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BEGINNINGS 


Reminiscences 
of  Early  Des  Moines 

BY 

TACITUS  HUSSEY 


^ 


1919 

Piiblislied   by 

American  Lithographing  and  Ptg.  Co. 
Des  Moines,  Iowa 


THE  NEW  YORK 
PtJBLIC  LIBRARY 

30306;2K 


0^ 


u 


THE  FRONTISPIECE 

The  Frontispiece  was  a  really,  truly  "happen  so." 

On  a  beautiful  October  afternoon  I  went  aboard  my  canoe, 

"Dabchick,"  and  turned  her  prow  up  the  Des  Moines  river. 

then    known    by    courtesy    of    the    Park    Commissioners,    as 

"Lake  Tac.  Hussey."     The  breeze  which  caught  the  sail  was 

very  light  and  the  progress  slow,  but  not  less  enjoyable. 

A  little  below  the  spot  where  the  North  Western  Railway 

y       leaves  the  east  bank  of  the  river,  stood  an  artist,  Mr.  Birkson, 

\     with  his  camera,  to  take  a  snap   shot  of  the  east  bank  and 

^  the    North    Western    train    as    it    came    flying    up    the    river 

^  to  enhance  the  beauty  of  the  picture.     Just  here  the  impudent 

^  little   "Dabchick"  with  her  crew  poked  their  noses   into  the 

jne  of  vision,  with  a  pleasing  result.    The  artist  was  so  well 

pleased  that  he  made  an  oil  painting  of  it. 


TACITUS  HUSSKV 
The  Author 


CONTENTS 

Page 
Froi\tispii:ci:    5 

Introductory  6 

Early   Des   Moines   History 9 

'    Dwellers  in  Officers'  and  Soldeirs'  Cabins 19 

Organization   of    Village 55 

Tragedy  of  the  Demoine  House 95 

Fishing  and  Hunting 100 

Steamboats  on  the  Des  Moines  River 109 

Ninth  General  Assembly  and  the  Dcmoinc  Belle 127 

Social  Life  of  Early  Des   Moines 134 

The  Bag  of  Gold 153 

The  Des  Moines  Valley  Railroad 163 

Apiendix    185 

Autobiography  of  Tacitus  Hussey ISV 

Six  Bonaparte  Dam  Elegies 198 

Tac  Hussey  Materials  in  Historical  Department 20b 

SoNCS   209 

The  Old  Flag 211 

Iowa's    Queen 214 

Iowa,  Beautiful  Land 216 

My  Country  !    Oh.  My  Country  ! 218 

The  Booster  Song  of  Iowa 220 

IXDKX    211 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

The   Canoe   "Bal)chick" 4 

Tac  Hussey   l 

Official  Plat  of  City  of  Ft.  Des  Moines 8 

Old  Fort  Des  Moines  in  1843 12 

Isaac  Cooper   21 

Hoyt   Sherman    24 

Barlow  Granger   25 

Lampson  P.  Sherman 27 

Sherman  Block   28 

B.  F.  Allen 33 

W.  W.  Moore 36 

First  Frame  House 38 

Phineas  M.  Casady 39 

Mrs.  Agusta  G.  Casady 40 

Facsimile   First   Postmaster's   Commission 43 

Central   Presbyterian   Church,   1853 48 

Rev.  Thompson   Bird 49 

Peter  Newcomer 54 

Des  Moines'  First  Stage  Coach 67 

State  House,   1858 68 

Old  Exchange  Block,  Third  and  Walnut 70 

First    Savery   House IZ 

Pair  of  Old  Des  Moines  Boots 79 

Dr.  Campbell's  Old  Store 89 

Demoine  House    94 

Earliest  Catliolic  Church 98 

Two  Canoe  Idlers  at  Flood  Tide 124 

View  of  Lake  Tac  Hussey 126 

Mrs.  Allie  Smith   Cheek." 165 

Col.  Edward  F.  Hooker 174 

W.   H.   McHenry 181 

F.  M.  Hubhell 182 

Frank   M.   Mills 183 

Late  Plioto  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hussey 188 

Mrs.    fcnnie  Clement   Hussev 190 


INTRODUCTORY 

THIS  book  ran  and  lost  a  race  with  death. 
On  the  ninth  day  of  August,  1919,  Mr. 
Hussey  died. 

The  week  before  he  passed  away  he  ex- 
plained to  his  publishers  that  his  anxiety  for 
the  book  to  appear  was  mainly  on  account  of 
oncoming  children  who  might  wish  to  know 
the  way  things  began  in  Des  Moines.  He 
mentioned  especially  his  account  of  the  party 
at  the  home  of  B.  F.  Allen,  which  "at  first 
thought",  he  said,  "the  reader  will  feel  is  un- 
necessarily detailed,  but  there  had  never  before 
been  a  party  of  that  sort  in  the  city".  The  de- 
tail thus  has  its  value  and  interest. 

Those  w^ho  engaged  with  Mr.  Hussey  and 
with  one  another  to  assist  him  in  producing 
his  book  have  tried  to  leave  it  in  print  as  nearly 
like  it  was  in  his  own  manuscript  as  could  be 
done.  I  invite  the  blame  for  all  short-comings 
of  the  book,  for  Mr.  Hussey  and  the  others 
left  no  duty  undone  that  strength  and  oppor- 
tunity admitted  of  their  doing. 

Mr.  Flussey  again  and  again  uttered,  and 
I  cheerfully  set  out,  his  deepest  gratitude  to 
Airs.  W.  B.  Kerr  and  Miss  Blanche  Wingate 
who  so  faithfully  served  him  as  his  eyes  and 
ears  and  ofttimes  his  hands  in  this  his  last 
task. 

Edgar  R.  Harlan. 

Curalur  of  the  Historical  Department  of  Iowa. 


CHAPTER  I 

EARLY  DES  MOINES  HISTORY. 

THE  LOUISIANA  PURCHASE. 

Iowa  was  at  one  time  a  part  of  what  is 
known  as  the  "Louisiana  Purchase".  This 
purchase  was  made  from  France  in  1803.  It 
was  a  large  tract  of  land  and  made,  for  the 
United  States,  twelve  states  and  two  large  ter- 
ritories, Iowa  being  one  of  those  states. 

PURCHASE  FROM  THE  INDIANS. 

TJic  Black  Hazvk  Purchase:  The  first  pur- 
chase of  land  from  the  Indians  occurred  in 
1832  and  was  a  strip  of  land  fifty  miles  wide 
on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi.  A  small 
second  purchase  on  the  w^est  was  made  in  1837. 
The  Third  or  New  Purchase  made  in  1842, 
took  title  to  the  remainder  of  the  claim  of  the 
Sacs  and  Foxes  in  what  is  now^  Iowa,  but  per- 
mitted them  to  occupy  the  portion  west  of  Red 
Rock  until  new  homes  in  Kansas  were  found 
for  them  in  1845. 

Coming  of  the  Dragoons:  In  the  early 
spring  of  1843  Captain  Allen  selected  a  site  for 
the  new  station   at  the  junction   of  the   Des 


10  A   History  of   Early  Des  Moines 

Moines  and  Raccoon  Rivers.  Cabins  for  the 
officers  were  built  facing  the  Des  Moines  river, 
those  for  the  companies  of  dragoons  fronting 
the  Raccoon  river.  There  were  two  companies 
of  dragoons  and  infantry,  one  under  command 
of  Captain  Allen,  the  other  under  command  of 
Lieutenant  Grier.  There  was  also  a  warehouse 
for  commissary  stores,  a  guard  house,  and  ad- 
jutant's office,  stables  and  corrals  for  crippled 
or  unserviceable  horses,  a  well,  a  flag  staff  and 
all  appurtenances  to  an  army  post. 

Arrival  of  -the  First  Steamboat:  The 
Agatha,  Captain  J.  M.  Lafferty,  with  two  keel 
barges  bringing  a  cargo  of  government  sup- 
plies from  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  the  soldiers 
and  equipments  from  Fort  San  ford  near  the 
present  site  of  Ottumwa,  Iowa,  arrived  at  Fort 
Des  Moines,  May  9,  1843,  and  landed  at  or  near 
the  old  "covered  *bridge,"  the  land  mark  of  so 
many  years.  The  government  warehouse  was 
near  that  point. 

Building  of  Cabins:  There  was  a  great 
quantity  of  the  building  material  brought  from 
the  adjacent  forests  and  the  ground  all  around 
the  location  selected  held  great  quantities  of 

*A  bridge  crossing  'Coon  river  about  a  bundred  feet  above 
its  original  mouth. — E.  R.  H. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  11 

material  which  soon  took  shape  when  soldier 
workmen  began  to  build  the  cabins,  and  Cap- 
tain Allen  sought  out  every  available  man  he 
could  find.* 

BRICK    INDUSTRY    STARTED 

Mr.  Trullinger.  who  came  here  in  May. 
1843,  was  persuaded  to  add  his  genius  to  the 
force,  and,  with  the  aid  of  an  uncle,  Gordy 
by  name,  was  a  factor  in  the  building  of 
the  cabins.  The  lack  of  brick  for  chimneys 
and  fire  places  was  a  puzzler,  but  Mr. 
Trullinger  solved  the  problem  as  his  uncle 
knew  how  to  make  brick ;  and  selecting  a  spot 
of  soil  suitable  to  its  manufacture,  soon  had  a 
brickyard  started  and  a  kiln  of  brick  ready  for 
the  burning.  When  the  brick  was  ready  for 
use  there  was  no  lime  to  be  had;  but  by  pros- 
pecting on  the  banks  of  Four  Mile  Creek  some 
stone  was  found  which,  when  burned,  made  an 
excellent  quality  of  lime.  So  the  cabins  were 
complete  with  chimneys  and  fire  places  before 
winter  set  in.  The  demand  for  brick  was  so 
great  that  two  more  kilns  had  to  be  burned  be- 


*John  D.  Parmalee  was  authorized  by  the  government  to 
build  and  operate  a  mill  and  furnish  lumber  from  a  site  on 
Middle  river  near  its  mouth.^ — E.  R.  H. 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussey  13 

fore  the  season  closed ;  and  that  was  the  begin- 
ning of  the  brick  industry  in  Fort  Des  Moines. 

As  there  were  no  churches  nor  church  bells 
the  people,  especially  in  the  employ  of  the  of- 
ficers of  the  garrisons,  kept  right  along  with 
their  work.  The  dragoons  generally  spent  the 
Sabbath  day  in  cleaning  up  their  guns. 

Captain  Allen  was  pretty  strict  with  his  men, 
but  when  the  command  was  turned  over  to 
Lieutenant  Grier  the  soldier  boys  had  a  little 
more  fun,  in  their  own  way. 

Rations:  Those  who  were  on  the  pay  roll 
and  in  the  government  emplo}^  had  the  same 
rations  as  the  soldiers.  The  rations  generally 
served  were:  Flour,  bacon,  ham,  codfish,  rice, 
and  at  intervals  other  provisions,  inchidinci 
tobacco  and  half  a  pint  of  Zi'hisky.  Those  who 
did  not  use  tobacco  nor  whisky  could  trade  it 
ofif  to  conu-ades  for  something  else.  There 
was  a  mail  every  two  weeks ;  and  when  a  news- 
paper was  received  it  was  read  "out  loud"  to 
various  groups  of  people  or  handed  about  until 
it  was  in  tatters. 

Military  Station  Completed:  The  cabins  to 
shelter  the  officers  and  soldiers  were  finished 
in  the  fall  and  winter  of  1843,  and  the  militarv 


14  A  History  OF   Early   Des  Moines 

station  was  not  unlike  any  other  station  on  the 
frontier. 

Camp  Life:  The  routine  of  camp  duties  was 
strictly  observed.  The  Indians  went  out  on 
hunting  parties,  fished  in  the  Des  Moines,  Rac- 
coon and  other  near  b}^  streams.  There  were 
some  very  expert  trappers  among  them  and 
during  the  seasons  that  furs  were  most  valua- 
ble they  brought  in  quantities  of  mink,  otter, 
beaver,  raccoon,  deer,  muskrat,  skunk  and 
other  furs.  At  early  springtime  when  the 
trapping  season  closed,  fur  traders,  who  were 
always  on  the  lookout  for  bargains,  found 
their  way  here  from  the  east  and  when  per- 
mitted by  Commandant  Allen,  after  being  as- 
sured they  carried  no  whisky  or  other  contra- 
band articles,  were  admitted  to  the  Indian 
tepees  and  allowed,  by  the  aid  of  an  inter- 
preter, to  bargain  and  trade  tol)acco,  powder, 
shot,  lead  and  such  other  articles  as  the  In- 
dians desired.  All  this  was  done  in  a  peace- 
able w^a}^  and  no  matter  how  many  sharp  bar- 
gains were  made,  all  ended  in  peace  and  good 
will.  The  Indians  were  inveterate  gamblers 
and  would  bet  their  last  coon  or  muskrat  skin 
on  the  speed  of  their  ponies  against  the  horses 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  15 

and  ponies  of  the  whites.  There  were  no 
houses  in  the  way  and  no  obstructing  streets 
from  the  present  Ninth  Street  to  the  outcome 
on  Fifth,  near  where  the  old  Methodist  Church 
tised  to  stand,  so  many  a  race  was  pulled  oft' 
[here  amid  the  encouraging  whoops  of  the 
whites  and  the  stinuilating  cries  of  "hiyi  yi, 
hiyi  yi,  yi"  by  enthusiastic  redmen,  which  some 
of  the  sportmen  interpreted  as  "git  there  Eli." 
These  races  drew  from  the  garrison  all  sol- 
diers who  were  off  duty,  the  pale-face  helpers 
about  the  "Fort"  and  the  Indian  squaws  with 
their  papooses  strapped  upon  their  backs. 
Many  a  mink,  otter  and  raccoon  pelt  changed 
hands  on  these  races  and  many  a  pale- face  had 
to  dig  down  deep  in  his  jeans  to  pay  for  betting 
on  the  wrong  pony.  However,  the  Indians 
w^ere  true  sportsmen  and  lost  their  bets  with- 
out the  trace  of  a  frown,  while  some  of  the 
pale-faces  looked  as  if  "they  would  like  to  kick 
themselves." 

Names  of  the  principal  settlers  who  were 
permitted  to  occupy  themselves  in  raising  crops 
for  the  garrisons  were,  John  R.  Scott,  W.  A. 
Scott,  James  Drake,  the  garrison  gunsmith, 
John  Sturdevant,  xMexander  Turner,  \\'illiam 
Laml),   "joe"   M.   Thrift,  tailor   for  garrison, 


16 


A   History  oi"   Early   Des   MoiNMis 


George  Washington  and  Washington  George 
Ewings,  Dr.  Thomas  K.  Brooks  and  H.  S. 
Saylor,  who  fnrnished  hay  for  the  garrison. 

Departure  of  Indians:  At  midnight,  Octo- 
ber 11,  1845,  the  signal  shot  was  fired  from 
one  of  the  cabin  roofs  as  a  notice  to  the  pubHc 
that  the  treaty  had  expired;  and  the  red  man's 
rule  in  Iowa  was  over  forever.     The  Indians 


Old  Indian   Agency  Building  in   East  Des   Moines 

had  knowledge  of  this  fact,  and  supposed  that 
if  they  broke  up  in  small  l)ands  and  scattered 
over  the  state  where  they  could  not  be  found 
they  would  thereby  be  allowed  to  remain  in 
Iowa.  These  simple-minded  creatures  did  not 
know  that  a  correct  list  of  the  tribe  had  been 
kept,  even  to  the  latest  born  papoose,  and  that 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  17 

they  would  be  checked  up  and  sent  to  their  new 
reservation  in  Kansas  as  soon  as  possible.  A 
large  body  of  them  had  got  away  to  Boone 
county  and  were  found  camped  on  the  Des 
Moines  ri^'er,  at  or  near  Madrid,  and  were 
brought  in  by  the  dragoons.  \Vhen  first  dis- 
covered they  began  to  shout  "No  go !  No  go !" 
But  the  government  troops  paid  no  attention 
to  their  clamor  and  brought  them  in.  The 
hunting  up  of  the  remnants  of  the  tribe  and 
the  checking  off  their  names  took  some  time; 
but  when  it  was  finished  they  were  escorted  to 
Kansas  doubtless  with  many  a  regret  and  lin- 
gernig  look,*  which  was  taken  from  \'an's 
Hill**  as  they  passed  to  the  south  under  the 
escort  of  Captain  Allen's  dragoons. 

Coining  of  Settlers:  The  settlers  began 
taking  possession  of  the  cabins  as  soon  as  they 
could  make  arrangements  with  the  govern- 
ment ofi^icials  and  in  1846  the  cabins  were  be- 
ing filled.  vSteamboatst  were  making  occa- 
sional trips  so  that  the  "squatters"  in  the 
vicinity,   who   had   money   to   spare,    had   no 

*A  striking  delineation  of  this  event  is  the  painting  by 
Charles  Atherton  Cuintning  in  the  Polk  county  court  house.— 
E.  R.  H. 

**A11  Des  Moines  immediately  l)elow  'Coon  river  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  Des  Moines  was  laid  out  by  Chas.  C.  Van 
and  the  trail  out  southward,  therefore,  lay  over  Van's  Hill — 
K.  R.  H. 

tSce  chapter  on   Steamboats. 


18  A   History  or   Early  Des  Moines 

trouble  in  supplying  their  wants — besides  there 
were  government  stores  in  the  w^archouse 
W'hich  could  be  supplied  at  reasonable  rates,  as 
the  government  and  military  business  was  not 
closed  up  until  the  year  1846. 

"Fort"  Des  Moines  in  those  days  was  at 
the  head  of  navigation  and  as  there  were  only 
a  few  steamboat  arrivals  each  year  carrying 
the  meagre  supplies,  an  arrival  helped  the  few 
wood  cutters  to  get  rid  of  their  accumulated 
stocks  of  fire  wood  at  remunerative  prices., 

Many  of  the  early  settlers  had  not  neglected 
to  bring  their  school  books  among  their  other 
possessions ;  and  at  intervals  there  would  be 
an  improvised  spelling  school,  by  young  and 
old.  Some  of  them  had  taught  country  schools 
in  the  states  and  were  not  averse  after  sides 
had  been  chosen  to  "give  out  the  words''  to  the 
participants  and  in  this  way  many  a  pleasant 
evening  was  passed.  Many  of  these  dwellers 
in  the  ofificers'  and  soldiers'  cabins  had  a  little 
store  of  gold  which  they  were  saving  to  buy 
land  of  the  government  at  one  dollar  and 
twenty-five  cents  an  acre  and  were  awaiting 
the  time  when  the  government  land  ofifice 
w^ould  open,  and  most  of  them  received  what 
they  desired. 


CHAPTER  II 

.  DWELLERS  IN  OFFICERS'  AND 
SOLDIERS'  CABINS. 

So  soon  as  the  treaty  expired  October  11, 
1845,  and  the  Indians  were  taken  to  their  new- 
reservation  in  Kansas,  the  settlers,  with  the 
consent  of  the  government,  began  to  make  ar- 
rangements for  occupying  the  empty  cabins.* 
Below  is  a  list,  made  out  in  1848,  of  those  oc- 
cupying the  cabins,  which  has  been  in  my  pos- 
session for  nearly  fifty  years;  and  which  was 
made  out  and  handed  to  me  by  one  of  the 
dwellers  there,  now  dead,  but  who  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  our  city. 

