hill and Frederick Fischer, and committee on notification, Wm. Turner, T.F.Willis and Wm. Stipe. PAGE COUNTY DEMOCRAT, Clarinda, Iowa, Feb 8, 1916

W. P. HEPBURN DEAD
William Peters Hepburn died Monday, Feb. 7, 1916, at the home of J. L. Brown, in this his home city of Clarinda.
He was 82 years of age last November.   He long had been ill with heart and kidney troubles.
Although the distinguished man had been in ill health for a long time it was thought that he might regain his strength sufficiently to be about again; his improvement had given his friends hope; his return to Washington to his law practice there was under consideration; in fact, he had been gaining so that apprehension concerning his condition had been allayed, so that when his death was announced the report was heard as of startling nature. At any time it would have been heard with great regret; as it was the announcement came as a great shock.
He was in his room upstairs, in bed, at the noon hour, resting comfortably it appeared.  The family meal was going on down stairs and as there seemed to be no reason for anyone staying with him meanwhile he was left alone for probably twenty minutes, when his wife returned to his bedside. She then discovered that his condition had changed. Medical help was instantly summoned. No human help could aid him, however, he had passed away.   It is thought that in the short time in which he was alone that he quietly slept into eternity. The time of his departure is estimated to have been at 12:45 Monday afternoon. Truly, it is impossible for mortals to know more about the precise time of the end of a human life than that it is uncertain as to the day, the year, the hour and the minute, but that inevitably the end will come!
The funeral will be held at the Methodist Episcopal church in this city at 3 o'clock this afternoon. It was arranged that the body should lie in state at that church from 10 o'clock this morning until the hour set for the funeral.
The funeral service will be conducted at the church by Rev. Abram S. Woodard, pastor of the church in which it is held, and of which the deceased was a member, and by Rev. W. C. Williamson, D.D., pastor of the United Presbyterian church. At the grave the Masonic burial service is to be given by Nodaway lodge, No. 140, A., F. and A. M., of which, also, the deceased died a member.
The music at the church will be by a male chorus.
Among relatives expected here for the funeral are Mr. and Mrs. B. O. Byington of Iowa City, E. E. Morsman of Omaha, Will Bremmen and George Bremmen of Chicago, and Hepburn Chamberlain of Bayonne, N. J, a grandson of the deceased. It was at first thought possible that another grandson, Hal Hepburn, of Oakland, Calif., might attend the funeral, but it has been learned that he will not be able to.
Mayor D. M. Creal has issued a proclamation paying high tribute to the deceased, referring to him as "Clarinda's most distinguished citizens and one of the nation's greatest men." The mayor in his proclamation earnestly requests that all places of business within the limits of our city be closed and no business be transacted from the hour of 2:30 p.m. to the hour of 4:30 p.m. the day of the funeral—Feb. 10. The mayor asks this as a tribute to William P. Hepburn's "distinguished public service, his loyalty to the interest of his home and community and to his pure and upright character."
The deceased was best known by the title of colonel. Upon learning of the death of Col. Hepburn, Judge J. B. Rockafellow, here holding a term of the Page county district court, appointed the following committees composed of members of the Page county bar— a bar at which the colonel in former years was a most able and successful practitioner: On resolutions, H. H. Scott, Earl R. Ferguson and William Orr; on program and general arrangements, Earl Peters, J. E. Hill and Frederick Fischer; on notification, W. A Turner, T. F. Willis and William F. Stipe.  
Col. Hepburn, accompanied by Mrs. Hepburn and their daughter, Mrs. R. H. Chamberlain, arrived in Clarinda, Oct. 17, last, coming here from Washington, D. C. The colonel, although seemingly to outward appearances in excellent health, and with a strong, vigorous voice, with mind bright and active, was not in good physical condition. Yet he was about town, visiting friends and taking his usual large interest in public affairs. Not long after his arrival, however, lie became ill, and for a time it was feared that the end was near. His son, Capt. C. B. Hepburn, was summoned from Washington, and has been here for about two months. Later the colonel gained handsomely, and, as previously indicated, alarm concerning his condition was allayed. A phase of the colonel's condition is illustrated by the fact that at the time of his death, his son, Capt. Hepburn, was over in Decatur county on business for his father, it having been thought safe for the captain to leave him for the trip.
