Young Lawyer Flees Rowdy 1840s Burlington

Charles Negus quickly decided to leave the frontier town after a rough welcome filled with drunks, loose women, and legislative chaos.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 12:47pm

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In the 1840s, young lawyer Charles Negus came to the frontier town of Burlington, Iowa, hoping to set up a law practice. But he was quickly disillusioned by the town's raucous nightlife, violent incidents, and poor living conditions, leading him to flee west to Mount Pleasant and eventually Fairfield, where he found more success.

Why it matters

Negus's experience highlights the challenges faced by early settlers and professionals trying to establish themselves in the rapidly growing frontier towns of the American Midwest in the 19th century. His story provides insight into the lawlessness and hardships of life on the frontier at the time.

The details

When Negus first arrived in Burlington, he was shocked by the town's chaotic atmosphere, filled with "rollicking drunks, loose women, and conmen of every stripe." On his first night, he witnessed a saloon keeper shoot and kill a young man. He also saw a former general, who was presiding over the territorial legislature, abandon his duties to spend time drinking in saloons. Negus had to share his boarding house bed with a Methodist preacher and a member of the legislature. As he sought more affordable lodging outside of town, he found himself dealing with noisy farm animals, snoring roommates, and cramped living quarters.

  • Negus arrived in Burlington in the 1840s.
  • On his first night in town, a saloon keeper shot and killed a young man.

The players

Charles Negus

A young lawyer from Boston who came to Burlington, Iowa in the 1840s hoping to set up a law practice on the Western frontier.

Levi Lloyd

The operator of the best boarding house in Burlington where Negus initially stayed.

B

A saloon keeper in Burlington who shot and killed a young man on Negus's first night in town.

L

A young man who was shot and killed by the saloon keeper B on Negus's first night in Burlington.

A former general

The presiding officer of one branch of the territorial legislature in Burlington who abandoned his duties to spend time drinking in saloons.

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What they’re saying

“During my stay in Burlington, many tragic scenes came to my knowledge, and I became acquainted with many notable, and some eccentric, characters.”

— Charles Negus

“The first night I spent in Burlington, B — a saloon keeper — shot young L, who died a few days thereafter. A former general, who was the presiding officer of one branch of the legislature — a noble-looking man and one who wore fine clothes — abandoned his duties as a legislator. He spent his time about the saloons, refusing to be controlled by friends, and was seen taking a nap in a bed prepared for swine.”

— Charles Negus

“At one place I boarded, the house only contained one room, and in one corner a flock of poultry roosted. And not infrequently, there would be a half-dozen young pigs running about the room. Occasionally a horse or cow would thrust his head through the door and give signals it wanted something to eat, all of which afforded a very agreeable pastime, particularly when the family dog was called upon to make them know their proper place.”

— Charles Negus

“I was much annoyed, for there was in the family a lusty, big, fat boy who slept on the floor beneath me. As soon as sleep seized upon his senses, he would commence snoring with a sound that was almost equal to a steamboat. By his snoring, he frequently prevented me from enjoying my night's slumber. But when he became too troublesome, I would reach down and give him a stout slap on the side of the head.”

— Charles Negus

What’s next

Negus eventually moved west to Mount Pleasant, where he tried his first law case, and then pushed on to Fairfield, where he led a long and prosperous legal career.

The takeaway

Negus's experience in 1840s Burlington highlights the challenges and hardships faced by early settlers and professionals trying to establish themselves in the rapidly growing frontier towns of the American Midwest. His story provides valuable historical insight into the lawlessness and difficult living conditions that characterized life on the frontier at the time.