"Pete"  Myers  and  wife  occupied  one  of  the 
cabins  in  Raccoon  Row.  He  was  a  very  en- 
thusiastic man,  and  though  handicapped  with 
clubbed  feet,  managed  to  get  about  with  as 
much  speed  as  most  men  and  was  a  useful 
member  of  society.  He  was  enthusiastic  in 
everything  with  which  he  was  intrusted;  and 

*A  row  of  cabin  Itarracks  parallel  with  the  Des  Moines 
river  for  officers'  use  later  was  known  as  "Des  Moines  Row." 
A  row  parallel  witli  the  'Coon  river  for  use  of  private 
soldiers  eventually  became  known  as  "Coon  Row"  or  "Raccoon 
Row."— E.  R.  H. 


20  A  History  of  Early  Di:s  Moinks 

when  B.  F.  Allen  commissioned  him  to  go  to 
the  steamboat  market  and  buy  a  steamboat  he 
accepted  the  job  promptly.  \\'hen  he  came 
steaming  in,  standing  at  the  bow  of  his  new 
purchase,  the  "Colonel  Alorgan,"  he  was 
greeted  with  lifted  hats  and  hearty  hand 
shakes  as  "Captain  Peter  Myers". 

It  will  be  a  good  place  here  to  tell  that  the 
leading  citizens  of  Fort  Des  Moines  had  been 
seized  with  the  steamboat  fever  and  a  steam- 
boat company  was  at  once  formed.  "In  con- 
formity to  Chapter  44  of  the  Code  of  Iowa, 
approved  February  5,  1851,  a  steamboat  com- 
pany was  formed  by  the  early  settlers,  with  a 
place  of  business  at  Fort  Des  Moines,  to  con- 
tinue for  twenty  years,"  Among  the  known 
owners  of  stock  were  B.  F.  Allen,  James  Sher- 
man, R.  W.  Sypher  and  James  Campbell. 
There  was  also  a  proviso  that  the  charter  could 
be  renewed  at  the  end  of  twenty  years  at  the 
option  of  the  stockholders  and  directors 

The  incorporators  were:  Samuel  Gray, 
Curtis  Bates,  Otis  Briggs,  Reuben  \\\  Sypher, 
P.  M.  Casady  and  Augustus  Newton. 

The  directors  were:  Addison  S.  Vorse, 
Samuel  Gray  and  Reuben  W.  Sypher.  It  is 
generally  believed  there  were  no  dividends  to 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussey 


21 


speak  of.     If  there  were,  no  mention  is  made 
of  them. 

Isaac  Cooper  was  one  of  the  "Forty-Niners" 
who  went  to  Cahfornia  overland.  The  other 
three  were  John  Stanton,  C.  D.  Reinking  and 
Henry  Hutsonpillar.  They  returned,  it  is  said, 
about  the  same  financially,  as  when  they 
started.     Mr.  Cooper  was  one  of  the  builders 


ISAAC  COOPER 
OxE  OF  THE  First  Settlers 


of  our  own  city  and  if  he  were  alive  today  he 
could  boast  of  havine  the  richest  son-in-law*  in 


*Mr.  F.  M.  Hubhcll.— K.  K.  H. 


22  A   History  oi"   Early   Dus   Moines 

the  State  of  Iowa,    He  came  to  Des  Moines  in 
1846  or  about  that  date. 

Thomas  (or  "Tom")  McMulhn,  as  he  was 
called  by  his  intimate  friends,  was  an  occupant 
of  Raccoon  Row.  He  was  a  hunter  and  was 
always  ready  to  join  a  hunting  party.  He,  like 
many  of  the  early  settlers,  dabbled  in  real  es- 
tate. His  name  appears  on  the  court  house 
books .  in  connection  with  a  Mr.  Campbell  as 
"Campbell  &  McMullin's"  addition.  He  could 
tell  a  joke  with  so  sober  a  face  as  to  "deceive 
the  very  elect."  When  the  first  fire-fighting 
machine  arrived  it  was  paraded  all  over  our 
little  village  by  the  fire  boys  assisted  by  a  team 
of  fiery  steeds.  One  of  our  citizens  who  was 
a  little  behind  on  such  matters,  very  innocently 
asked  Tom  McMullin,  "Where  are  they  going 
to  get  the  water  to  supply  that  thing?"  Tom 
told  him  vvith  a  very  grave  face,  "The  city 
council  made  a  contract  with  J.  H.  Thode  to 
haul  the  water  for  it."  When  it  was  known 
that  Thode  had  the  sorriest  looking  team  in 
town  and  was  very  deliberate  in  his  move- 
ments, individual]}-,  it  was  not  hard  to  see 
the  point  to  the  joke,  but  the  in(|uirer  could 
not  see  anything  to  laugh  at.  If,  on  the 
next   dav,    he   could    have   seen    the    machine 


Bv  Tacitvs  Hussky  23 

at  work  at  the  mouth  of  Bird's  Run  on 
Locust  street  and  been  plentifully  be-sprinkled 
as  some  of  us  were,  he  would  have  known  ''how 
the  old  thing-  worked."  IVIr.  McMullin  lived  In 
Raccoon  Row  and  was  our  first  Recorder. 

C.  D.  Reinking,  Raccoon  Row,  was  one  of 
the  four  California  "forty-niners"  who  went 
to  California  overland  and,  coming  back  about 
as  rich  as  he  went,  settled  down  and  helped 
to  build  our  city  as  the  "old  Reinking  Block"* 
will  amply  testify.  Some  of  his  descendants 
are  with  us  unto  this  day. 

R.  L.  Tidrick,  Raccoon  Row,  was  for  years 
a  partner  of  P.  M.  Casady.  The  firm  of 
"Casady  &  Tidrick"  was  one  of  the  earliest 
and  best  known  real  estate  firms  in  the  west. 
Mr.  Tidrick  built  one  of  the  first  houses  on 
Center  street  near  Third,  which  was  a  land- 
mark for  many  years. 

Hoyt  Sherman,  Raccoon  Row,  1848-9, 
was  born  in  Lancaster,  Ohio,  in  1827.  He 
served  as  postmaster  for  a  short  time,  being 
ai)pointed  1)\'  President  Pierce,  which  oftice 
he  held  until  he  resigned.  His  two  brothers. 
lames  and   Lampson   Sherman,   lived  here   at 

♦Northeast  corner  of  I'.i.uluh  and  Walnut  streets. — E.  R.  il. 


24  A    HiSToKV    Ol'    HAltLY     DkS     MolNKS 

the  same  time.  He  was  one  of  the  incorpora- 
tors of  the  Equitable  Insurance  Company  and 
the  vState  Bank  of  Iowa.  He  was  active  in  pre- 
serving Iowa  history,  as  can  be  found  in  the 
Historical  Department  of  the  State  of  Iowa. 
He  w^as  a  brother  to  John  and  Gen.  William 
Tecumseh  Sherman.     Mr.   Sherman  was  the 


AIAJOR  HOVT   SHERMAN 

BuiLnKR    OF    Shkrman    Block,    Corxkr    Third    STRHiiT    and 

Court  Avenlp: 

builder  of  Sherman  Block,  still  standing  at 
the  northeast  corner  of  Third  and  Court 
avenue,  one  of  the  most  historic  in  the  city, 
being  used  as  a  court  house  while  our  "second 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussey 


25 


court  house"  was  being  l)uilt.  His  last  resi- 
dence in  the  city,  west  of  Fifteenth  street, 
Ijetween  Pleasant  and  Woodland,  is  the  home 
of  the  Women's  Clul). 

Barlow  Granger,  Raccoon  Row,  was  one 
of  the  most  interesting-  characters  of  "Fort 
Des    Moines"    earlv    historv    and    his    name 


BARLOW   GRANGER 

Editor  of  "The  Des  Moines  Star,"  the  First  Paper 

Published  in  Des  Moines,  June  26,  1849 

will  go  down  in  history  as  that  of  the  first 
printer  and  publisher  of  a  newspaper  in 
Fort  Des  Moines,  known  as  the  "Fort  Des 
Moines  Star,"  the  first  number  of  which  ap- 
peared in  June,  1849.    A   file  of  this  i)apcr  is 


26      .  A   History  ov   Early   Dus   Moinhs 

preserved  in  the  Historical  Department  of  the 
state  of  Iowa.  He  was  Ijorn  in  Cayuga 
County,  New  York.  It  was  in  the  days  of 
Martin  Van  Buren,  WilHani  H.  Seward, 
Horace  Greely,  Thurlow  Weed  and  men  of 
that  class.  He  was  a  printer  who  understood  all 
the  branches  of  the  printing  business  as  taught 
in  the  early  da3^s  of  primitive  machinery.  He 
was  a  lawyer,  also,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1848;  was  mayor  of  our  city  at  an  early 
date  and  won  the  title  of  "Colonel"  by  being 
appointed  on  Governor  Hempstead's  stafT,  an 
office  he  held  for  four  years. 

To  keep  Barlow  Granger's  memory  green 
the  Park  Commissioners  have  bought  his  old 
homestead  on  the  "south  side,"  overlook- 
ing the  city,  out  of  which  will  be  made  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  parks,  made  historic  by 
his  long  residence  there.  Thus  will  be  kept 
ali\e  the  memory  of  the  man  who  helped  to  lay 
the  foundation  of  the  city  of  Des  Moines. 

Lampson  P.  Sherman.  Raccoon  Row,  was  a 
brother  to  James  and  Hoyt.  His  name  will  go 
down  in  history  as  the  editor  and  publisher  of 
the  "lA)rt  Des  Moines  Weekly  Gazette," 
a  file  of  which,  in  a  good  state  of  preservation, 
considering  its  age,  can  be  found  in  the  news- 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussey  27 

paper  division  of  the  Historical  Department  of 
Iowa.  This  paper,  hke  the  "Star,"  was  pub- 
Hshed  in  one  of  the  deserted  cabins  in  Raccoon 
Row. 


LAMPSON   P.   SHERMAN     • 
Publisher  of  First  Whig   Paper,  1850 

Alexander  Bowers,  Raccoon  Row,  was 
a  German  by  birth.  He  was  a  stahvart 
man  with  a  loud  commanding  voice,  and 
a  terror  to  evil  doers  and  mischief  makers. 
Row.  The  date  was  early  in  1850.  It  lived  a 
year.  Mr.  Sherman  was  third  mayor  of  "Fort 
Des  Moines"  and  was  for  many  years 
Recorder  and  Treasnrer,  dying  in  1900  at  the 
ao-c  of  79. 


28 


A  History  of  Early  Des   Moines 


When  Sherman  Block  was  built  in  1856  and 
"Sherman's  Hall"  turned  over  to  the  public, 
Mr.  Bowers  was  made  its  custodian.  He  had 
man}'  a  word}'  tussle  with  some  of  the  boys 
and  girls  in  earning  his  salary ;  yet  he  general- 


niiiiMi 

— .    ,«^     FARMERS  LAND  OFRCe  "** 

SUIII 


--^ 


=  "  d  c-    1 


Sherman   Block.     Built   1856 

ly  came  out  ahead,  especially  as  he  had  the  law 
on  his  side.  Our  old  friend,  T.  A.  Walker, 
after  having-  a  little  difference  of  opinion  w'ith 
him.  alwa}s  spoke  of  him  as  "the  man  who 
wound  up  Sherman   Hall   and  the  Methodist 


Rv  Tacitis  Husskv  29 

Church",  for  he  was  sexton  of  that  church 
also.  He  was  faithful  to  all  trusts  and  never 
shrank  from  a  task  even  if  some  disagreeable 
work  had  to  be  done. 

Reuben  \\\  Sypher,  Raccoon  Row,  was 
one  of  our  merchants  doing  business  on 
Second  street.  His  store  contained  the  usual 
assortment  of  dry  goods,  hats,  caps,  boots  and 
shoes.  His  second  wife  was  Mrs.  Samuel 
Keene,  a  widow,  who  now  lives  in  Dallas, 
Texas.  Mrs.  Sypher  still  has  a  deep  love  for 
her  former  Iowa  friends. 

Melville  Hoxie  and  his  wife,  Ruth  P.  Hoxie, 
lived  in  Des  Moines  Row  with  their  children, 
Herbert  M.,  or  "Hub"  as  he  was  familiarly 
called,  Melville  B.,  James,  Rose  and  Wm.  H. 
The  father  died  in  1847.  Mrs.  Ruth  P.  Hoxie 
was  an  energetic  woman  and  with  the  aid  of 
her  oldest  son  "Hub"  kept  the  family  together, 
keeping  boarders  and  such  other  work,  as  came 
to  her  hand.  "Hub,"  when  a  little  older,  did 
clerical  work  at  the  court  house,  was  elected  to 
a  county  office  and  became  in  time  one  of  the 
I)r()minent  politicians  in  Polk  county.  He  is 
credited  in  later  years  with  untangling  many  a 
jxtlitical  snarl  in  the  republican  ranks  and  re- 
storing harmon}'  and  peace  when  a  party  war 


30  A    History  oi'   Eaklv   Dks   Mdixes 

seemed  to  be  inevitable.  He  made  a  great 
name  for  himself  as  United  States  Marshal; 
and  he  is  still  spoken  of  as  one  of  Iowa's 
brightest  citizens.  Melville,  his  brother,  was  a 
law  student  before  studying-  for  the  ministry; 
but  his  name  has  been  lost  sight  of  as  have 
many  who  have  gained  residence  in  other 
states.  Miss  Rose  Hoxie  grew  up  in  Des 
Moines  and  was  noted  for  her  beauty  and 
sweet  disposition.  She  was  known  as  the 
"Belle  of  the  Village"  and  was  married  to 
Andrew  J.  Stevens  in  1860  or  '61.  W'm.  H. 
Hoxie  was  a  brave  soldier  in  the  "War  of  the 
Rebellion"  and  edited  and  published  a  paper  in 
the  southern  part  of  Iowa  after  the  war.  He 
rose  1o  the  ofifice  of  Captain  liefore  the  war 
closed. 

Dr.  P.  B.  Fagan  came  here  with  Judge  P.  M. 
Casady,  with  whom  he  was  early  associated. 
He  was  one  of  our  earliest  phvsicians.  They 
arrived  in  a  buggy  and  were  ferried  across 
the  river  by  Ed  Clapp,  then  the  barefooted, 
one  sus])endered  ferryman  who  announced 
the  fact  to  his  associates  as  follows:  "Boys 
I've  ju'^t  ferried  over  two  of  the  starchiest 
fellows  I  have  ever  seen.  Thev  had  on 
black   coats,   trousers   and   vc^ts — and   if   one 


Bv  Tacitus  Husskv  31 

of  'em  didn't  have  his  boots  blacked  I'll  be 
damned."  The  father  and  his  three  sons 
owned  a  farm,  now  in  the  corporate  limits. 
One  other  son  built  a  mill  on  Walnut  creek, 
well  remembered  by  the  early  settlers  as 
"Pagan's  Mill." 

Abner  Rathbun  and  wife,  Mary  Marie 
Rathbun,  lived  in  Raccoon  Row  and  were  the 
parents  of  four  children,  Ezra,  Jonathan, 
Elizabeth  and  Mary  D.  This  family  were 
founders  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
in  Des  Moines.  The  father  was  a  licensed  ex- 
horter  in  the  Methodist  church.  Ezra  Rath- 
bun was  a  licensed  Methodist  Minister  and 
was  in  nuich  demand  in  those  early  days. 
He  was  the  first  Minister  and  preached 
the  first  sermon  ever  preached  in  Fort  Des 
Moines,  it  being  at  the  funeral  of  Lieut. 
Grier's  baby.  Mr.  Grier  was  one  of  the 
commanders  of  the  "Fort."  Rev.  Rathbun  had 
many  calls  from  the  sparsely  settled  parts  of 
the  territory  now  known  as  Polk  County. 
Jonathan  was  the  class  leader  in  the  Methodist 
Church.  They  were  the  first  members  of  the 
class  formed  March  4,  1855.  Miss  Elizabeth 
grew  up  in  the  village  as  did  also  Mary  1). 
Reese,  now  an  inmate  of  the  "Home  for  the 


32  A  History  ov  Early  Dks  Moinks 

Aged."  The  family  came  here  well  provided 
with  provisions,  wagons  and  teams,  and  did 
not  endure  the  same  privations  as  others. 
Others  were,  as  I  recollect  it,  B.  F.  Hoxie, 
William  Deford  and  wife,  Mrs.  Jewett  and  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  Thrift,  Grandma  Wellman, 
Mary  Davis,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Solanberger ;  and 
these  persons,  so  far  as  can  be  learned,  were 
the  founders  of  the  present  Methodist  Church. 

A.  D.  Jones,*  Raccoon  Row,  was  the 
first  surveyor  of  the  town  of  Fort  Des 
Moines,  beginning  the  work  in  the  summer  of 
1846,  a  few  months  after  the  departure  of  the 
Indians.  He  had  no  surveyor's  chain  and  used 
a  rope  instead.  The  jog  in  A\''alnut  street  be- 
ginning at  Fifth  was  said  to  have  been  made 
by  the  rope  getting  wet  and  shrinking. 
Whether  that  statement  is  true  or  not  I  can- 
not say,  but  the  jog  is  there.  Mr.  Jones,  as 
county  surveyor,  laid  out  many  of  the  streets 
in  the  village  in  1846,  and  later. 


*A.  D.  Jones  was  a  pioneer  in  Mahaska  County,  surveyed 
and  platted  the  original  town  of  Fort  Des  Moines,  laid  out 
the  towns  of  Winterset,  Peneuch  (now  Adel),  Council  Bluffs, 
and  Omaha.  He  was  one  of  the  commission  to  locate  the 
county  seat  of  Harrison  County,  surveyed  and  located  many 
of  the  early  highways  of  Iowa,  also  one  of  the  many  cros> 
state  railroads  that  were  never  built.  He  was  the  first  judge 
in  Omaha,  member  of  the  Nebraska  Territorial  Legislature 
and  speaker  of  its  House  of  Representatives. — K.  R.  H. 


R.   F.  ALLKN 

Untii,  1875,  Mr.  Ai.lkn  Was  a  Leader  in  Des  Moines 

Banking  Circles 


34  A   History  of   Early   Des   Moinf.s 

B.  F.  Allen,  Des  Moines  Row,  came  here 
a  young  man  and  began  business  in  drygoods 
near  Second  and  Market  streets  under  the 
firm  name  of  Lyon  &  Allen.  A  little  later  he 
started  a  bank  up  the  street  which  grew  to  be 
the  leading  bank  of  the  village.  As  business 
began  moving  west  he  built  a  building  on  Court 
Avenue  and  Fourth;  the  site,  after  being  en- 
larged, was  occupied  by  the  Register  and 
Leader  for  several  years.  Mr.  Allen's  resi- 
dence then  stood  on  the  southwest  corner  of 
Fourth  and  Court  Avenue. 

W.  F.  Ayres,  Raccoon  Row,  was  the 
first  County  or  City  Treasurer,  being  elected 
by  a  good  sized  majority  at  the  first  election 
held  in  April,  1846.  It  could  be  truthfully  said 
that  he  was  a  faithful  ofificer. 

