Montgomery County History Center | Dave McFarland

We often think of history as being a rather abstract thing, condemned to the past, with life being too busy to give it much thought. But history is a real and living thing that has a way of sneaking up on you if you are not watching. It can be surprising how many times we find ourselves reliving it.

I have a little story for you about how real history can be. My grandfather always had a deep abiding love of horses, and even as a young man many people sought his judgment when they were considering buying a horse. When he was about 19 years of age he attended a local auction here in Red Oak, and though he probably could not afford it, he bought a charcoal drawing of a race horse. It was a beautiful drawing of a beautiful horse and in the corner it was marked “The General,” owned by Theo Haag, Red Oak and dated 1906. It is hard to ignore the striking similarity between this drawing and the 1896 one of the even more famous Alix. They share a common era and hometown.

The drawing has had a long and storied life. After my grandfather married my grandmother in 1915, the picture hung in their house. It was always hanging on one wall or another, before my father was born and way before I was born. The story goes back in the ’30s or so, there was a horrific storm. The wind blew, and it rained so hard that water actually came through the wall of their farm house. Sadly, the picture suffered a water stain across the bottom of it. It seems a little strange, but that dark water stain was there so long it seemed to just become part of the drawing itself.

The drawing passed from my grandfather at his death to my father, and to my great delight just before he died it was passed to me. Working at the Montgomery County History Center, and the drawing having originated in Red Oak, I thought it should be viewed and it has been on display at the History Center for several years now.

Now you might or might not think this is a nice little story, but do not make your judgment quite yet. There is more to this story, and we need to see if it really qualifies as real history.

Remember this picture is of the General from Red Oak. A man by the name of Theodore G. Haag was born in Illinois back on July 18, 1845. In 1864, he joined the Union Army and served in the Civil War. He was wounded in battle: shot through both legs. As a result, he was taken to a field hospital, where he was to be treated. As he recovered, he began to help out around the hospital, first as a clerk and then more and more he took on the role of tending to other wounded patients. In those days, wounded soldiers were written out of the ranks of their units until the attending doctor signed them back to duty. Basically, the soldier became part of the hospital until released back to their original units. Apparently, it seems Theo was such a great help, his doctor chose not to release him and Theo finished out the war caring for others in various field hospitals.

After the war, Theo married Anna Woodring and in 1872, they moved to Hawthorn, just west of Red Oak. Then in 1874, they moved to just outside Red Oak in Section 29. There they farmed, raised children and livestock, and they also became known for their race horses. This was a time when Red Oak and Montgomery County was to Iowa what Lexington was to Kentucky when it came to horses. Names like Pactulos, Alix, General, and others resounded in our history.

Now the story makes a full circle and our now historic drawing opens another chapter. The 112-year-old drawing that has been a family treasure with sometimes a hard life is now making another journey. I recently got the opportunity to have it conserved and restored by the Ford Conservation Center at the Gerald Ford Museum. After an expert evaluation, we decided upon a course of action. They will be stabilizing the paper and then they are going to remove most, but not all of that water stain. That water stain will not be gone completely, but rather lightened. The stain has become too much a part of the history and character of the drawing to have it completely removed.

The picture of the General is truly not abstract in nature, nor is his story: the story of ‘The General,’ the story of Haag himself and the story of an Iowa family. It is now truly concrete and relative. The General is now ready for his journey from my wall to my son’s wall when that time comes. Hopefully, when now has become history, it will go from him to his daughter and history will continue.

Dave McFarland is the director of the Montgomery County History Center.

The Red Oak Express

2012 Commerce Drive
P.O. Box 377
Red Oak, IA 51566
Phone: 712-623-2566 Fax: 712-623-2568

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