Members of the Iowa National Guard on the Tri-State Fairgrounds in Burlington in 1931. Photo courtesy of Iowa Gold Star Military Museum
Nov/Dec 2025 (Volume 17, Issue 6)
By Jerome Thompson
Iowa National Guard Brig. Gen. Park Findley wrote, “October 5 [1931] I was ordered by the Governor to send a sufficient number of troops to the assistance of the Sheriff of Muscatine County.” That same day Sheriff S.D. Nester phoned Findley asking that National Guard troops be sent to Stockton in Muscatine County. Farmers had sent out word through their telephone tree to protest. Upon arriving in Stockton, Findley found the sheriff with R.P. Broders in custody who had assaulted a veterinarian and a mob of 40 or 50 men. Findley read the governor’s orders, and the mob disbanded. Troops arrived that day and several detachments accompanied veterinarians to several farms to conduct testing with no further trouble.
On Oct. 8, Gov. Dan Turner directed troops from Tipton to proceed to Mount Pleasant in Henry County to set up camp at the fairgrounds. On Oct. 10 the entire command moved by rail and truck to Mount Pleasant. On Oct. 12 troops set out for the McKinnon farm south of New London. Findley had received reports that farmers intended to make armed resistance. Upon arrival at the farm there was a mob of about 100 people in front of the house. McKinnon was not there and there were no cattle. A woman came out of the house and delivered “a lecture” against the veterinarians “in words so forcible that, I am quite sure, the most hardened would blush with shame” according to Findley. As the crowd disbursed one man tried to grab a soldier’s gun, but he stood his ground.
One man was arrested and turned over to the sheriff who was taken to jail in New London. Findley was informed that a mob had stormed the jail and took the prisoner away. Troops arrived and Findley ordered merchants to go inside their stores as troops began to clear the streets of protesters at the point of bayonets. Findley noted that many of the protestors leaving New London had license plates from Des Moines County. Obviously, the protests were well organized and had come some distance to disrupt the testing. Work continued in Henry County with troops escorting veterinarians with one instance of threatened gun violence.
An unidentified woman poses next to a sign posted at the Jake Eversman Farm near Burlington. Photo courtesy of Iowa Gold Star Military Museum
At the farm of Joe Grinstead, he refused that his cattle be tested and was arrested. But he broke loose, went inside his house and came out with a shotgun. His brother took it from him according to a trooper’s testimony. Grinstead ran away. Upon inspecting the confiscated shotgun, it was fully loaded.
The weather was starting to turn bad and roads started to get muddy. Findley requested help from the 113th Cavalry, this time with mounts, and 150 cavalrymen arrived. Another unexpected expense came with the horses, salt, oats and hay. At some farms the troops turned into cowboys and were forced to round up cattle to herd them to testing areas.
On Oct. 19, Findley received orders to move the troops to the Tri-State fairground in Burlington. Rumors had reached Findley that some farmers were in possession of dynamite and crates of military rifles were being shipped in from Chicago. Findley telephoned the governor and asked for more troops fearing violence. About 1,400 more guardsmen arrived by Oct. 22. The encampment at the fairgrounds was dubbed “Camp Holstein.”
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