Cvrus  Mosier,  Des  Moines  Row,  was 
one  of  our  earliest  shorthand  reporters 
and  was  probably  as  well  acquainted  with 
our  earliest  court  afifairs  as  any  one  in  the 
city.  He  made  it  his  business  to  be  well  in- 
formed in  all  matters  with  which  he  had  to  do 
and  if  he  could  have  been  persuaded  to  leave  a 
record  of  his  life  and  doings  in  a  legal  way, 
his  memoranda  would  have  been  invaluable  to 
historians.     He  had  a  well-stored  mind  and  a 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussi-y  35 

fine  memory  and  was  often  solicited  to  leave 
his  recollections  for  the  public ;  but  his  brain 
gave  away  toward  the  last  and  the  last  inter- 
view I  had  with  him  showed  all  too  plainly 
that  he  was  in  no  condition  to  do  such  work. 
Much  hard  work  and  close  confinement  was 
probably  the  cause  of  losing  his  health. 

John  H.  Given,  Raccoon  Row,  was  one 
of  our  early  plow  makers;  and  it  is  to  his 
credit  to  say  that  his  plows  had  a  reputa- 
tion second  to  none  in  this  part  of  Iowa.  The 
saying-  that  "his  plows  would  scour"  was  a 
watchword  among  the  farmers  of  Iowa;  and 
many  an  agriculturalist  kept  his  plows  bright  by 
constant  use  in  tJie  summer  season.  His  chil- 
dren were  noted  for  their  brightness  at  school 
and  his  oldest  daughter,  Miss  Pauline,  was  one 
of  the  first  women  newspaper  reporters  in  Des 
Moines.  Mr.  Al  Swalm  carried  her  away  with 
him  when  he  received  his  appointment  as  Con- 
sul to  Southampton,  England,  from  whence 
reports  of  a  happy  home  and  duties  faithfully 
done,  have  come. 

W.  \\'.  Moore,  "Billy."  Raccoon  Row, 
came  here  in  the  early  days  of  1848  and 
was  ])r()l)a1)ly  one  of  the  l)est  known  men 
in  the  city.     He  was  an  employee  at  first  but 


36  A   History  or   Early   Des   Moines 

soon  acquired  capital  "to  go  it  alone."  He  was 
a  jolly,  happy  man  and  had  a  faculty  of  mak- 
ing friends  with  every  one  he  met.  Business 
of  all  kinds  was  done  on  Second  Street  for  sev- 


W.   W.   MOORE 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  37 

eral  years,  until  some  of  the  bolder  merchants 
seemed  inclined  to  seek  business  locations  fur- 
ther to  the  west.  One  of  these  enterprising 
merchants  was  Mr.  Moore,  who  built  a  store 
on  A\'alnnt  Street  between  Third  and  Fourth 
and  began  business  in  a  larger  way.  Mr. 
Moore  was  an  advertiser  and  did  some  of  it  in 
rhyme,  as  some  of  the  columns  of  our  old 
papers  plainly  show.  Here  is  a  little  verse 
some  of  the  country  boys  and  girls  used  to  re- 
cite at  school : 

"vSound  the  trumpet,  beat  the  drum ; 
From  housetop  and  from  steeple ; 
"^-^  For  Billy  Moore  is  now  on  hand 

And  liound  to  please  the  people." 

These  little  quips  which  appeared  at  ten 
cents  a  line  always  brought  customers  and 
shekels.  His  old  Opera  House  still  stands,  at 
the  time  of  this  record,  1919.  '"J, 

Dr.  F.  C.  Grimmell,  Guard  House;  F.  C.^ 
Grimmell,  Guard  House;  George  Sneer,  step- 
son. Guard  House.  Guard  House  was  ar- 
ranged in  two  rooms,  one  of  which  was  used  as 
an  office  and  drug  store  and  the  other  as  the 
living  room.  In  this  room  Mr.  P.  M.  Casady, 
then  a  rising  lawyer,  plead  his  first  case  with 
Miss  Augusta  Grimmell,  won  her,   and   they 


38 


A   History  oi-    Earlv   Di:s   Moixus 


were  happy.  Later  Dr.  F.  C.  CTrininiell  built  a 
house  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Sixth 
and  High,  where  St.  Ambrose  Church 
was  afterwards  built;  and  there,  on  June 
27,  1848,  the  marriage  was  consummated 
in  the  presence  of  a  joyous  assembly  compris- 
ing a  large  portion  of  the  villagers.  Dr.  Grim- 
mell  afterward  built  a  fine  residence  on  the 
Sixth  Street  hill  on  the  spot  now  occupied  by 
the  Victoria  Hotel.    The  Grimmell  family,  one 


First  Frame  House,  Buii.t  by  Dr.  F.  C.  C.ki.mmki.l,  in 
Which  Judge  P.  M.  Casady  Was  Married 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussey 


39 


and  all,  were  in  their  day  and  generation, 
helpers  to  lay  the  foundations  of  Des  Moines 
in  good  citizenship. 

James  Sherman,  Des  Moines  Row,  was  a 
dry  goods  merchant.  He  was  a  brother  of 
Hoyt,  Lampson  and  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman,  one 
of  the  Generals  of  the  Civil  War.     His  son, 


PHINEAS  M.  CASADY 
Dks  Moines'  First  Postmaster 

Charles,  was  a  druggist  occupying  one  of  the 
best  drug  sites  in  the  city.  Another  son,  Hoyt 
Sherman,  Jr.,  married  one  of  our  popular 
young  ladies  of  the  long  ago  and  removed  to 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  Mrs.  James  Sherman 
was  a  nuich  loxcd  woman  in  those  pioneer  days 


MRS.  AGUSTA  G.  CASADY 
Widow  of   Late  Judge   Phineas   M.  Casady 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  41 

and  did  her  full  share  in  making  the  early  be- 
ginnings as  pleasant  as  possible. 

Hon.  P.  M.  Casady,  resident  of  "Raccoon 
Row,"  was  the  first  postmaster  and  letter  car- 
rier of  "Fort  Des  Moines"  and  had  his  office  in 
"Raccoon  Row."  His  office  fixtures  were  very 
simple  consisting  of  a  table,  a  chair  or  two 
and  his  tall  plug  hat.  Once  a  week  when  the 
mail  carrier  came  in  on  horse-back,  with  the 
locked  mail-bag  he  unlocked  and  gave  it  a  few 
exrta  shakes  over  his  hat  and  handed  back  the 
empty  sack.  Assorting  the  letters  one  by  one 
he  placed  them  in  his  hat  ready  for  delivery. 
The  distribution  of  the  mail  was  not  an  irk- 
some task,  as  it  gave  the  postmaster  the  oppor- 
tunity of  meeting  neighbors,  hearing  and  see- 
ing them  and  telling  the  latest  neighborhood 
news.  In  those  days  Dr.  F.  C.  Grimmell,  who 
lived  in  the  deserted  guard  house,  received 
more  letters  than  any  of  the  other  settlers  in 
the  colony;  and  besides,  he  had  a  daughter, 
Augusta,  of  just  the  right  age  to  attract  a 
young  man.  Her  eyes  were  like  stars,  her 
step  as  light  and  graceful  as  a  gazelle.  This 
young  postmaster  won  her  later,  "hands  down" 
as  you  might  say,  and  they  were  married  in  the 
Grininiell  residence  on  Sixth  and  High  streets. 


42  .         A   History  of  Early  Des  Moines 

A  man  by  the  name  of  Hayes  lived  in  Rac- 
coon Row.  He  had  a  wife,  a  son  and  a  daugh- 
ter. Mary  Hayes  was  a  stalwart  young  woman 
of  immense  strength  and  was  very  peaceable  as 
a  general  thing.  She  publicly  announced  "that 
she  would  not  take  'sass'  from  any  one — man 
or  woman ;"  and  she  became  a  noted  character 
among  the  dwellers  in  the  officers'  and  soldiers' 
cabins.  On  some  occasions  when  wood  was 
scarce  she  would  yoke  up  her  father's  oxen, 
go  into  the  nearby  forest,  cut  down  a  tree  and 
swinging  it  beneath  the  "hind  axle"  of  the 
wagon  "snake"  it  near  the  front  door  of  her 
father's  cabin,  and  cut  it  in  proper  lengths  for 
burning  in  the  open  fire  place.  As  there  were 
no  bridges  over  the  two  rivers  in  those  days 
she  acted  in  the  capacity  of  "ferryman"  and 
in  this  capacity  ferried  Judge  Joseph  Williams 
over  the  Des  Moines  river.  "Judge  Joe,"  as  he 
was  familiarly  called,  was  a  joker,  and  it  is 
believed  that  his  meeting  wath  Mary  Hayes  was 
the  first  time  he  was  ever  worsted  by  a  woman. 
When  reaching  the  middle  of  the  stream  he 
called  a  halt  and  said  "Mary" ;  and  she  very 
respectfully  answered  "Sir";  and  the  Judge 
continued:  "Suppose  I  should  just  turn  this 
boat  around,  carry  you  oft"  to  St.  Louis,  and 


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44  A   History  of   Early  Des  Moines 

marry  you."  And  Mary  made  answer:  "Yon 
carry  me  off  and  marry  me?  Why  I  wouldn't 
have  such  an  old  dried  up  cracklin'  as  you,  if 
you  were  the  last  man  on  earth  and  a  woman 
could  not  get  to  heaven  without  a  husband. 
If  you  don't  stop  your  nonsense  and  be- 
have 3^ourself  I'll  pitch  you  out  of  the  boat 
and  you  can  continue  your  journey  to  St.  Louis 
alone."  She  rowed  him  to  shore,  collected  her 
ten  cent  ferrage  and  they  parted.  The  Judge 
probably  told  the  joke  on  himself  at  one  of  his 
entertaining  ''Talks  of  Pioneering"  in  the  later 
years  of  his  life,  for  he  was  a  very  interesting 
talker  on  all  subjects. 

Mr.  "Lamp"  Sherman  who  started  a  Whig 
paper  on  Jan.  1,  1859  was  sitting  in  his  print- 
ing office  early  one  morning  when  Mary  Hayes 
called  with  "blood  in  her  eye"  and  asked  abrupt- 
ly "Where  is  your  foreman?"  Mr.  Sherman 
answered  quietly  "He  has  not  come  in  yet — 
what  do  you  want  of  him?"  "I  want  to  thrash 
the  ground  with  him !  I  am  going  to  whip  him 
till  his  hide  won't  hold  shucks.  He  insulted 
me  last  night."  Mr.  Sherman  made  a  mental 
picture  of  "pied  forms,"  upset  cases,  broken 
windows,  a  general  demoralization  of  his  ten 
by  twelve  newspaper  office  and  he  sent  a  trusty 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  45 

errand  boy  to  his  foreman's  boarding  house 
with  a  request  that  his  foreman  should  absent 
himself.  In  the  meantime  he  arranged  for  an 
armistice,  and  with  contrition  in  the  heart  of 
one  and  with  ample  apology  and  forgiveness 
on  the  part  of  the  other  the  matter  was  amica- 
bly adjusted.  Later,  in  the  early  fifties,  a  man 
going  with  a  wagon  train  to  California  married 
Mary  Hayes  and  their  honeymoon  was  spent 
somewhere  between  Des  Moines  and  Sacra- 
mento, California.  It  is  said  to  have  been  a 
case  of  "love  at  first  sight''  and  there  is  scarce- 
ly a  doubt  of  it.  She  was  an  expert  ox-driver, 
a  good  cook,  and  could  pick  him  up  and  carry 
him  on  her  shoulder  in  case  of  a  break-down, 
and  what  more  could  a  man  ask  in  those  days 
of  pioneering? 

Judge  "Joe"  Williams  was  one  of  our  early 
Supreme  Judges.  Besides  being  so  well  versed 
in  law  that  very  few  of  his  court  decisions  were 
ever  reversed  or  even  questioned,  he  was  a- 
musical  genius,  playing  on  four  or  five  musi- 
cal instruments,  a  singer,  a  mimic  and  a  ven- 
triloquist. Dr.  Alexander  Shaw,  then  doing 
business  as  a  druggist,  corner  of  Second  and 
Market,  in  honor  of  Judge  "Joe"  Williams,  a 
man  he  much  admired,  gave  an  "impromptu 


46  A   History  or   Early  Di;s  Moines 

Dutch  lunch"  as  he  was  pleased  to  call  it,  on  a 
certain  evening  in  November,  1855.  There 
were  about  twenty  guests  present  and  after  w^e 
had  partaken  of  the  sausage,  crackers,  cheese 
and  cider,  Judge  "]oq"  Williams  entertained 
the  company  with  a  half  hour  programme  of 
songs,  sketches,  imitations,  a  German  mono- 
logue, ending  by  singing  the  Star  Spangled 
Banner,  accompanying  his  voice  on  his  violin. 
This  was  a  fit  ending  to  his  entertainment  and 
gave  us  a  lasting  idea  of  his  wonderful  capabil- 
ities. On  the  following  morning  while  break- 
fasting at  the  Demoine  House,  he  sent  Mrs. 
Joseph  Warner,  one  of  the  ladies  of  the  hotel, 
scurrying  up  to  her  bed  room  to  see  what  was 
the  matter  with  her  baby  Hattie,  whose  cries 
she  imagined  she  heard,  to  be  laughed  at  by 
those  who  sat  at  the  same  table  with  this  imita- 
tor of  crying  children;  for  when  she  arrived  at 
the  bedroom  she  found  her  baby  daughter  in 
the  sweet  sleep  of  babyhood.  IMiss  Hattie 
Warner,  the  then  baby,  is  the  wife  of  Hoyt 
Sherman,  Jr.,  of  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  A 
sketch  of  Judge  Williams'  life  can  be  found  in 
E.  H.  Stiles'  Biography  of  prominent  Iowa 
men  in  the  Hj^storical  Department. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  47 

Austin  Rush  was  a  stepson  of  Barlow  Gran- 
ger and  got  his  first  knowledge  of  the  printing 
business  at  the  Iowa  Star  office,  the  first  paper 
printed  in  "Fort  Des  Moines"  in  1846.  Bar- 
low Granger  was  a  practical  printer  and  set 
type  by  the  side  of  Horace  Greeley  in  New 
York.  Later  he  took  Mr,  Greeley's  oft  repeat- 
ed advice,  "Go  West,  young  man,  Go  West". 
In  those  days  agents  for  entertainment  troupes 
carried  their  stereotype  plates  with  them  and 
.had  their  bills  printed  at  the  country  printing 
office.  One  of  these  agents  came  to  Fort  Des 
Moines  in  an  early  day  and  brought  a  stereo- 
type plate  from  which  to  print  the  bills.  ''Aus" 
Rush  took  an  impression  of  it  and  laid  it  before 
the  editor  to  have  the  "proof"  read.  The 
editor  in  charge,  Dr.  W.  H.  Farner, 
who  was  not  a  practical  printer,  read  it  over 
slowl\  while  "Rush"  stood  silently  by  as 
if  waiting  for  suggestion  or  errors.  Farner 
turned  to  the  sol)er-faced  boy  and  asked, 
"Who  set  that  up?"  "I  did,"  said  the 
solemn-faced  joker.  "Well,"  said  the  aston- 
ished and  gratified  editor,  "that's  the  best 
job  ever  set  up  in  this  office."  The  joke 
leaked  out  some  way  and  it  cost  Dr.  l^^arner 
a  peck  of  apples — and  apples  were  apples  in 


48 


A  History  of  Early   Des   Moines 


those  early  days.  Poor  Aus!  He  was  not 
lucky  enough  to  escape  a  rebel  bullet  at  Shiloh 
and  was  killed  there. 

Samuel  Kellogg",  Des  Moines  Row,  was  the 
first  Elder  of  the  Central  Presbyterian  church 
organized  June  4,  1848. 


Ckntral  Presbyterian  Church,  1853 


Rev.  Thompson  Bird  was  the  founder  of 
the  Central  Presbyterian  church  in  1848  with 
a  membership  of  five.  He  was  born  in  Cas- 
well County,  N.  C,  January  7,  1804.    He  was 


REV.   THOMPSON  BIRD 

First   President  of  Town   Council,   1851 

Pastor  of  First  Presbyterian  Congregation,  1848 


50  A  History  of  Eari,y  Des  Moinks 

educated  at  Chapel  Hill  College  of  his  nati^'e 
state,  attended  the  Theological  Seminary  at 
Andover,  Mass.,  was  married  December  18, 
1838,  to  Miss  Anna  P.  Knowlton  of  Hartford, 
Vermont.  In  1840,  not  being  in  sympathy 
with  the  institution  of  slavery,  he  removed  to 
Thorntown,  Indiana,  and  from  thence  to  Red 
Rock,  Marion  County,  Iowa.  On  January  1st, 
1848,  by  invitation  of  Hon.  P.  M.  Casady,  he 
preached  his  first  sermon  in  "Fort  Des 
Moines"  in  one  of  the  officer's  cabins  in  "Des 
Moines  Row."  A  little  later,  June  5,  1848, 
the  Central  Presbyterian  Church  was  organ- 
ized with  five  members.  On  September  2, 
1865,  he  met  with  the  session  for  the  last  time. 
He  passed  away  January  4,  1869.  Mr.  Bird 
was  the  first  Mayor  of  Des  Moines  in  1851. 
He  resided  for  a  time  in  one  of  the  deserted 
officers'  cabins  designated  as  "Des  Moines 
Row."  Mrs.  Anna  P.  Bird,  his  wife,  was  a 
scholarly  lady  and  the  best  reader  in  the  village 
at  that  early  date.  The  school  board  in  later 
years  perpetuated  the  memory  of  this  pioneer 
by  naming  the  building  at  21st  and  Woodland, 
"The  Bird   School." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  dwellers  in  the 
officers'  and  soldiers'  caliins  whose  history  or 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  51 

a  sketch  could  not  be  written  Ijecause  of  a  lack 
of  data.    Their  names  were : 

Col.  Thos.  Baker,  Raccoon  Row. 

A.  C.  Breckbill,  Raccoon  Row. 

P.  H.  Buzzard,  Raccoon  Row. 

Addison  Cane,  Des  Moines  Row. 

W.  W.  Clapp,  Des  Moines  Row. 

Benjamin  Cofifeen,  Raccoon  Row. 

Isaac  Cole,  Raccoon  Row. 

Wm.    Deford    (first   blacksmith)    Raccoon 
Row. 

Jesse  Dicks,  Raccoon  Row. 

Alonzo  F.  Dicks,  Raccoon  Row. 

Edward  F.  Dicks,  Raccoon  Row. 

Children  of  Jesse  Dicks. 

Victoria  Dicks,  Raccoon  Row. 

William  Dilley,  Raccoon  Row. 

Henry  Everly,  Des  Moines  Row. 

A.  B.  Fuller,  Raccoon  Row. 

Edwin  Hall,  Des  Moines  Row. 

Townsend  Hall,  Des  Moines  Row. 

James  Hall,  Raccoon  Row. 

James  Holcomb,  Raccoon  Row. 

Jacob  Holcomb,  Raccoon  Row. 

Richard  Holcomb,  Raccoon  Row. 

William  Holcomb,  Raccoon  Row. 

Lewis  Jones,  Raccoon  Row. 


52  A  History  of   Early  Des  Moines 

Isaac  Lawson,  Raccoon  Row. 
Doctor  McBride,  Raccoon  Row. 
William  McClelland,  Des  Moines  Row. 
Judge  William  McKay,  Des  Moines  Row. 
Addison  Michael,  Des  Moines  Row. 
John  M.  Perry,  Raccoon  Row. 
Col,  John  Rose,  Raccoon  Row. 
A.  B.  Shoemaker,  Des  Moines  Row. 
Jacob  Shoemaker,  Des  Moines  Row. 
James  Stanton,  Raccoon  Row. 
Hamilton  Thrift,  Raccoon  Row. 
C.  C.  Van,  Raccoon  Row. 
George  B.  Warden,  Raccoon  Row. 
W-illiam  Ware,  Des  Moines  Row. 
Lewis  Whitten,  Des  Moines  Row. 
L.  D.  Winchester,  father-in-law  of  A\'.  W. 
Moore,  Des  Moines  Row. 