In his home county, where Col. Hepburn was so well known, it seems superfluous to enter at any great length into the details oi» his career. He was before the public so long and so eminently that his record is familiar to the people. It would require volumes to tell about him that which would be of genuine interest and importance. Many thousand people, probably hundreds of thousands, easily could relate some experience they have had with him, and his name has been prominently among millions. He was a national figure and an international traveler. His fame was known abroad as well as at home.
William Peters Hepburn was born Nov. 4, 1833, at Wellsville, Columbiana county, O. He was the son of Dr. James S. Hepburn and Ann Fairfax Catlett Hepburn. Dr. Hepburn died while fighting against cholera scourge at New Orleans. His widow married in 1836, George S. Hampton. The family moved to Iowa when it was a territory, and located near Iowa City in 1841. Col. Hepburn in his youthful days attended school, learned the printer's trade, and studied law. Oct. 7, 1855, he married Miss Melvina A. Morsman. From this marriage there were born two sons and two daughters. One of the daughters and one of the sons are dead. The deceased Children are Mrs. Edith Thummell, wife of W. F. Thummell, and her brother, Frank Hepburn. Mrs. Thummell is buried in New York, and Mr. Hepburn in Clarinda.   The surviving children are Mrs. Margaret Chamberlain, wife of R. H. Chamberlain, and her brother, Capt. Charles B. Hepburn.
Col. Hepburn was admitted to practice law in 1854; served in the Second Iowa cavalry as captain, major and lieutenant-colonel during the war of the rebellion; was a delegate from Iowa to the Republican national conventions of 1860, 1888, and 1896; was a presidential elector at large from the state of Iowa in 1876 and in 1888; served as solicitor of the United States treasury during the administration of President Benjamin Harrison; was elected as a representative to the Forty-seventh, Forty-eighth and Forty-ninth congresses, in which he served six years. Then, in 1893 he was continuously elected to congress as a representative and served therein from 1893 to 1909. During all of his congressional career he was a resident of Clarinda, to which city he came in 1867, and where in the early days of his residence he was for a time editor of the Clarinda Herald and for years a practicing attorney.
His career was intimately connected with public service in the state and nation. He performed many services of an important nature in his earlier manhood, and as he grew in years increased in ability and influence. He was a power in the Republican party. In congress he became a most important factor in national legislation and some of the greatest bills enacted into law were written by him. He was powerful in debate and capable in leadership against any opposition that he might encounter.
Some of his work in congress is thus summed up in a sketch that has been published since his death: .   "During his career in congress Col. Hepburn supported every measure that became law looking to the control of common carriers, including all legislation looking to the safety of employes and passengers on trains.   Many of the bills that became law were  introduced    by him. While in congress he had a service of eighteen years on the committee on public lands, on the alcoholic liquor traffic, on pensions, on Pacific railroads and on the judiciary.   For twelve years he was chairman of the committee in interstate and foreign commerce.    During his chairmanship introduced the "pure food" bill and presented it to four congresses before he secured its adoption.   He also introduced during that time the Nicaragua canal bill, several bills providing for safety appliances, for the marine hospital service and for the present public health service. He participated actively in all the legislation resulting in general pensions, for the government of the canal zone,  and finally the bill providing for the further control of railways which bear his name today and is known as the Hepburn rate bill.

Roosevelt on two public occasions said that the first session of the Fifty-ninth congress would be memorable in the history of congresses because of its constructive legislation and he named five acts that gave it this renown. Four of these acts came from the committees over which Col. Hepburn presided and three of them from bills he introduced." PAGE COUNTY DEMOCRAT, Clarinda, Iowa, Feb 8, 1916

The remains of Col. W. P. Hepburn will be buried in the Hepburn family burial lot in the Clarinda city cemetery where he has told his friends and neighbors that he wanted to be buried when he died. In the same cemetery is buried his son, Frank Hepburn, and his sister, Miss Fanny Hepburn. She died in Washington, D. C, and was buried in Clarinda Feb. 6, 1915—her burial lacking one day of being one year before the death of her brother, the colonel. His daughter, Mrs W F Thummell, died in January, 1913, on a steamer sailing in the Pacific ocean bound for Honolulu, and her burial took place at New York, Feb. 8 1913. Colonel Hepburn died Feb. 7, 1916 and is buried today—Feb. 10. CLARINDA JOURNAL, Clarinda, Iowa, Feb 10, 1916