author
Luther Albertus Brewer
1858–1933
Best remembered as the Cedar Rapids publisher behind the Torch Press, he helped shape Iowa’s literary and civic life while also building a serious reputation as a book collector. His work ranged from local history to finely printed private editions, giving his writing and publishing a strong sense of place.
2 Audiobooks
![History of Linn County Iowa From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time [1911]](https://listenly.io/api/img/6638bee2972dc5c80ef63052/cover.jpg)
History of Linn County Iowa From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time [1911]
by Luther Albertus Brewer, Barthinius L. (Barthinius Larson) Wick
Stevenson's Perfect Virtues, as Exemplified by Leigh Hunt
by Luther Albertus Brewer
About the author
Born in Welsh Run, Pennsylvania, on December 17, 1858, he graduated from Pennsylvania College in 1883 and soon made his way to Iowa. After a short period in education and banking, he settled in Cedar Rapids, where he studied law and then moved into publishing.
He became the founder and president of the Torch Press, a respected Cedar Rapids printing and publishing house. He also opened the Torch Press Bookshop in 1909, and sources from the University of Iowa describe him as an energetic collector whose interests included Leigh Hunt and literary manuscripts, as well as a writer of books connected to history, travel, and the world of books.
Brewer was closely tied to the cultural life of Cedar Rapids, and he is also known for co-authoring History of Linn County Iowa. He died in Cedar Rapids in 1933, leaving behind a legacy as a publisher, author, collector, and local patron of books and the arts.