Squatters  who  occupied  land  while  waiting 
for  the  Land  Office  to  open  so  they  might  enter 
land  at  the  government  prices  $L25  an  acre: 

John  Barlow  John  D.  McClain 

George  Beebe  John  D.  McGlothlin 

Benjamin  Bennett  Wm.  H.  McHenry 

Thos.  K.  Brooks  D.  C.    Marts 

J.  F.  Burgett  W.  H.  Meacham 

P.  H.  Buzzard  Thomas  Mitchell 


By  Tacitus  Hussey 


Elijah  Canfield 
Philo  L.  Case 
Thomas  M.  Clough 
John  S.  Dean 
F.  E.  ElHott 
Stephen  Farr 
J.  H.  Finch 
B.  F.  Frederick 
Jacob  Frederick 
B.  F.  Grimstead 
J.  J.  Harrods 
Thomas  Henderson 
Robert  Howard 
Wilham   Hughes 
J.  C.  Jordan 
James  Lafferty 
Newton  Famb 


Daniel  Mock 
Charles  Morrow. 
Franklin  Nagle 
Thomas  Napier 
Peter  Newcomer 
David  Norris 
Walter  Oyler 
Hugh  Pursley 
J.  P.  Saylor 
John  O.  A.  vSaylor 
Aleck  Scott 
L.  D.  Sims 
James  Stanton 
C.  Stutsman 
William  Van  Dorn 
Reason  Wilkins 


FIRST  COUNTY  OFFICERS 

Elected  April  6,   1846 
John  Saylor,  Probate  Judge 
Thomas  Mitchell,  Sheriff 
James  Phillips,  Coroner 
Thomas  McMullin,  Recorder 
W.  F.  Ayres,  Treasurer 
G.  B.  Clark,  Assessor 
Addison  Michael,  Collector. 


54 


A   History  ok   Kaklv   Di;s  Moines 


Benjamin  Savior,  \V.  R.  Meacham  and  E. 
Fonts,  Connty  Commissioners.  Number  of 
votes  cast  175.  Number  of  people  in  Polk 
countv  estimated  at  500. 


PETER  NEWCOMER 
One  of  the  First  Settlers 


CHAPTER  III 

ORGANIZATION  OF  A^TLLAGE 

In  1851  an  election  was  held  to  decide 
whether  or  not  the  village  should  be  incor- 
porated. There  were  forty-two  votes  cast  in 
favor  of  incorporation  and  one  against  it.  Rev. 
Thompson  Bird,  P.  M.  Casady  and  Lampson 
P.  Sherman  were  elected  to  write  a  charter. 
They  reported  on  October  11,  1851. 

On  the  18th  of  October  the  charter  was 
submitted  to  the  voters  and  was  adopted  unan- 
imously by  twenty- five  votes.  Ten  days  there- 
after the  new  council  was  elected :  Rev.  Thomp- 
son Bird,  President  (or  Mayor)  ;  councilmen, 
W.  T.  Marvin,  R.  W.  Sypher,  Jesse  Dicks, 
P.  M.  Casady,  C.  D.  Reinking,  Lampson  P. 
Sherman  and   Hoyt   Sherman. 

"WE  ARE  BUILDING  A  CITY   HERE." 

One  dark  night  in  October,  'n  eighteen  forty-five, 

The  Pioneers  were  waiting  for  the  gun 
Whicli  should  start  them  hclter  skelter  on  their  now  historic 
drive, 
For  the  Redman's  race  in  Iowa  was  run  ! 
And  when,  from  the  hlock-house  roof  came  the  longed   for 
musket-shot 
Which  echoed  up  and  down  the  river's  shore, 


56  A  HisTuKV  oi'   IvxRi.Y  Di:s  Moinks 

There  was  hurrying  of  men  each  to  claim  his  wished  for  lot 
Which  his  greedy  eyes  selected,  long  1)efore  ! 

Then,  by  starlight,  torchlight,  lantern,  or  perhaps  the  waning 
moon 
Slowly  setting  far  adown  tlie  distant  west, 
With   surveyor's  chains  and  ropes  were  m-easured  off  ahove 
the  'Coon, 
The  lands  and  lots  which  seemed  to  them  the  best ! 
The  southern  hills  looked  down,  all  approvingly  the  wdiile. 

The  mingling  rivers  murmured  their  good  cheer, 
The  October  smoke-veiled   sun  said  with  nod  and  wink  and 
smile, 
"Thus  begins  the  1  uilding  of  a  city  hers." 

Grangers,  Casadys  and  Shermans,  all  came  a-flockin'  in, 

The  Redheads,  Griffiths,  Campbells,  Aliens,  Clapps 
And  Grimmels,  with  ox-teams,  all  ready  to  begin 

With  their  families,   "household  goods  and  traps !" 
And  every  added  family  put  forth  its  strength  and  might 

Increasing  thus  the  settlement's  good  cheer. 
Joining  in  with  their  new  friends  in  a  sturdy,  plucky  fight. 

To  begin  and  build  a  real  city  here. 

Then   the   clay,   lieneath   the   hills,   said:   "Pray   do   not  leave 
me  out — 

"You  can  mold  me  into  any  form  you  will — 
"Burn  or  trample  upon  me  !     For  there  surely  is  no  doubt 

"That  for  the  stuff  with  which  to  build,  1  fill  the  bill." 
"Old   King  Coal!"  was  "cropping  out"   from  under  hills  nit 
far  away, 

Shouting,  "I  have  tons  and  tons  of  stuff  to  burn! ' 
"Since  Noah  went  out  boating,  I've  been  waiting  for  this  day ; 

"And  I'd  like  a  chance  to  give  your  wheels  a  turn  !'' 

Said  the  faithful  old  Des  Aloines,  witli  her  led  and  borders 
fair, 
"You've  no  other  liurdcn-bcarer  to  the  sea, 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  57 

"I.anncli  upon  my  ample  l;osom  all  tlie  boats  that  I  can  bear, 

"Put  your  transportation  questions  up  to  me." 
Tlie   Raccoon,   swift  and  crooked,   said: — "I   want  to   do   n>y 
share — 
"Witli  my  gravel  bed  and  bottoms,  crooks  and  kinks, 
"Go  ahead  and  build  your  city,  good  and  bi?^  and  clean  and 
fair. 
"I'm  prepared  to  set  'em  up  to  batlis  and  drinks." 

Then   two   railroads,   strolling   in.   said :     "We're  visiting  the 
West 

"For  the  first  time  and  we'd  like  to  haul  your  freight— 
"And   if  you  build  a  city  here,  we'll  do  our  level  best 

"To  make  it  the  best  and  biggest  in  the  state  !" 
Then  Old  Lightning  hit  the  town  with  his  unresisting  stroke, 

Laid  the  slow,  old,  dinky  horse-car  on  the  shelf, 
Saying:      I'll   help  build   a. city   here,   with   the   assistance  of 
Jeff  Polk. 

"For  alone  that  guy   could  do  the  job  himself." 

thk  first  WIITTF  CITILD 

"Joe"  Thrift  was  garrison  tailor.  When  the 
garrison  was  abandoned  in  1845-6  Mr.  Thrift 
foiind  himself  out  of  a  job.  It  appears  that 
in  those  early  days  the  office  of  "Garrison 
Tailor"  was  an  appointive  one  and  Mr.  Thrift 
had  received  his  appointment  at  Fort  Madison, 
Iowa,  arriving  there  in  1842.  He  was  trans- 
ferred to  "Fort  Raccoon,"  the  name  given  to 
'the  new  station  in  1843,  by  Commander  Allen 
which  was  changed  to  Fort  Des  Moines  by 
government  authorities  who  thought  the  lat- 


58  A   History  of   Early   Des  Moines 

tei"  name  a  little  more  dignified.  Joe  Thrift 
arrived  here  on  the  steamboat  "Agatha," 
Captain  Lafferty,  the  boat  which  brought  up 
a  portion  of  the  soldiers  and  supplies  from 
Fort  San  ford,  near  Ottumwa,  Iowa,  locating 
with  wife  in  "Raccoon  Row."  The  boat  with 
barges  landed  at  the  mouth  of  Raccoon,  near 
the  site  of  the  "old  covered  bridge"  built  some 
years  later.  Knowing  that  his  office  would 
cease  when  the  treaty  expired  in  1845,  he  made 
claim  to  a  tract  of  land  at  or  near  our  present 
Union  Park  and  built  a  *cabin  there;  and  it 
was  in  this  cabin  the  first  white  child  in  Polk 
County  was  born,  little  "Hannah  Jane"  Thrift, 
the  pet  of  the  women  and  girls  of  the  little 
village,  which  in  after  years  became  the  capi- 
tal of  the  richest  agricultural  state  in  the 
Union.  Through  her  marriage  she  became 
connected  with  the  "Jewett  Family"  of  which 
George  A.  Jewett,  the  "Prince  of  Lumber 
Dealers",  was  historian.  Some  time  in  the  fif- 
ties Mr.  Thrift  joined  the  great  caravan  of 
lowans  going  to  California,  overland;  and 
here,  so  far  as  Iowa  is  concerned,  his  history 
ceases. 

*\VilIiam  H.  Thrift,  fourteenth  Adjutant  General  of  Iowa, 
1905-1909,  was  a  son  of  "Joe"  Thrift  and  was  born  in  tlie 
cabin  referred  to. — E.  R.  H. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  59 

FIRST   SCHOOL    IN    DI'S    MOINrlS 

This  school  was  taught  l)y  Miss  Mary  Davis 
in  1846  in  one  of  the  soldiers'  cabins  in  Rac- 
coon Row.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  first 
names  of  the  children  could  not  be  obtained; 
but  they  are  given  as  belonging  to  the  dwellers 
in  the  cabins  abandoned  by  the  soldiers. 

Teacher,  Miss  Mary  Davis 

The  Scott  family,  2  children 

The  Warden  family,  1  child 

The  Hayes  family,  2  children 

The  Tucker  family,  2  children 

The  Morris  family,  4  children 

The  Hoxie  family,  2  children, — Rose  Hoxie, 
William  H.  Hoxie. 

It  was  understood  that  on  the  arrival  of  a 
steamboat  the  school  was  dismissed  for  the 
time  being.  When  the  District  Court  wished 
to  hold  a  session,  the  school  mistress  and 
scholars  took  a  vacation. 

First  private  school 

This  was  called  Mrs.  Thompson  Bird's 
"Female  Seminary."  It  was  a  log  house  built 
in  1851-2  and  stood  on  Second  Street  between 
Walnut  and  Locust,  the  site  later  occupied  by 


eO  A   History  oi'   ICarlv   Df.s   Moinks 

the  Dcs  Moines  Electric  Car  Company.  Mrs. 
1)11(1  was  the  principal,  teacher  and  manager 
all  in  one. 

By  some  lucky  chance  the  writer  is  enabled 
to  give  the  names  of  the  graduates  of  this 
school,  some  of  whom  are  still  residents  of 
Des  Moines  at  the  date  of  publication  of  this 
book.   They  are: 

Mrs.  Frances  Cooper  Hubbell,  Mrs.  Lida 
Hull  Potter,  Mrs.  William  Winchester  Moore, 
Misses  Kate,  Maria  and  Ella  Holland 
(daughters  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Granville  Hol- 
land), Anna  Eider,  Elizabeth  Chester  Lyon, 
Eliza  Lyon,  Lizzie  Lawson,  Mrs.  Lawson 
Sherman,  Mrs.  Minerva  Jones  Hallett,  Alwilda 
Jones,  Victoria  Dicks,  "Till"  Eider,  Pomroy 
Cooper,  Mrs.  Laura  Lyon  White,  Edward 
Jones,  George  Reinicker,  \\'illiam  Reinicker, 
L.  H.  Bush,  George  Lyon,  Arthur  Given,  Rob- 
ert Dewey,  Charles  Sherman,  Hoyt  Sherman, 
Jr.,  and  Simon  Casady.  These  last  ten  names 
mentioned  were  not,  strictly  speaking,  eligible 
to  scholarship'  in  the  Female  Academy;  but  to 
increase  her  revenue  and  to  keep  them  from 
under  their  mothers'  feet  in  the  cramped  quar- 
ters, they  were  given  places  in  the  Academy. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  61 

The  "Academy"  was  subject  to  dismissal  ])y 
mutual  consent  when  the  prolonged  whistle  of 
a  steamboat  was  heard  down  the  river,  and 
the  students  with  hastening  feet,  followed  by 
the  preceptress  with  more  dignified  steps, 
went  to  the  boat  landing — "three  days  from 
the  Mississippi,  linking  us  to  civilization." 

OTHER    ''first    things'' 

On  the  11th  of  October,  1845  midnight,  the 
signal  gun  was  fired,  which  told  to  the  world 
that  the  Redmen  had  relinquished  to  the  white 
men  of  Iowa,  their  entire  belongings.  That 
was  the  beginning  of  Fort  Des  Moines,  to  be 
the  largest  city  in  the  best  and  richest  state 
in  the  Union.  These  are  a  few  of  the 
beginnings : 

First  political  meeting,  February  14,  1846, 
was  held  to  select  candidates  for  the  several 
county  offices  in  Polk  county. 

First  election,  April  6,  1846. 

First  District  Court,  July  6,  1846;  election 
held  in  one  of  the  deserted  cabins  on  Raccoon 
Row.  This  cabin  was  also  used  for  first  school 
established  same  year  by  Miss  Mary  Davis. 

First  Sheriff"  of  Polk  county,  Thomas 
Mitchell. 


62  A   History  of   Early   Di:s   MoiNES 

First  church  organized  was  the  Methodist, 
1846. 

First  Sunday  School  organized,  1846,  with 
seven  children.  B.  T.  Hoxie  and  Ezra 
Rathbun. 

First  Sermon,  by  Ezra  Rathbun  at  funeral 
of  Lieutenant  Grier's  baby,  1845. 

First  Clerk  of  District  Court,  Perry  Cross- 
man,  1846. 

First  church  building,  erected  on  Fifth 
Street,  a  frame  building,  Methodist,  which 
stood  where  Iowa  Loan  and  Trust  (now  Polk) 
Building  stands. 

First  physician,  (Civilian)  Dr.  Thomas  K. 
Brooks,  1845. 

First  two  story  frame  building,  corner  of 
Third  and  Market  Street,  July  1847,  by  David 
Solenbarger. 

First  brick  building,  on  court  avenue,  site 
now  occupied  by  the  Randolph  Hotel,  by  L.  D. 
Winchester  in  1849.  Billy  Moore,  one  of  our 
best  known  and  loved  early  merchants,  was 
married  in  the  Winchester  residence  in  the 
long  ago.  Mr.  Moore  died  May  5,  1918,  the 
oldest  settler  in  the  city. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  63 

First  tavern  on  East  Side,  by  W.  H. 
Meacham.  It  was  a  log  structure  standing 
near  East  end  of  Grand  Avenue  bridge. 

First  tavern  on  the  west  side  was  a  log  cabin 
on  Market  Street.  It  had  been  used  as  a  black- 
smith shop  in  1843-4-5,  by  the  dragoon's 
blacksmiths,  and  was  added  to  by  ^'Martin  X 
Tucker,"  who  became  the  landlord.  He  signed 
his  name  with  an  "X"  as  he  could  not  write, 
and  has  thus  gone  down  in  early  history.  He 
afforded  much  amusement  to  our  early  settlers. 

First  public  school,  in  1849-50,  in  court  house 
on  Cherry  Street,  taught  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Nash, 
assisted  by  Leonard  Brown. 

First  Public  School  building,  finished  'in 
1855,  corner  of  9th  and  Locust  Streets.  This 
edifice  was  nearly  two  years  in  building, 
Joseph  H.  Stickney,  principal,  Miss  Assenah 
White,  assistant. 

The  first  Fourth  of  July  celebration  was 
held  in  1836,  and  was  a  very  unique  affair, 
according  to  Aaron  W.  Harlan,  one  of  the 
oldest  steamboat  captains  on  the  Des  Moines 
river.  There  were  no  women  present,  no 
speeches,  toasts  nor  refreshments  except  as 
mentioned  below.     Iowa  was  then  known  as 


(,4  A   HisToKV  oi-    Kari.v   Dks   Moines 

"Wisconsin  Territory."     There     were     about 
four  hundred  men  present  and  the  celebration 
was  held  on  a  big  flat  boat  or  ''broad  horn" 
as  such  boats  used  to  be  called.     It  was  held 
at  Croton,  on  the  Des  Moines  river.    The  com- 
pany clubbed  together  and  bought  a  barrel  of 
whiskey,  rolled  it  on  deck,  tapped  it,  supplied 
plenty  of  tin  cups,  placed  it  in  charge  of  a  man 
by  the  name  of  James  Jenkins,  to  be  dealt  out 
by  him  at  his  discretion — free  of  charge.    This 
he  did  for  a  part  of  the  day;  but  finding  the 
business  a  little  monotonous,  he  asked  the  com- 
mittee to  excuse  him,  which  they  did.     During 
the  remainder    of  the    day    every    man    who 
wished  a  drink,  drew  and  drank  at  his  own 
pleasure.     There  was  no  excitement,  no  quar- 
rels nor  fights,  and  there  was  but  one  drunken 
man;  and  only  two  or  three  who  seemed  any 
worse  for  the  liquor !    Mr.  Harlan  who  seemed 
to  have  the  matter  in  charge  wished  to  have 
this  fact  mentioned  as  something    which,  in 
these  days  of  prohibition,  would  be  impossible. 
And  so  it  goes  down  in  history.    Mr.  Harlan's 
statement  in  his  own  handwriting  is  still  pre- 
served. 

The  first  Court  House  was  built  about  1850. 
It  was  a  two-story  brick,  standing  on  Cherry 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussky  65 

Street,  south  of  the  present  Court  House.  The 
second  story  contained  four  offices,  for  audi- 
tor, clerk,  recorder  and  treasurer.  The  first 
floor  was  used  as  a  court  room,  public  hall, 
and  on  Sunday  for  religious  meetings.  The 
lot  is  now  occupied  by  the  Union  Station. 

The  first  jail  stood  a  little  to  the  east  and 
was  about  twenty  or  thirty  yards  from  the 
court  house.  Tt  was  one  of  the  safest  jails  in 
the  state.  Tt  was  built  of  logs ;  was  twenty 
feet  long  and  about  fifteen  feet  wide.  The 
jailer  lived  above  this  structure.  There  was 
no  stairway  reaching  to  the  jail,  but  when  a 
prisoner  was  brought  in  he  was  let  down  to 
his  cell  through  a  trap  door  with  a  rope  fast- 
ened around  his  body,  which,  when  untied, 
gave  him  the  freedom  of  the  entire  room}' 
cell.  His  food  was  lowered  to  him  by  the  rope 
route  in  a  bucket,  and  all  refuse  was  brought 
up  in  the  same  way;  but  probably  not  in  the 
same  bucket !  A  portion  of  two  logs  was  sawed 
out  on  the  opposite  sides,  making  an  opening 
of  three  feet,  on  which  iron  bars  were  bolted, 
giving  air  and  light.  No  glass  adorned  these 
windows.  If  a  prisoner  wished  to  view  the 
country  to  the  north  he  could  cling  to  these 
bars    and    see    the    little    pioneer    Methodist 


66  A   History  oi-    Early   Des  Moines 

Church  on  Fifth  Street,  or  if  he  wished  to  look 
to  the  south  he  could  see  the  Raccoon  river 
with  its  wealth  of  willows,  hastening  to  join 
the  Des  Moines  in  its  race  to  the  sea — the 
length  of  these  views  depending  very  largely 
on  the  strength  of  the  prisoner's  arms  and 
clinging  proclivities!  When  "Pap  Hewitt," 
assisted  by  his  wife,  assisted  a  prisoner  down 
to  his  cell  by  the  rope  route,  he  would  express 
his  belief  as  regards  the  safety  of  the  prisoner, 
"He's  there  to  stay  b'gosh!"  and  go  about  his 
other  employment  in  full  confidence  that  the 
prisoner  would  be  there  when  he  got  back  to 
attend  to  his  midday  duties! 

First  drug  store,  1846,  started  by  Dr.  F.  C. 
Grimmell,  in  the  Guard  House,  which  was  also 
his  residence. 

First  reo-ular  mail  arrived  March  3,   1846. 

First  post  office  building  was  built  by  Hoyt 
Sherman,  P.  M.,  1850  on  the  northeast  corner 
of  Second  street  and  Vine. 

First  marriage  license  was  issued  for  the 
marriage  of  Benjamin  P)ryant  and  Elvira 
Birge,  June  11,  1846. 

First  census  taken  July,  1846,  population 
127. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey 


67 


First  record  of  sale  of  town  lots,  August  14, 
1846. 

First  mortgage  on  record,  June  27,  1847. 

First  Ice  dealer,  Ed  R.  Clapp,  1846. 

First  meat  market,  *'Unc.le"  David  Norris, 
second  street,  1846. 


Des  Moines'  First  Stage  Coach,  July  1,  1849 


First  town  council  meeting  in  first  court 
house  on  Cherry  Street,  October,  1851. 

First  President  of  Town  Council,  Rev. 
Thompson  Bird,  1851. 

First  newspaper,  The  Towa  Star,  June  26, 
1849.  Barlow  Granger,  editor  and  proprietor, 
(Democrat). 


M 


i  f» 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  69 

First  Whig  paper,  The  Gazette,  January  1, 
1850,  Lampson  P.  Sherman,  Editor  and  Pro- 
prietor, discontinued  at  end  of  year. 

First  Great  Western  Stage  Coach  Com- 
pany's stage  to  enter  village,  July  1,  1849. 

First  grist  mill,  (horse  power)  W.  H. 
Meacham,  east  side,  1846. 

First  stove  store,  on  Second  Street,  Jesse  F. 
Dicks,  1849. 

First  coal  dug  for  garrison  use,  in  1843. 

First  lawyer  admitted  to  practice  law  in  the 
district  court,  William  D.  Frazier,  September, 
1846. 

Temporary  capitol  building  opened  to  the 
public,  January  3,  1858,  and  was  made  the 
occasion  of  great  rejoicing. 

First  fraternal  society  was  the  Masons, 
January  16,  1850. 

First  tailor,  J.  M.  Thrift,  first  in  employ  of 
garrison,  1843.  Afterwards  on  Second  and 
Market,  1846. 

First  plasterer,  Samuel  Gray,  1848,  plas- 
tered first  court  house  in  1850. 

First  photographer,  1856,  G.  L.  Reynolds, 
Exchange  Block,  Walnut  Street.  Second  pho- 
tographer, Joseph  Sherman,  1857,  Second 
Street. 


70 


A   HisroKY  oi'   Karuv   Dks  Moinks 


First  carpet  l^ought  in  village,  an  ingrain, 
by  Mrs.  F.  R.  West,  1849. 


R.4 


'  Ti  w  '"*■  ■  T'  'P 


Old  Exchange  Block  at  Third  and  Walnut  Streets 

First  full  blooded  Irishman,  Michael  Mc- 
Tighe,  1854,  landlord  of  the  "Shamrock 
House"  on  Second  and  Vine.  In  connection 
with  Michael  Drady,  ran  the  first  ward  to  their 
satisfaction. 

First  amusement  hall.  Dr.  M.  P.  Turner,  on 
Court  Avenue,  near  old  Register  &  Leader 
Block,  1856-7. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  71 

First  iron  foundry,  H.  N.  HemingAvay,  in 
autumn  of  1856. 

First  steam  boiler  works,  N.  S.  McDonald, 
near  east  end  of  Court  Avenue  bridge. 

First  brass  l)an(l,  C.  A.  Hosier,  leader,  1855. 
Meml)ers:  William  E.  Boyd,  E  flat  trumpet; 
Dr.  ]\  C.  Grinnnell,  E  flat  trumpet;  Alonzo  F. 
Dick,  tenor  E  flat  trumpet;  Thomas  Boyd,  bass 
ophicleide;  F.  C.  Karns,  tenor  trombone;  Cy- 
rus A.  Hosier,  E  flat  saxhorn;  Horace  Bush, 
French  horn;  John  H.  Boyd,  bass  drum; 
George  Sneer,  snare  drum. 

First  piano,  brought  to  Des  Hoines  in  1853 
by  Captain  F.  R.  West.  When  Hiss  Thusa 
West  touched  its  keys  at  the  West  residence  on 
Third  Street  on  a  summer  evening,  a  surprised 
and  delighted  company  paused  to  listen ;  for  it 
was  a  novelty  in  the  then  "Far  West." 

First  drayman,  Michael  Kennedy.  He 
drove  his  dray  overland  from  Iowa  City,  ar- 
riving here  in  1853.  It  was  the  first  two- 
wheeled  dray  ever  seen  in  the  village.  He  re- 
ceived a  w^'irm  welcome  and  a  liberal 
patronage. 

First  pow'er  printing  press  was  introduced 
by  Thomas  H.  Sypherd,  on  which  to  print  the 


72  A  History  of  Early  Des  Moines 

Iowa  Weekly  CitizQii,  1856.  When  John  Tees- 
dale,  the  new  State  Printer,  took  over  the  office, 
he  changed  the  name  to  the  Iowa  State  Regis- 
ter. The  "Guernsey"  press  was  still  used;  but 
was  too  slow  for  the  increasing  business,  and 
was  replaced  by  faster  machines. 

First  Brewery,  George  Hierb,  corner  Cen- 
ter and  Seventh  Street,  1855.  It  was  a  favor- 
ite place  to  hold  elections. 

First  buggy  built  to  order  was  built  by  O.  W. 
Munsell,  for  Captain  F.  R.  West,  and  wife, 
some  time  in  1867.  The  seat  was  fully  six  feet 
wide,  with  wheels  as  low  as  practical.  It  ought 
to  have  been  preserved  for  the  good  that  it  has 
done. 

First  daily  issue  of  the  Register,  January  12, 
1862.  Up  to  this  time  Des  Moines  readers  had 
to  depend  on  the  Burlington  "Hawkeye"  for 
"War  News." 

First  cord  of  wood  to  be  sawed  on  a  lost 
election  bet  was  sawed  at  the  east  front  of  the 
old  Savery  House  at  Fourth  Street  by  Edward 
B.  Whitcomb,  then  assistant  secretary  of  the 
Hawkeye  Insurance  Company,  some  time  in 
the  seventies.  The  Chronicler  says:  "The 
sawbuck  and  saw  were  furnished  by  Well- 
slager  &  Ledlie,  the  buckskin  gloves  by  George 


By  Tacitus  Hussey 


73 


B.  Goodwin;"  but  as  to  who  furnished  the 
bacon  rind  for  greasing  the  saw^  blade,  the 
Chronicler  is  strangely  silent.  It  was  some 
sport  for  the  boys  and  girls  of  that  date.  A 
bevy  of  school  girls  lingered  near,  wdio  had 
volunteered  to  carry  aw^ay  the  severed  sticks 


iill!'";  .iiiislf 


Willi    rifltii  ^  i  Bfl!^  (!>» 


'^^■•^ 


The  First  Savery  House.     Built  1856 

and  pile  them  out  of  the  way.  Their  names 
were  Kitty  Allen,  Nettie  West,  and  three  sis- 
ters, Kitty,  Hagie  and  Lizzie  Hooker.  At  half 
past  three  in  the  afternoon,  a  blare  of  trumpets 


74  A   History  of   Early   Dks  Moinks 

announced  that  the  bet  had  been  paid.  Then 
the  brave  sawyer  was  placed  on  a  hastily  con- 
structed platform  and  carried  about  the  streets 
to  the  music  of  the  village  band. 

First  Presbyterian  sermon,  by  Rev.  Thomp- 
son Bird,  January  1,  1848.  For  seating  the 
congregation  all  the  chairs  in  the  settlers' 
cabins  had  to  be  borrowed,  and  they  were  lent 
on  condition  that  they  were  to  be  returned  by 
dinner  time;  and  Mr.  P.  M.  Casady  saw  to  it 
that  the  promise  was  religiously  kept. 

The  first  bridge  was  of  the  pontoon  order, 
and  was  on  what  is  known  now  as  Grand  Ave- 
nue. It  was  a  single  track  bridge  and  not 
available  in  case  of  floods. 

The  first  three  men  who  held  a  "Silver  An- 
niversary" on  December  25,  1875,  were  Billy 
Moore,  Lampson  P.  Sherman  and  Dr.  W.  H. 
Ward.  The  Old  Settlers'  Association  gave 
each  one  of  these  happy  couples  a  silver  service 
set;  and  the  three  pioneer  judges,  Casady,  Wil- 
liamson and  Phillips,  made  the  presentation 
speeches. 

The  first  "home  made"  pair  of  shoes  ever 
made  in  the  village  was  made  by  Isaac  Cooper 
in  1845.  The  shoes  were  made  from  an  old 
saddle  skirt  found  in  one  of  the  deserted  cabins 


By  TAci'rys  Hussey  75 

occupied  by  the  Dragoons.  Mr.  Cooper's  old- 
est daughter  needed  a  pair  of  shoes,  and  as 
Mr.  Cooper  was  handy  with  tools,  the  pair  was 
made  and  worn  by  his  daughter,  Frances,  for 
a  year  or  two,  and  did  good  service. 

The  first  company  of  runaway  slaves  from 
Missouri  arrived  in  Des  Moines  in  1862.  They 
traveled  all  night  to  reach  the  borders  of  Iowa, 
and  then  felt  safe.  There  were  thirteen  in  all ; 
they  traveled  with  two  two-horse  teams,  "bor- 
rowed" for  the  occasion,  and  one  of  them,  Jeff 
Logan,  rode  his  master's  horse  for  "this  occa- 
sion only."  Gen.  William  Duane  Wilson, 
uncle  of  Woodrow  Wilson,  who  was  always 
on  the  lookout  to  do  good,  organized  them  into 
a  Sunday  school  at  the  Central  Presbyterian 
Church  and  with  the  aid  of  others,  taught 
them  to  read  and  laid  the  foundation  for  an 
education,  with  other  teachers  and  scholars  of 
the  school  assisting.  Previous  to  coming  to 
Jovva  the  slaves  had  never  seen  any  white  bread, 
and  could  hardly  believe  their  eyes  when  it 
was  placed  before  them. 

One  of  their  number,  Mr.  Jeff  Logan,  made 
a  career  for  himself,  and  his  "Possum  Sup- 
pers" were  well  known  to  many  senators, 
representatives  and  governors  in  Iowa. 


76  A   History  oi'   Early   Dus   Moines 

The  first  ice  plough  was  used  on  the  Des 
Moines  river  in  the  winter  of  1856.  It  at- 
tracted much  attention  when  Ed  Clapp  set  it 
to  work.  It  could  do  more  work  than  four 
cross-cut  saws  operated  by  four  men  by  hand. 

The  first  flock  of  sheep  was  brought  to  the 
village  in  1846.  They  were  pastured  on  the 
open  prairie  near  where  the  present  court 
house  stands.  The  open  space  reached  from 
Fifth  Street  to  Ninth  Street.  A  portion  of 
this  tract  w^as  used  by  the  dragoons  as  a 
parade  and  drill  ground  from  1843  to  1845, 
Jim  Campbell  had  the  sheep  in  charge. 

The  first  town  lot  was  traded  for  a  suit  of 
clothes  in  May,  1848.  Uncle  "Billy"  Moore 
had  just  arrived  to  take  a  position  in  B. 
F.  Allen's  dry  goods  store.  His  trunk  had 
been  delayed,  but  it  finally  came  one  Sun- 
day morning.  In  opening  it  he  displayed 
his  worldly  goods  in  a  reckless  manner. 
Meantime,  a  dapper  little  fellow,  named 
Sprague,  came  into  the  store. 

"Look  here,"  he  said,  "I  have  a  lot  up  town 
I  will  give  for  that  coat  and  pair  of  pants — 
provided  they  will  fit  me." 

The  clothes  proved  to  be  a  perfect  fit.  He 
drew  them  off  very  reluctantl}'  and  they  w^ent 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  77 

out  to  see  the  lot.  The  bargain  was  closed. 
The  suit  of  clothes  was  handed  over  and  the 
deed  was  made  out  the  next  day. 

Three  years  thereafter  the  trustees  of  the 
Central  Presbyterian  church  purchased  the 
same  lot  for  $600  cash,  the  negotiations  being 
made  by  B.  F.  Allen.  The  price  of  the  lot  sixty 
or  seventy  years  later  would  buy  a  well-stocked 
clothing  store,  including  a  modern  automobile ! 

The  church  was  built  in  1853;  was  burned 
on  a  November  night,  1867,  destroying  every- 
thing of  value.  The  following  Sabbath  serv- 
ices were  held  in  the  court  house,  and  the  pas- 
tor took  his  text  from  the  eleventh  verse  of  the 
sixty- fourth  chapter  of  Isaiah :  "Our  holy  and 
our  beautiful  house  is  burned  with  fire;  and  all 
our  pleasant  things  are  laid  waste." 

The  first  church  bell  ever  rung  for  a  horse 
race  was  the  Methodist  bell  on  Fifth  street. 
There  were  no  encores.  It  was  done  to  secure 
a  promised  subscription,  banteringly  ofifered  by 
Jim  Campbell,  and  accepted  by  "Alex  Bowers," 
sexton. 


78  A   History  of   Early   Des  Moines 


TO  A  PAIR  OF  OLD  BOOTS. 

Here  you  are  in  the  attic  you  homely  old  things, 

The  sight  of  you  sends  me  on  memory's  wings 

Back  to  the  youth  of  Des  Moines  and  of  me. 

Had  you  something  to   do   with  those  days?     Let  us  see. 

Well,  who  made  you,  old  Boots,  in  that  long  time  ago? 
Bert,  or  Charles  Corning,  Stacy  Johns  &  Co.? 
Kemp,   Kahler,   Utterson,  Rogers  or  Mills — 
These  names  the  whole  list  of  old  time  makers  fills. 

And   who   wore   you,   Boots,   in   that   good   old   day? 

Did  love,  liquor  or  money  direct  you  the  way 

Through   quagmire   and  mud,   through   sleet,   snow   and  slush 

Over  velvet  of  prairie,  through  stumps,  stones  and  brush? 

Were  your  red  sheep  skin  tops,  cowhide  uppers  and  soles 
Once  smooth,   soft  and  shapely,   without   rips,   wrinkles  and 

holes? 
Did  you  once  please  the  eye  of  matron  and  maid 
As  you  clattered  the  clog  or  swung  in  parade? 

Were  you  Major  Sherman's  in  1854 

Striding  along  as  a  king  'twere  you  bore? 

Or  old  Barlow  Granger's  in  1855 

Who  could  not  wear  you  out  while  he  was  alive? 

The  men  of  your  time  aimed,  and  worked  toward,  good  ends. 
Whoever   your   maker   or   wearer,   old   friends. 
They  wrought  with  ambition   for  country  and  self. 
They   who  laid   our   foundations,   laid  you  on   the  shelf. 


See  Poem — "To  a  Pair  of  Old  Des  Moines  Boots' 


CHAPTER  IV 

A  WALK  UP  SECOND  STREET  IN  1855. 

Hall's  Ridge  on  the  north,  and  Van's  Hill  on 
the  south  smiled  down  on  each  other  over  the 
almost  uninhabited  space  on  a  level  plateau. 
The  Raccoon  and  the  Des  Moines  joined  at 
the  "Point"  at  which  was  located  "Fort  Rac- 
coon," the  first  name  of  the  military  station, 
afterwards  known  as  "Fort  Des  Moines,"  by 
the  order  of  General  Winfield  Scott,  then  the 
Commander  of  the  military  forces  of  the 
United  States. 

The  dusky  sun  of  an  Autumn  day  looked 
down  upon  the  scene  while  the  two  united 
rivers  ran  their  race  peacefully  to  the 
Mississippi.  Suppose,  on  this  beautiful  after- 
noon of  November  20,  1855,  we  take  a  walk  up 
Second  Street,  the  then  Broadway  of  "Fort 
Des  Moines,"  the  future  capital  of  the  richest 
and  best  agricultural  state  in  the  Union. 

Before  we  start  on  our  hike  let  us  take  a 
drink  of  the  water  from  the  "Dragoon  Well" 
dug  by  the  garrison  in  the  spring  of  1843. 
This  well   was  located  on   Elm   Street  about 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  81 

forty  feet  from  Second  Street  and  supplied  the 
garrison  from  1843  to  the  end  of  the  treaty  in 
1845,  and  afterwards  the  pioneers,  who  oc- 
cupied the  officers'  and  soldiers'  quarters.  It 
afterwards  became  the  public  well,  until  it  fell 
into  disuse  sometime  in  1856.  Not  far  away 
from  this  well,  there  remained  the  stump  of  the 
flag  staff  from  which  "Old  Glory"  floated, 
probably  the  first  flag  to  kiss  the  breeze  in  the 
region,  between  the  early  spring  of  1843,  until 
it  w^as  hauled  down  when  the  military  station 
was  abandoned  in  1846.  The  "stump"  of  this 
flag  staff  is  mentioned  because  it  looked  as  if 
the  flag  staff"  had  been  cut  down  in  the  night, 
hurriedly,  with  a  dull  ax;  and  tradition  has  it 
that  a  man  who  owaied  a  bakery  near  by,  felled 
the  flag  staff  and  cut  it  in  suitable  lengths,  \vith 
which  to  heat  his  oven.  It  was  not  the  age  of 
"conservation"  and  the  most  valuable  historic 
relic  would  weigh  very  lightly  with  a  man  wdio 
wished  to  turn  out  a  well  browned  batch  of 
bread,  w^hich  would  bring  him  the  cash. 

Regrets  are  vain,  and  we  will  continue  our 
w^alk.  In  going  up  this,  then  Broadway,  on 
the  afternoon  mentioned,  nearly  sixty-two 
years  ago,  we  note  that  a  portion  of  the  old 
"Parade  Ground"  reached  down  to  a  portion  of 


82  A  History  of  Early  Des  Moines 

land  on  Second  and  Elm,  and  Market,  the  main 
part,  reaching  up  to  about  Eighth  Street,  where 
the  stables  and  the  corrals  for  the  disabled 
horses  were.  On  the  west,  on  Second,  was 
located  Lovejoy's  Lumber  Yard,  occupying 
half  a  square.  On  the  east  side  of  Second, 
starting  from  Elm,  there  were  two  or  three 
small  houses  before  we  come  to  W.  J.  Catling's 
Law  Offices,  a  frame  building  of  two  rooms, 
one  of  which  he  occupied,  the  other  he  rented. 
In  a  modest  little  one-story  building  in  this 
block,  directly  opposite  Lovejoy's  Lumber 
Yard,  lived  Michael  Drady,  one  of  the  heroes 
of  Company  D,  Second  Iowa,  at  the  battle  of 
Fort  Donelson,  as  brave  a  little  Irishman  as 
ever  drew  breath.  If,  at  any  time  you  should 
see  him  at  a  meeting  of  early  settlers,  get  him 
to  tell,  how,  one  night,  he  sought  and  found 
Lovejoy's  Lumber  Yard.  It  is  w^orth  ten  min- 
utes' time  of  the  busiest  man  on  earth. 

The  story  in  short  is  this :  He  got  out  with 
"the  boys"  one  night  on  our  then  "Broadway" 
on  the  upper  part ;  and  when  the  boys  separated 
to  go  home,  he  had  a  somewhat  confused  idea 
of  directions  but  he  knew  that  if  he  could  find 
Lovejoy's  Lumber  Yard,  it  would  not  be  hard 
to  find  his  home.     So  he  travelled  the  length 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  83 

and  breadth  of  the  village  inquiring  of  those 
whom  he  met  if  they  could  tell  him  where 
Lovejoy's  Lumber  Yard  was ;  somehow,  by 
instinct  perhaps,  he  found  himself  on  the 
lower  part  of  Second  Street,  and  seeing  a  light 
in  a  window  he  made  bold  to  knock  at  the  door. 
It  was  opened  by  a  woman  with  a  candle  above 
her  head,  and  he  asked  in  a  faltering  vojce: 
"Madam,  can  you  tell  me  where  I  can  find 
Lovejoy's  Lumber  Yard?"  and  the  familiar 
voice  of  his  wife  replied :  "Why  Mike,  are  you 
crazy?  Come  into  the  house  and  let  me  put 
you  to  bed." 

When  he  awoke  in  the  morning  "clothed  in 
his  right  mind"  he  saw  the  much  sought  lum- 
ber yard  just  across  the  street.  There  is  just 
a  little  more  to  it.  The  brave  stormer  of  Fort 
Donelson  should  have  told  it  in  his  own  in- 
imitable way. 

Mumma's  Hotel,  corner  of  Market  and 
Second,  comes  next.  Mr.  Mumma  gave  most 
of  his  time  to  his  real  estate  business  while  his 
wife  and  daughter  managed  the  hotel.  It  was 
afterwards  called  the  American  House  under 
the  management  of  C.  F.  Whitney.  It  was  a 
very  popular  house,  and  dozens  of  our  young 
men  found  homes  there.    Mr.  Mumma  formed 


84  A  History  oi-   Early  Des  Moines 

a  partnership  in  real  estate  under  the  firm 
name  of  McGaughey,  Mumma  &  Bare. 

When  this  sign  caught  the  eye  of  Frank 
West  on  coming  down  the  street  he  could  not 
believe  his  eyes.  He  looked  at  it  from  the 
middle  of  the  street  at  first,  and  then  con- 
cluded to  take  a  nearer  view.  Then  walking 
up  to  within  ten  or  twelve  feet  he  pronounced 
it  "A  Gawkey,  A  Mummy  and  A  Bare.  Well, 
that's  a  hell  of  a  firm."  And  his  hearers  did 
not  seem  to  disagree  with  him,  especially  those 
who.  were  under  the  influence  of  Tanglefoot. 

Now,  as  we  continue  up  the  street,  we  find  a 
log  cabin  with  a  basement  occupied  by  a  tailor 
and  his  family,  and  then  in  a  small  frame 
building  is  August  Reinig,  with  a  bakery  and 
lunch  room.  It  was  in  this  cozy  little  room  in 
1856,  that  the  first  Ben  Franklin  dinner  was 
held  by  the  printers  of  Fort  Des  Moines.  The 
members  of  the  craft  present  were:  Dr.  W. 
H.  Farner,  editor  of  the  Statesman;  Will  Por- 
ter, assistant  editor ;  Braxton  D.  Thomas,  fore- 
man; John  L.  Dailey,  Artoise  Collins,  Tac 
Hussey,  compositors ;  E.  F.  Russell,  pressman, 
and  Joe  Thrailkill,  "Devil."  Toasts  and  short 
speeches  were  made  l^y  editors  and  foreman. 
No  intoxicants  adorned  the  festal  board. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  85 

The  next  building  is  the  Post  Office,  a  pic- 
ture of  which  is  carefully  preserved  in  one  of 
Hussey's  numerous  scrap  books,  Wesley  Red- 
head, Postmaster. 

On  the  corner  of  Second  and  Vine,  Ingham 
&  Starr  had  a  clothing  store  where  after  busi- 
ness hours,  the  "Young  Bucks"  met  to  improve 
their  dancing  steps  and  perfect  themselves  in 
the  "arts  of  polite  society." 

As  this  walk  is  not  to  see  how  much  ground 
we  can  cover  in  one  afternoon,  but  for 
reminiscent  purposes,  let  us  return  to  the 
corner  of  Second  and  Market  on  the  west  side. 

On  the  corner  stood  the  drug  store  of  Alex- 
ander Shaw.  It  was  a  two  story  building  w^ith 
offices  in  the  second  story.  In  one  was  Tal- 
mage  E.  Brown,  attorney  at  law,  and  in  the 
other  J.  F.  Howes,  attorney.  Mr.  Howes 
dropped  out  of  history  in  1857.  Mr.  Brown 
lived  here  for  many  years  to  assist  in  building 
up  the  city  as  history  proves.  The  furniture 
store  of  J.  D.  Reinicker  came  next.  He  was 
one  of  our  earliest  furniture  dealers,  but  evi- 
dently found  a  more  favorable  location.  In  a 
one  story  Iniilding  was  the  dry  goods  store  of 
Allen  &  Lyon,  B.  F.  Allen  and  Jonathan  Lyon. 
Mr.  Allen  found  banking  more  profitable  than 


86  A   History  ov   ]£aklv   Des   Moini'.s 

dry  goods  and  started  one  of  the  first  banks  in 
the  city,  a  few  doors  up  the  street.  Next  to 
Lyon  &  Allen's  store  was  the  office  of  Hervey, 
White  &  Bradshaw.  This  was  a  brokerage 
firm  with  plenty  of  leisure  time  on  iis  hands. 
It  was  really  the  foundation  stone  on  which  our 
early  society  was  built.  When  the  society 
ladies  assembled  to  discuss  a  function  in  the 
near  future  and  the  list  of  available  men  was 
gone  over,  a  chorus  of  voices  would  announce 
with  assurance,  ''Well,  there's  Hervey, 
White  and  Bradshaw,"  and  the  function 
would  be  assured.  And  yet  there  were 
other  young  men  "wallflowers"  so  to  speak, 
whose  names  were  mentioned  as  an  after- 
thought, as  it  were :  H.  C.  Nutt,  Walter  Scott 
Pritchard,  Geo.  W.  Bailey,  J.  H.  Starr,  B.  F. 
Tritle,  who  came  all  the  way  from  Pennsyl- 
vania to  accept  the  office  of  Secretary  of  our 
Baptist  College  under  the  management  of 
Professor  Weiser,  and  perhaps  others,  but  the 
names  of  this  trio  have  gone  do\\'n  in  history  as 
the  foundation  layers  in  early  Des  Moines 
society. 

Chas.  Good  had  a  two  story  building  in  this 
block  where  he  dispensed  drugs  of  all  kinds 
including  whisky  which  was  generally  sold  on 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussky  87 

the  prescription  plan.  The  upper  story  was 
used  for  rehgious  meetings  and  if  a  preacher 
was  not  handy,  Mr.  Good  attended  to  it  him- 
self, as  he  could  take  a  text  and  follow  it  to  a 
logical  conclusion  quite  as  well  as  many  back- 
wood  orators  of  the  old  style.  He  w^as  very 
orthodox  in  one  thing,  he  always  "took  up  a 
collection!"  Some  son  of  Belial  in  order  to 
more  fully  express  his  feelings  at  this  incon- 
gruous state  of  affairs  pinned  this  piece  of  dog- 
gerel on  the  door  where  the  religious  meetings 
were  held : 

"There's  a  spirit  above  and  a  spirit  below ; 

A  spirit  of  love  and  a  spirit  of  woe ; 
The  spirit  above  is  the  spirit  Divine, 

The  spirit  below  is  the  spirit  of  wane." 

Burrell  Campbell  had  a  grocery  adjoining,  a 
one  story  brick  with  a  blue  front.  The  lot  on 
which  it  stood  was  paved  with  brick,  the  first 
brick  paving  in  the  village.  Just  opposite  on 
the  same  street  stood  the  swinging  sign  of 
"The  Shamrock  House"  kept  by  Mike  Mc- 
Tighe.  The  sign  was  ornamented  by  a  Sham- 
rock painted  in  a  vivid  green ;  and  it  must  have 
thrilled  the  hearts  at  the  recollections  of  the 
"Sprig  of  Shelelah  and  the  Shamrock  so 
ireen  — 


88  A  History  oi'  Early  Des  Moines 

This  was  a  rallying  place  for  the  ''Irish 
B'ys"  and  many  a  political  slate  was  made  or 
broken  at  this  little  hotel.  Allen's  first  bank 
stood  where  Green's  foundry  now  stands. 

Sheets  and  Lovejoy  had  a  two  story  frame 
dry  goods  store  above  Vine,  and  the  upper 
story  was  used  as  a  lodge  room  by  the  Masons, 
Odd  Fellows  and  Good  Templars,  a  portion  of 
the  week.  Mrs.  Susan  Sharman  had  a  school 
in  the  next  building  with  a  music  room  where 
she  gave  lessons.  Miss  Lida  Hull,  the  Lyon 
girls,  the  Harter  girls,  Emily  Taylor,  Victoria 
Dicks,  Mary  Levis,  and  other  young  ladies  of 
that  time  here  received  their  education.  This 
school  was  quite  an  attraction  to  the  young 
men  of  the  village;  and  many  a  group  of 
the  boys  and  girls  have  had  their  pictures 
taken  here  by  Joe  Sharman,  who  had  a 
picture  gallery  in  one  of  the  adjoining  rooms. 
This  block  also  contained  Harry  Stephensons' 
store,  Cyrus  P.  Luse,  hardware,  William 
B.  Baker,  drugs,  Simons,  Billstein  &  Strauss, 
Goodwin  &  Purdy,  jewelers,  William  Eng- 
land, gunsmith,  Childs,  Howell  &  Sanford, 
sign  of  the  ''Big  Anvil,"  H.  M.  Bush,  bak- 
ery, James  Crane,  dry  goods,  with  Add 
Hepburn    as    confidential    clerk    and    head 


5y  Tacitus  Hussey 


89 


salesman.  One  morning  early  in  January, 
1855,  Mr.  Hepburn  found  "Uncle  Jimmy 
Crane",  as  he  was  familiarly  called,  with 
deeply  wrinkled  brows  and  perturbed  counte- 


. — r^  ^- 


DR.  CAMPBELL'S  OLD   STORE 
First  Brick   Building  in  Des  Moines 

nance,  pouring  o\er  his  cash  book.  The  sight 
of  his  employer  thus  in  trouble  arrested  Add's 
attention  and  he  asked :  "What  is  the  matter. 
Uncle  Jimmy?  Anything  gone  wrong  last 
night  ?"  Uncle  Jimmy  raised  his  grief-stricken 
eves  and  said:    "T  have  been  robbed."    "Much 


90  A   HisToRv  ov   Early   Dks   Moines 

taken?"  asked  Add  laconically.  "Eighteen  dol- 
lars and  fifty-five  cents,"  replied  Uncle  Jimmy 
as  he  resumed  his  adding  on  the  cash  book. 
When  Uncle  Jimmy  was  in  any  kind  of  trouble 
he  always  ''took  something  for  it."  When  he 
had  gone  out  on  his  errand,  Add  picked  up  the 
cash  book  and  saw  that  the  year  1855  had  been 
placed  perilously  near  the  cash  column  head 
and  had  been  added  to  the  cash  by  mistake. 
When  he  returned  this  mistake  was  pointed  out 
and  he  was  so  overjoyed  that  he  wanted  to  hug 
everybody  in  the  store  beginning  with  Add 
Hepburn.  The  rebound  from  sorrow  to  joy 
was  so  great  that  he  had  "to  take  something 
for  it,"  also,  and  did  not  appear  at  the  store 
for  three  days.  Whenever  he  had  one  of  these 
"lapses"  as  his  wafe  charitably  termed  it,  she 
took  his  place  and  business  went  on  as  usual. 
Whenever  she  appeared,  all  merchants  knew 
the  cause  and  passed  it  up  as  an  "incident." 

Right  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  in 
1855,  could  have  been  read  the  sign  of  "Simon 
Kefifer,  Boot  &  Shoemaker."  Mr.  Kefifer,  the 
father  of  the  well  known  and  loved  "By" 
Keffer"  outlived  all  his  old  competitors, 
Jim  Kemp,  Dave  Utterson,  Charles  Kahler, 
Stacy  Johns  &  Company,  and  John  Rodgers. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  91 

Beginning  with  Vine  and  the  west  side  of 
Second,  is  Billy  Moore's  Hoosier  Store,  after- 
wards occupied  by  R.  W.  Sypher,  dry  goods, 
then  the  Dunkle  Bros.  Dry  Goods  and  Clothing. 

The  big  wooden  clock  in  the  window  of  a 
small  frame  building  told  us  that  Joseph  Rogg 
could  make  a  wooden  clock  or  repair  watches. 
Mr.  Rogg  was  the  father  of  Chas.  Rogg,  our 
famous  druggist.  W.  G.  Andrews,  watch 
maker  and  jeweler,  came  next,  but  whose  story 
we  cannot  follow  further,  for  he  disappeared 
from  history  sometime  in  1857. 

The  ''Agricultural  Bank  of  Tennessee" 
stood  along  in  this  block.  A.  J.  Stevens  was 
the  supposed  protective  man  of  this  currency. 
Many  of  our  citizens,  among  them  Simon 
Casady,  have  a  few  dollars  of  this  currency 
on  hand.  The  "run"  on  this  bank  in  1858  was 
a  fitting  close  of  the  "bank"  without  a  "re- 
deemer." However,  the  little  frame  building 
still  stands  on  Second  Street. 

Just  across  Court  Avenue  on  Second  Street 
stood  John  McWilliams'  wholesale  grocery 
store.  This  was  one  of  the  few  brick  buildings 
on  this  street.  He  was  a  xcvy  popular  grocer 
and  always  had  something  in  his  back  room 
which  was  very  attractive  to  some  of  his  cus- 


92  A   HisToRv  OK   Karlv   Di;s  Moini;s 

toiners,  most  of  whom  emerged  smiling  and 
wiping  their  mouths.  Among  the  "hangers 
on"  was  a  man  l)y  the  name  of  B.  F.  Reynolds. 
Some  of  the  "l)oys"  intimated  that  the  "B.  F." 
in  his  name  stood  for  "Big  Fist;"  and  it  was 
said  that  the  application  was  not  a  misnomer. 
It  was  told  that  he  would  "camp  down"  on  one 
of  McWliliams'  coffee  barrels,  fill  his  big  coat 
pockets  with  coffee  and  carry  it  home  in  that 
condition.  This  practice  might  have  continued 
much  longer  if  it  had  not  been  for  his  hired 
girl's  gossiping,  and  "w-ondering"  in  the  pres- 
ence of  some  gossiping  neighbors,  "Why  her 
employer  preferred  to  carry  his  coffee  home 
loose  in  his  pockets,  rather  than  to  have  it  tied 
up  at  the  grocery  in  the  regular  way."  Mr. 
McAX'illiams  "excused"  him  from  visiting  his 
store. 

Near  Walnut  Street  on  Second,  J.  Jeroleman 
built  a  one  story  "grout"  store,  which  he  oc- 
cupied for  a  time  as  a  dry  goods  store.  When 
he  w^ent  out  of  business,  the  building  stood 
vacant  for  a  while  and  then  fell  into  the  hands 
of  some  disreputable  people  and  became  a 
"dive"  of  the  vilest  kind.  In  this  house  one 
morning  was  found  the  bodv  of  a  nuu'dered 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussi'.y  93 

man  by  the  name  of  Johnson.  The  murder 
was  fastened  on  a  man  l)y  the  name  of 
Howard.  He  was  tried,  convicted  and  given 
a  life  sentence.  The  people  were  not  pleased 
and  took  the  matter  into  their  own  hands, 
gained  admission  to  the  jail  and  hung  Howard 
to  a  lamp  post  on  the  north  east  corner  of  the 
square  and  quietly  separated.  No  one  has  ever 
found  out  who  so  skillfully  knotted  the  rope 
w^hich  encircled  his  neck,  allowing  the  residue 
to  fall  to  the  ground  in  such  graceful  ringlets 
to  the  foot  of  the  lamp  post,  but  we  know  that 
when  "Judge  Lynch"  does  it,  it  is  done  with- 
out hesitation  and  deft  fingers. 

We  will  continue  our  walk  on  the  east  side 
of  the  street  where  we  find  the  wholesale 
grocery  of  E.  L.  Burnani  &  Co.,  and  a  little 
nearer  Walnut  Street,  Ayers  Drug  Store.  \\t 
are  now  so  near  the  old  Demoine  house,  that  I 
cannot  forbear  telling  of  a  tragedy  which  took 
place  there  on  the  night  of  the  Fourth  of  July, 
1855.  It  was  not  known  generally,  and  it  did 
not  find  a  place  in  the  column  of  our  weekly 
paper.  I  was  told  the  story  by  the  attending 
physician  more  than  a  third  of  a  century  ago. 


CHAPTER  V 

TRAGEDY  OF  THE  DEMOINE  HOUSE. 

The  Demoine  House  was  finished  in  1855 
near  the  Fourth  of  July,  with  the  exception  of 
the  plastering  of  the  dining  room.  The  lath- 
ing was  done  and  there  were  some  broken 
places  in  it  where  between  that  and  the 
weather  boarding  the  young  men  could  hide  a 
bottle  of  whisky  if  they  chose.  A  Fourth  of 
July  dance  had  been  advertised  to  take  place 
in  the  evening  and  young  men  from  the  near  by 
settlements  were  expected.  Two  young  men 
from  Guthrie  County  came  down  in  a  buggy 
to  attend  the  dance,  and  to  add  to  the  fe^ivi- 
ties  they  had  bought  a  quart  of  whisky.  It 
was  partaken  of  lightly  at  intervals  during  the 
day,  and  as  a  place  of  concealment  during  the 
evening,  it  had  been  put  between  the  lath  and 
weather  boarding,  a  short  time  before  the 
dance  began.  One  of  the  young  men  ex- 
pressed a  wish  to  his  companion  to  take  a  drink 
before  the  festivities  began.  The  hiding  place 
was  pointed  out.  Then,  taking  out  the  supposed 
bottle   in    the   dimness   of   the   room   he   took 


96  A  HisTouv  01-"   Early   Des  Moines 

wliat  in  those  days  was  called  a  "gentlemanly 
swig."  A  few  minutes  later  he  sought  his 
friend  and  said,  "My  stomach  burns  like  fire!" 
"Then,"  said  his  friend,  "let's  go  around  to 
Ayer's  Drug  Store  and  get  a  glass  of  soda." 
The  soda  was  swallowed,  but  it  did  not  ease  the 
pain;  but  it  was  rather  increased.  Dr.  H.  L. 
Whitman,  not  far  away,  was  called  and  asked, 
"What  have  you  been  drinking?"  And  he  was 
told  "Whisky,  followed  by  a  glass  of  soda." 
"Your  symptoms  indicate  that  you  have  drunk 
'corrosive  sublimate,'  "  said  the  Doctor,  and 
set  about  giving  the  usual  antidotes.  A  search 
was  made,  a  bottle  of  corrosive  sublimate  was 
found  in  the  same  place  where  the  whisky  had 
been  hidden ;  placed  there  by  one  of  the  cham- 
bermaids, after  her  battle  with  bed  bugs.  The 
young  man  was  removed  to  another  part  of  the 
house,  and  the  doctor  was  surrounded  by  a 
sorrowful  group  with  fervent  inquiries  of  "Oh, 
Doctor,  cannot  his  life  be  saved?"  And  the 
Doctor  replied,  "If  I  had  been  called  within 
fifteen  minutes  after  the  drink  was  taken,  I 
could  have  removed  the  poison  by  a  stomach 
pump  and  then  could  have  cleansed  the 
stomach;  but  now,  according  to  your  own  ac- 
count it  has  been  nearlv  fortv  minutes  since 


By  Tacitus  Hussky  97 

the  drink  was  taken  and  ])y  this  time  the  poison 
has  eaten  off  the  coating  of  his  stomach  and  is 
eating  its  way  to  the  vitals.  The  only  thing  I 
can  do  is  to  relieve  his  agony  with  opiates  but 
can  give  no  hope  of  saving  his  life!" 

Tradition  has  it  that  within  the  sound  of 
dancing  feet  and  the  squeaking  notes  of  the 
fiddle  of  Henn  Bunn,  the  village  fiddler,  he 
passed  to  the  Great  Beyond. 

AN    INCIDENT   OF    THE    SPRING   OE    1855. 

Father  Plathe  was  the  first  Catholic  priest, 
in  1854,  having  been  sent  here  by  Bishop  Mat- 
thias of  Dubuque.  Father  Plathe  was  a  Ger- 
man, and  began  his  work  with  energy.  Two 
small  frame  buildings  were  erected  on  Sixth 
and  Locust  for  school  purposes.  Many  of  the 
old  settlers  will  recall  the  incident  here  record- 
ed, in  the  early  spring  of  1855.  Some  families 
of  Irish  descent,  recently  arrived,  lived  in  the 
lower  part  of  the  city.  Being  very  hungry  for 
some  greens,  they  gathered  some  plants  they 
supposed  were  harmless,  and  lioiled  them  to 
give  relish  to  a  few  slices  of  bacon.  The  first 
effect  was  about  the  same  as  swallowing  some 
bad  whisk}',  and  they  did  all  sorts  of  hilari- 
ous things.     Supposing  they  were  all  drunk, 


By  Tacitus  Hussky  99 

and  fearing  a  riot,  some  of  the  neigh- 
bors sent  for  Father  Plathe,  and  Dr.  Whitman, 
the  oldest  physician,  was  sent  for,  and  also  Dr. 
McGorrisk,  if  he  was  in  the  village.  These 
three  doctors,  after  a  little  inquiry,  discovered 
that  the  singular  actions  were  caused  by  eating 
"JiiTison"  they  had  cooked  as  greens,  and  gave 
them  copious  doses  of  emetic,  followed  by  large 
draughts  of  warm  water.  Their  lives  were 
saved,  but  they  did  not  get  over  the  effects  for 
a  day  or  two. 

Father  Plathe  resigned  not  long  after,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Father  John  F.  Brazil,  who 
was  ever  ready  to  do  a  good  turn  for  Des 
Moines.  It  was  due  to  his  influence  that  Des 
Moines,  in  1 870,  won  her  capital — a  single  vote 
by  influence  over  a  voter  who  was  inclined  to 
"flunk"  but  was  brought  up  to  the  sticking 
point. 


3030G2B 


CHAPTER  VI 

FISHING  AND  HUNTING. 

The  Des  Moines  river  was  alive  with  fish 
from  its  early  days  until  about  1890.  The 
Indian  dwellers  lived  very  largely  on  fish  and 
game,  which  could  be  had  for  the  taking.  Rac- 
coon, Beaver,  Walnut  and  Four  Mile  Creeks 
were  famous  fishing  places  and  hundreds  of 
pounds  of  the  finest  fish  in  the  west  were  taken 
from  these  streams  at  all  proper  seasons  of 
the  year.  The  biggest  pike  captured,  and  which 
weighed  thirty  pounds,  history  accords  to 
Frank  Posegate  an  attache  of  the  "Star"  print- 
ing office.  It  was  sold  to  Uncle  Charley  Good 
for  forty  cents.  The  next  largest  was  a  pick- 
erel captured  by  B.  F.  Allen,  and,  while  a  little 
longer  than  Posegate's  pike,  it  did  not  pull 
down  the  scales  to  within  a  pound  of  the  cham- 
pion pike.  Among  the  names  of  the  fisher- 
men mentioned  in  the  catalogue  were  Mary 
Hayes,  the  Campbell  brothers,  Tom  McMullen, 
Billy  Moore,  Col.  Thomas  Baker,  H.  M.  Home, 
Jack  Shoemaker  and  others  living  then  in  Des 
Moines  and  Raccoon  Rows. 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussey  101 

Then  there  were  hunters  who  made  occa- 
sional trips  to  the  wilds  of  Polk  County  during 
the  hunting  season,  bringing  home  wild  game 
of  all  kinds.  When  a  surplus  of  game  was 
killed,  it  was  sold  at  low  prices  to  settlers  and 
the  money  spent  in  fresh  supplies  and  ammu- 
nition; for  it  must  be  remembered  that  with 
our  primitive  dealers,  in  case  of  bad  roads  or 
low  rivers,  even  powder,  lead  and  percussion 
caps  grew  scarce. 

A  hunter  of  Des  Moines  on  a  spring  hunt 
at  Twin  Takes  found  the  nest  of  a  wild  goose 
with  nine  or  ten  eggs  in  it.  He  brought  them 
home  to  Des  Moines  and  placing  the  eggs  un- 
der a  trusted  hen,  the  entire  brood  was  hatched. 
During  the  summer  of  1855-6  the  goslings 
grew  into  genuine  wild  geese  and  delighted 
our  boys  and  girls  with  a  view  of  a  flock  of 
wild  geese  at  close  range.  One  November  day 
or  night  they  suddenly  disappeared  and  it  was 
a  mystery  to  all  except  to  well-informed  orni- 
thologists. One  dark  night  a  flock  of  wild 
geese  were  moving  from  north  to  south  as  is 
their  migratory  custom  and  their  loud  honk- 
ings  .'tttracted  our  half-tamed  wild  geese — and 
instinct  did  the  rest.  They  arose  in  a  body,  at 
the  signal  of  their  leader,  to  join  their  wild 


llL'  A   History  oi'   Hakia'   Di;s   Moinks 

companions   and   with   a    few   goodby   honks 
were  on  their  way  to  the  Southland. 

HOW  JULES  PARMALEE  CAUGHT  THE  BIG 
PICKEREL. 

After  the  AMUiams  dam,  at  the  foot  of 
Center  Street,  was  completed  by  the  late 
L.  J.  Wells,  the  Des  Moines  River  below^  the 
dam  in  the  spring,  and  above  in  the  autumn 
months,  afforded  famous  fishing  places.  A 
novice,  if  he  knew  how  to  bait  a  hook  with  a 
wriggling  worm,  or  a  fat  chub  from  Four  Mile 
or  Walnut  Creek,  had  no  trouble  in  catching 
"a  good  string"  of  the  finest  black  bass,  wall- 
eyed pike,  pickerel,  goggle  eyes,  or  the  slow- 
moving  cat-fish  ever  placed  in  a  frying  pan. 

It  was  not  an  unusual  thing  for  an  expert  to 
invite  a  company  to  a  "fish  breakfast"  and  set- 
ting his  alarm  clock  for  the  hour  of  half  past 
four,  hie  away  to  the  river,  catch  a  dozen  game 
fish  of  various  kinds,  get  home  at  six  o'clock, 
clean  them  and  have  as  many  as  were  needed, 
ready  for  the  frying  pan  in  an  hour  after  they 
were  taken  from  the  water.  On  some  oc- 
casions, the  east  and  west  shores  below  the 
dam,  would  be  pretty  well  lined  with  anglers, 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  103 

who  as  a  general  thing,  were  well  rewarded 
for  their  early  rising. 

At  that  date  (1860),  there  stood  on  the  fu- 
ture site  of  the  Edison  Electric  Light  Plant, 
two  trees  near  the  edge  of  the  river.  One  of 
these  w^as  a  pretty  good  sized  box  alder,  the 
other,  the  fragment  of  a  large  sycamore  which 
had  for  years  stood  the  shocks  of  flooding  ice 
and  driftwood,  but  had  been  broken  off  by 
the  wind.  There  were  a  number  of  struggling 
branches  still  clinging  to  it  which  budded  and 
put  forth  leaves  just  as  if  nothing  unusual  had 
happened.  The  robins  and  orioles  used  to  con- 
gregate in  these  two  trees,  seemingly  for  the 
purpose  of  encouraging  these  fishermen,  or 
cheering  them  on  account  of  their  early  rising. 
The  space  between  these  two  trees  was  well 
marked  with  a  rocky  shore,  extending  quite  a 
distance  along  the  river,  and  where  the  bass 
congregated  in  great  numbers.  If  a  fisherman 
could  not  "get  a  bite"  at  one  of  these  points,  he 
would  feel  very  much  like  winding  up  his  line 
and  going  home.  The  writer  has  known,  on 
a  favorable  morning,  one  hundred  and  fifty 
bass,  pickeral  and  wall-eyed  pike  to  be  taken 
from  this  rocky  point  in  two  hours  by  four 
expert  fishermen. 


104  A   History  of  Early   Dus  MoiiNi:s 

One  bright  May  morning  in  1861,  there 
were  a  few  sportsmen  congregated  here, 
among  them  were  Tom  McMuUen,  Jim  Bur- 
bridge,  Charley  Weaver,  Geo.  O'Kell,  the 
writer  and  a  few  amateurs.  Some  very  good 
catches  had  been  made;  but  nothing  larger 
than  a  three-pound  bass  had  been  taken.  A 
little  later  in  the  morning,  there  appeared  a 
small,  well-dressed  young  man,  with  the  usual 
insignia  of  a  fisherman,  a  rod  in  a  case  and  a 
pair  of  high  rubber  boots. 

He  very  leisurely  took  his  jointed  rod  from 
the  case,  adjusted  its  several  parts  to  his  satis- 
faction, placed  the  reel  on  the  handle,  carefully 
securing  it.  Then  he  unwound  one  of  the 
smallest  lines  we  had  ever  seen,  trained  it 
through  the  loopholes  and  out  at  the  tip.  Then 
he  attached  a  sinker  of  suitable  weight  and  last 
of  all,  what  we  afterward  learned  was  a  "Buell 
Spinning  Bait."  This  caused  considerable 
curiosity  as  it  was  something  new ;  for  w^e  sup- 
posed that  minnows  were  the  only  kind  of 
"taking  bait." 

The  stranger  very  leisurely  stepped  to  the 
water's  edge,  ten  or  fifteen  feet  above  the 
nearest  fisherman,  and  whirling  the  line  sev- 
eral  times   around   his   head,    sent   it   with   a 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  105 

"swish"  as  the  reel  unwound,  far  out  into  the 
river.  The  Hne  was  reeled  in  very  slowly,  not 
allowing  the  artificial  bait  to  touch  the  bottom. 
This  was  repeated  several  times  and  finally 
there  was  a  "strike,"  and  the  slender  rod  bent 
quickly  in  response.  The  line  was  gradually 
shortened  and  a  two  pound  bass  was  landed. 
Three  more  bass  were  taken  in  the  same  way; 
and  the  group  of  fishermen  began  to  be  inter- 
ested. Stepping  a  little  farther  out  into  the 
river,  a  longer  cast  was  made  into  the  swift 
current ;  and  it  seemed  to  the  watchers  that  the 
shining  lure  had  scarcely  touched  the  water, 
before  the  slender  rod  almost  bent  double.  The 
line  began  to  tighten  and  pass  through  the 
water  w4th  that  peculiar  hiss  so  musical  to  a 
fisherman's  ears. 

The  young  man  was  all  alert  now.  His 
thumb  was  placed  on  the  reel  in  order  that  the 
line  should  not  be  paid  out  too  rapidly.  The 
springy  rod  was  held  well  up  as  the  reel  was 
wormd  ^'ery  cautiously,  so  that  when  the 
hooked  fish  made  a  sudden  dart  for  deeper 
water,  the  line  could  be  paid  out  stingily,  but 
at  the  same  time  kept  safely  taut.  The  young 
man  showed  no  sign  of  excitement,  yet  the 
spectators  could  see  that  he  was  giving  all  his 


106  A  History  of  Early  Des  Moines 

attention  to  the  business  in  hand,  watching 
every  movement  of  the  hooked  fish  with  the 
deepest  interest. 

Three  times  did  the  pickerel  display  his  size 
as  he  leaped  into  the  air,  shaking  his  gills  and 
snapping  his  angry  jaws  in  his  effort  to  rid 
himself  of  the  unwelcome  hook.  One  of  these 
leaps  was  nearly  three  feet  in  the  air  in  which 
he  almost  doubled  himself  up  in  his  effort  to 
strike  the  line  with  his  tail.  Now  he  would 
come  in  toward  the  shore  with  such  speed  as  to 
cause  the  rapid  reeling  of  the  line  in  order  to 
keep  it  taut.  Then,  with  a  motion  as  c^uick  as 
thought,  he  would  change  his  tactics  and  make 
a  run  for  the  deeper  water,  making  the  line 
whiz  as  it  was  given  out  grudgingly;  and  the 
slow  reeling  in  would  begin  again  with  many 
side  rushes  and  circles. 

Each  one  of  these  movements  brought  him 
nearer  the  shore  and  each  struggle  seemed 
weaker  than  the  last.  The  fight  was  nearly 
over!  Finally,  with  the  cunning  maneuver 
well  known  to  all  expert  fishermen,  he  was 
brought  near  the  shore,  the  line  shortened,  still 
with  the  thumb  on  the  reel,  in  case  there  was 
enough  strength  in  him  for  another  rush,  he 
was  "played"  up  and  down  the  stream  near  the 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  107 

shore  until  he  was  "drowned,"  to  use  a  fisher- 
man's parlance  and  ceased  to  struggle  vigor- 
ously. Then,  with  one  hand  on  the  reel,  the 
rod  still  bending  under  the  weight  of  the  par- 
tially submerged  fish,  the  angler  waded  into 
the  shallow  water  and  placing  one  hand  under 
his  well  earned  prize,  threw  him  on  the  shore, 
struggling  and  gasping,  while  the  captor  wiped 
the  perspiration  from  his  animated  face! 

When  the  "strike"  was  made  and  the  group 
of  fishermen  saw  that  the  struggle  was  to  be  a 
prolonged  one,  they  courteously  took  their  lines 
from  the  water  in  order  that  there  might  be 
no  entanglements.  They  did  not  ofl^er  assist- 
ance nor  suggestions,  as  it  was  evident  from 
the  beginning  that  the  stranger  was  equal  to 
the  occasion.  The  fish  was  "guessed"  at  fif- 
teen pounds  but  the  actual  weight  was  twelve 
and  a  half  pounds. 

When  the  admiring  company  gathered 
around  the  big  catch  to  offer  congratulations, 
one  of  the  boldest  of  them  asked,  "To  whom 
are  we  indebted  for  this  object  lesson  in  the 
skillful  handling  of  the  big  pickerel?"  "My 
name  is  Jules  Parmalee,"  he  answered  mod- 
estly. "My  brother  and  I  have  recently 
opened  a  jewelry  store  in  the  Savery  House 


1C8  A   HisTuKv  ui"   Kaklv   Di;s   Moines 

Block,  corner  of  Fourth  and  Walnut  Streets. 
I  thank  you  for  your  courtesy  to  a  stranger." 
And  "stringing  his  fish,"  he  departed  as  quiet- 
ly as  he  came.  And  it  was  thus  the  fishermen 
of  Des  Moines  added  another  name  to  the 
"Anglers  Club"  which  met  at  the  river  banks 
during  the  many  fishing  seasons  which  fol- 
lowed, few  of  whom  are  no\v  left  to  "wet  a  line 
or  tell  a  fish  storv!" 


CHAPTER  VII 

STEAMBOATS  ON  THE  DES  MOINES 
RIVER  FROM  1837  TO  1862. 

To  the  dwellers  in  the  al)andoned  cabins  in 
1866  and  later  there  was  a  sound  which  came 
from  far  down  the  river  which  was  very 
sweet  to  their  ears — the  whistle  of  an  incom- 
ing steamboat.  There  was  little  for  a  steam- 
boat to  carry  up  in  the  way  of  freight — and 
much  less  to  carry  down — and  steamboats  in 
those  days  did  not  frolic  around  on  rivers  for 
the  fun  of  the  thing.  So,  when  a  steamboat 
whistle  was  heard  at  or  a1)out  "Rattlesnake 
Bend"  all  business  at  the  "Fort"  was  suspend- 
ed and  a  sudden  desire  would  be  evinced  to  be 
at  the  landing  without  any  further  invitation ; 
and  if  there  were  any  of  the  inhabitants  miss- 
ing it  was  because  of  absence  from  the  village 
or  sickness.  The  women  would  bring  out 
their  knitting  and  the  men  would  fill  their  pipes 
or  take  a  fresh  chew  of  tobacco  and  chat  as 
they  waited.  If  the  boat  did  not  make  her 
appearance  in  the  time  usually  allotted  to  her, 
some  man  who  had  experienced  the  difficulty 


110  A  History  or   Early  Des  Moinps 

of  voyaging  through  this  stream  of  water, 
would  exclaim,  "I'll  bet  she's  had  to  warp 
through"  and  this  was  not  an  unusual  process 
as  has  been  experienced  by  many  a  voyager  in 
those  early  days  of  steamboat  navigation. 
This  bend  was  a  tortuous  stretch  of  the  river 
with  thickly  wooded  shores  and  in  some  places 
very  narrow,  high  banks.  Sometimes  a  swift 
current  would  catch  a  pilot  unaware  and  allow 
the  boat  to  drift  against  the  bank  where  she 
would  be  held  as  in  a  vise  and  no  amount  of 
pushing  with  setting  poles  by  the  deck  hands, 
the  adjurations,  profanity  and  abuse  of  the 
surly  mate  could  move  her  from  her  position. 
It  was  then  she  had  to  be  "warped  ofif,"  and 
for  the  benefit  of  the  rising  generation  the  pro- 
cess is  explained. 

One  end  of  the  cable  was  given  a  turn  or 
two  around  the  capstan.  The  remainder  of 
the  cable  was  carried  forward  by.  the  crew 
in  a  boat  and  firmly  fastened  to  a  tree  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  steamboat.  Then 
the  hand  spikes  were  placed  in  the  stops  of  the 
capstan  and  the  winding  process  by  four 
strong  men  would  begin.  The  first  round  or 
two  caused  them  to  exert  all  their  powers  and 
soon  the  tightening  cable  came  to  the  surface 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  111 

of  the  water  with  a  ''swish"  and  the  bow  of  the 
boat  would  leave  her  imprisoned  position.  Then 
the  current  would  take  her  toward  the  middle 
of  the  stream,  giving  room  for  the  stern  wheel 
and  pilot  to  get  in  their  work.  It  was  then 
that  the  men  at  the  capstan  swiftly  followed 
each  other  in  the  winding  up  of  the  slackened 
cable  to  prevent  it  from  drifting  under  the  boat 
and  becoming  entangled  in  the  wheels.  This 
"warping"  process  might  have  to  be  repeated 
two  or  three  times  in  passing  this  stretch  of  the 
river,  depending  on  the  direction  and  force  of 
the  wind,  the  experience  of  the  pilot  and  other 
unforeseen  circumstances.  But  when  the  wait- 
ers at  the  ''Fort"  heard  the  exhaust  pipes 
giving  out  their  notes  at  regular  intervals  the> 
knew  that  the  coming  boat  was  on  her  way 
with  no  further  interferences.  And  this  was 
made  doubly  sure  when  she  sent  up  a  pro- 
longed note  from  her  whistle  which  was  heard 
from  the  point  where  our  "pork  houses"  used 
to  stand;  and  which  was  given  back  by  the 
echoing  hills  by  which  our  military  station  was 
surrounded.  And  it  was  thus  when  the  boat 
landed  and  hospitably  shoved  out  her  gang 
plank  our  pioneers  were  once  more  permitted 
to  shake   hands   with  civilization,   three  days 


112  A  History  of   Early  Des   Mgixes 

from  the  Mississippi  river.  Is  it  any  wonder 
that  her  decks  were  soon  crowded,  that  hidden 
bottles  were  produced  and  hilarious  greetings 
exchanged  ? 

namKs  of  steamboats  and  their  stories. 

The  Caleb  Cope — Captain  Joseph  Price. 
This  boat  arrived  on  July  5,  1851,  bringing  up 
a  cargo  of  provisions  to  an  almost  famished 
lot  of  people  as  it  was  said — and  the  facts  can 
be  verified  that  flour  was  so  scarce  that  corn 
meal  had  to  be  substituted  for  flour  in  making 
cake  for  the  Fourth  of  July  celebration  in  the 
present  Court  House  square  under  improvised 
bowers  of  cotton-wood  cut  1)}'  the  boys  at 
Horseshoe  Lake.  The  captain  of  the  boat 
gave  a  complimentary  excursion  up  the  Des 
Moines  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  Beaver,  where 
they  danced  the  afternoon  away  and  returned 
to  a  supper  of  wheat  flour  biscuits  in  the  eve- 
ning. 

The  Clara  Hine — Captain  Gault.  This  boat 
was  one  of  the  most  active  little  crafts  on  the 
river  and  has  carried  thousands  of  tons  of 
freight  in  the  davs  of  her  activity. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  113 

TIIK  STORY  OF  W.   C.   MORRIS. 

W.  C.  ]\Iorris,  of  Cedar  Township,  Van 
Buren  County,  Iowa,  belong-ed  to  the  crew  of 
the  Agatha.  He  relates  the  story  of  the  trip, 
as  follows: 

"[  was  eighteen  years  old  in  the  autumn  of 
1842,  when  I  left  my  home  in  Cedar  Township, 
Van  Buren  County,  Iowa  Territory,  to  obtain 
employment  of  some  kind.  I  went  to  the 
Plymouth  Mill,  one-half  mile  above  the  town 
of  Farmington.  There  I  found  work  until  the 
winter  set  in,  on  the  ninth  day  of  November, 
with  a  ten  inch  snow  which  never  went  off 
until  the  15th  of  April,  1843.  On  that  day  the 
ice  in  the  river  broke  up.  I  was  at  work  at 
that  time  for  Mr.  Jacob  Doofman,  in  Farming- 
ton.  A  few  days  after  the  ice  went  out,  a 
steamboat  by  the  name  of  The  Agatha,  came 
up  to  Farmington  and  tied  up  just  below 
Death's  Mill.  The  captain  of  the  boat,  J.  M. 
Lafferty,  w^as  afraid  of  the  condition  of  the 
dam  at  Plymouth  Mill.  There  was  a  beginning 
of  a  lock  for  the  benefit  of  boats ;  but  it  was  not 
in  a  condition  for  them  to  pass  through.  He 
made  the  attempt,  however,  and  got  about  half 
way  through  and  had  to  stop.    As  she  dropped 


114  A  History  of  Early   Di:s  Moines 

back  she  raked  oft"  about  twelve  feet  of  her 
guard  against  the  corner  of  the  mill  Then 
she  went  back  down  the  river  and  was  gone  a 
few  days  returning  with  two  large  keel-boats, 
which  were  to  be  used  in  case  the  steamboat 
could  not  reach  Raccoon  Forks  with  her  load 
of  supplies  for  the  garrison  there.  This  time 
she  hired  fourteen  men  to  push  these  keel-boats 
up  to  the  Forks,  provided  the  steamboat  could 
not  get  there.  I  give  the  names  of  the  men 
who  were  engaged  to  take  up  the  keel-boats, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  Agatha,  which  divid- 
ed her  load  with  them : 

"Captain,  Charlie  Milard,  Croton ; "  pilot, 
Levit  Milard,  Croton ;  clerk,  Mr.  Ward,  Farm- 
ington;  Charles  Davis,  poleman,  Farmington; 
Moses  Davis,  poleman,  Farmington;  George 
Ten  Eych,  poleman,  Farmington;  John  Elis, 
poleman,  Vicinity;  Jim  Willits,  poleman.  Vicin- 
ity; Tom  Burns,  poleman.  Vicinity;  Ed  Slaugh- 
ter, poleman,  Vicinity;  Eli  Selgrove,  poleman, 
Vicinity;  Eli  Glimpse,  poleman.  Vicinity;  Sam 
Snow,  poelman,  Vicinity;  W.  C.  Morris,  pole- 
man,  Cedar  Township,  all  of  Iowa  Territory. 

"I  was  the  youngest  of  the  fourteen.  They 
had  poles  made  about  twelve  feet  long  with  a 
knob  on  one  end  to  place  against  the  shoulder ; 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  115 

and  on  the  other  end  had  an  iron  spike  to  give 
a  firm  hold  on  the  bottom  of  the  river.  It 
was  a  slow  process  as  we  had  to  stop  occasion- 
ally to  cut  wood  for  the  steamboat  for  steam 
purposes. 

"Polling  a  barge,  heavily  loaded,  is  toilsome 
work.  Three  or  four  men  on  each  side  of  the 
barge,  march  to  the  bow,  let  the  end  of  the 
setting  pole  touch  the  bottom,  put  the  knobbed 
end  against  the  shoulder  in  a  firm  manner  and 
walk,  to  the  other  end  of  the  boat.  Then  the 
next  man  mounts  the  gunwale  and  joins  the 
procession,  then  the  third;  and  in  this  order 
the  pole  men  proceed  all  day  long;  and  the 
boat  goes  up  the  stream  at  a  slow,  but  steady 
pace  day  after  day  with  an  occasional  interrup- 
tion, until  the  end  of  the  journey  is  reached. 
A  halt  is  made  at  Keosauqua  to  allow  the 
steamboat,  Agatha,  to  take  on  some  passengers 
who  were  going  to  *Eddy's  Trading  Posi. 
There  is  a  bend  in  the  river  at  this  place  which 
is  about  fourteen  miles  around,  which,  in  a 
straight  line  would  have  been  about  four  miles. 

"Our  next  stop  was  Fort  Sanford,  where 
Captain  Allen  and  a  few  soldiers  took  passage 
on  the  Agatha.     At  the  bend  of  the  river  our 

*Latcr  Eddyville. 


116  A   History  of  Early   Des  Moixks 

keel  boat  stuck  fast  on  the  ledge  of  rocks 
known  as  the  Appanoose  Rapids.  We  worked 
to  release  her  until  dark.  In  the  morning  we 
succeeded  in  shoving  the  boat  off.  Before  we 
left  that  vicinity  the  surveyors  had  commenced 
staking  off  the  town  of  Ottumwa,  and  that  city 
was  born  on  the  2d  day  of  May,  1843. 

"The  next  stop  was  made  at  Eddy's  Trading 
Post ;  and  here  Doctor  Obers  and  Squire  Stan- 
ley took  charge  of  their  families  and  goods. 
From  this  point  we  had  no  stops  unless  it  was 
to  chop  wood  for  .  the  steamboat  or  take  on 
board  the  Agatha  some  of  the  big  Indian  chiefs 
such  as  Keokuk,  Appanoose  and  their  squaws. 
They  were  on  board  two  or  three  days. 

''About  seven  miles  below  the  Forks  we 
found  the  last  island  just  before  we  reached 
the  Forks ;  and  just  as  we  reached  the  head  of 
it  the  steamboat  went  fast  on  a  rock.  Then  we 
keel-boat  fellows  had  to  poll  the  keel-boat 
seven  miles  against  a  stiff"  current  up  a  very 
crooked  channel,  which  we  afterwards  learned 
was  called  "Rattle-snake  Bend."  We  landed 
at  the  point  of  land  where  the  Raccoon  river 
empties  into  the  Des  Moines.  It  was  then 
about  sunset ;  but  we  began  unloading  at  once. 
It  was  2  o'clock  in  the  morning  when  we  start- 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussey  117 

ed  to  bring"  up  the  steamboat.  It  was  one  of 
the  windiest  nights  I  ever  saw,  and  the  river 
being  crooked,  sometimes  we  were  going 
straight  down,  and  then,  sometimes,  cross- 
wise! When  we  were  within  two  hundred 
yards  of  the  steamboat,  the  wand  blew  our 
keel-boat  against  the  shore  and  onto  some  rocks 
where  she  stuck  fast.  We  had  to  get  out  into 
the  water  and  lift  her  oft'  w4th  levers;  and 
finally  managed  to  get  her  along  side  of  the 
steamboat.  The  freight  was  then  divided, 
which  lightened  the  xA.gatha,  and  we  started 
for  the  Forks,  which  we  reached  by  the  middle 
of  the  afternoon.  On  attempting  to  make  a 
landing  the  steamboat  grounded  on  the  sand, 
and  it  was  dark  before  we  got  to  work  unload- 
ing. We  worked  all  night,  and  about  sunrise 
we  had  our  last  article  ashore.  The  temporary 
barracks  were  about  four  hundred  yards  from 
where  we  unloaded ;  but  we  did  not  have  time 
to  go  out  and  see  the  soldiers.  As  soon  as  the 
unloading  was  done,  we  shoved  across  the  river 
and  cut  a  lot  of  wood,  as  there  w^as  none  suit- 
able on  the  point  where  we  landed.  Then,  with 
a  good  head  of  steam,  we  started  down  the 
river  at  a  lively  pace.  All  we  keel-boat  fellows 
had  to  do  was  to  wash  out  the  boats;  and  it  did 


118  A  History  of   Early  Des  Moines   , 

not  take  us  long  to  give  them  a  thorough  cleans- 
ing, and  then  we  took  things  easy. 

"We  landed  at  Farmington  about  two  weeks 
after  leaving  there  on  the  up  trip.  I  do  not  re- 
member the  exact  date;  but  I  know  that  they 
paid  us  for  fourteen  days'  work  at  seventy-five 
cents  a  day.  I  have  a  vivid  memory  of  Clerk 
Miller  clipping  off  the  bright,  new  bills  from  a 
sheet  of  bank  notes  of  the  State  Bank  of  Mis- 
souri, with  a  sharp  pair  of  scissors,  to  pay  us. 
Two  dollars  was  the  most  money  I  had  ever 
had  at  one  time  before ;  and  when  I  stepped  off 
the  boat  with  ten  dollars  and  fifty  cents  in  my 
pocket,  I  was  the  proudest  18-year-old  lad  that 
ever  set  foot  in  the  streets  of  Farmington! 

"The  Agatha  was  the  first  steamboat  I  had 
ever  seen  and  Captain  J.  M.  Lafferty  the  first 
steamboat  captain.  We  had  the  trip  to  Rac- 
coon Forks  and  back  vx^th  a  steamboat  crew, 
fourteen  of  us  "country  pick-ups,"  and  never 
had  a  fight — nor  e^- en  a  quarrel !  There  was 
plenty  of  whiskey  on  board  the  boat;  but  we 
had  only  one  drunk!  W.' C.  Morris.*" 

*The  manuscript  in  the  handwriting  of  Mr.  Morris,  who 
was  one  of  the  polemen,  is  carefully  preserved  among  other 
historical  documents  in  Mr.  Hussey's  collection  in  the  His- 
torical Building. —E.  R.  H. 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussey  119 

The  Kentucky — Captain  J.  C.  Ainsworth. 
This  boat  was  a  favorite  among  the  shippers  of 
Fort  Des  Moines. 

John  B.  Gordon — Captain  W.  H.  Farris. 
The  Globe — Captain  C.  F.  McCune. 
The  Luella — Captain  Charles  Mason. 

Colonel  Morgan — Peter  Myers,  captain.  This 
boat  was  owned  by  Des  Moines  men  as  a  stock 
company,  named  "Fort  Des  Moines  Steamboat 
Company,"  capital  stock  $20,000,  divided  into 
shares  of  $100.00  each.  It  was  a  proud  day 
when  the  Colonel  Morgan  came  steaming  in 
with  the  gallant  captain  standing  at  the  bow 
waving  his  hand  to  the  assembled  crowd  on 
the  shore.  The  incorporation  was  to  begin  in 
1861.  There  is  no  record  when  its  books  were 
closed. 

The  "De  Moine  Belle"— Captain  Tisdale, 
with  Joseph  Farris,  pilot.  This  boat  was  built 
in  Des  Moines  in  the  winter  of  1858.  She 
made  one  trip  to  Fort  Dodge  in  1859;  was  sunk 
near  Ottumwa  in  1860;  was  raised  by  Grant 
W.  Hill  and  re-named  "The  Little  Morgan," 
and  was  thereafter  commanded  by  him. 

The  Charley  Rodgers — Captain  F.  E.  Beers. 
This  boat  made  a  few  trips  to  Fort  Dodge.' 


120  A   History  oi'    Isakly   Di;s   Moinks 

The  Flora  Temple — Captain  W.  Farris.  This 
boat  was  a  "side  wheeler"  and  was  the  largest 
boat  ever  coming-  to  Des  Moines.  Hundreds 
of  people  visited  her  during-  her  two  trips  here 
in  1850. 

The  "De  Moine  City" — Captain  Robert  Far- 
ris. Was  built  at  Pittsburgh  for  the  Des 
Moines  River  trade. 

The  "Badger  State" — Captain  D.  C.  Sheb- 
ble ;  J.  P.  Dixon,  clerk. 

The  "Alice"— Captain  W.  H.  Farris.  A 
very  popular  boat. 

The  "Defiance" — Captain's  name  not  re- 
membered. Owned  by  men  at  Red  Rock, 
Iowa. 

"Julia  Dean" — Captain  Lyon.  A  large 
sidewheeler. 

"Jenny  Lind" — Captain  J.  C.  Ainsworth. 

"Ed  Manning" — Captain  Davis,  Ottumwa. 
Named  for  Hon.  Ed.  Manning  of  Keosaucjua. 

"The  Skipper" — Captain  Russell.  This 
boat  caused  lots  of  sport  to  river  men ;  carried 
home  a  part  of  the  General  Asseml)ly  of 
1858-9.  The  roads  were  so  bad  that  the 
stages  could  not  run  at  the  time  of  adjourn- 
ment of  the  General  Assemblv. 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussey  121 

"The  Michigcin"— Captain  J.  ^^^  Johnson. 
The  smallest  freight  and  passenger  boat  ever 
coming  to  Des  Moines. 

"The  Nevada"— Captain  W.  H.  Karris. 
This  boat  was  a  "sidewheeler." 

"Little  Morgan" — expressly  for  Des  Moines 
trade.     Captain  Grant  Hill. 

The  "Laviathan"  (a  keel  boat)  built  at  Ot- 
tumwa.  Captain  T.  C.  Coffin.  Loaded  with 
corn,  wheat,  pork  and  other  Iowa  produce  for 
St.  Louis  and  New  Orleans  in  1853. 

The  "Sangamon" — Captain  unknown. 

"Revenue  Cutter,"  Colonel  McQuiggan, 
owner.     Captain  W.  H.  Harris. 

The  "George  H.  Wilson,"— Captain  not  re- 
membered. Said  to  have  been  the  most  power- 
ful boat  on  the  river. 

"Time  and  Tide" ;  Captain  Morrison. 

"S.  B.  Science"— Captain  S.  B.  Clarke. 
This  was  the  first  steamboat  mentioned  in  the 
history  of  steamboating  on  the  Des  Moines 
river  and  was  brought  up  by  Aaron  W.  Harlan 
in  1837  loaded  with  goods  for  Keosauqua  and 
going  up  as  far  as  lowavillc. 

The  "De  Moine  N'alley" — Captain  unknown. 

Alexander  Rodgers — Captain  Wilson. 

The  Providence — Captain  unknown. 


122  A   IIisToKY  oi-   Early  Dr.s  Moinf.s 

The  Movestar — Captain  unknown. 

The  Maid  of  Iowa — Captain  W'ilHani 
Phelps.  This  is  the  only  boat  which  in  1851 
made  a  short  trip  up  Soap  Creek  and  had  to 
back  out. 

The  Light — Captain  Richard  Cave. 

The  Lighter — Captain  unknown. 

Jennie  Dean — Captain  not  remembered. 
She  was  a  big  St.  Louis  packet  and  in  1851 
made  a  trip  as  far  as  Croton  and  fearing  she 
would  be  caught  by  a  falling  river,  sought  the 
widest  place  for  turning  and  hastened  back  to 
the  Mississippi. 

The  Pandodging — Captain  Sweezzey;  a 
home  made  boat  built  somewhere  on  the  river 
between  Keosaucjua  and  St.  Francesville. 
The  captain,  craft  and  crew  afforded  consider- 
able sport  to  steamboat  men  and  dwellers  near 
the  river  during  the  year  of  1853.  She  had 
no  rudder  but  was  steered  by  an  oar  and 
"yawed"  from  one  side  of  the  river  to  the 
other  in  a  most  eccentric  way.  The  boatmen 
called  her  "The  Yawer." 

The  New  Georq-etown — Cantain  unknown. 

Jesse  Cave  built  a  steamboat  at  Bonaparte, 
Iowa,  about  1840,  which  was  taken  to  St.  Louis 
to  be  finished  up  there  and  made  her  trial  trip 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  123 

to  Bonaparte  in  1841.     Xanie  of  boat  not  re- 
membered. 

STKAMBOAT  TRAFFIC  AFFECTED  BY  WAR. 

In  March,  1862,  Adjutant  General  Baker 
made  arrangements  with  the  entire  line  of 
steamboats  running  to  Des  Moines  from  Ot- 
tumwa,  Iowa,  for  carrying  to  their  homes  all 
the  wounded,  disabled  or  discharged  soldiers. 
The  orders  were  very  sweeping  and  included 
all  the  boats  on  the  Des  Moines  city  line.  Half 
fare  was  arranged  for  soldiers,  presenting 
their  credentials  from  commanding  officers. 
The  boats  making  regular  trips  were  the  De 
Moine  Belle,  De  ?^Ioine  City,  Little  Morgan, 
Nevada,  Alice  and  Clara  Hine. 

HIGH  WATFR. 

On  April  5,  1862,  The  Little  Morgan  arrived 
with  a  hcav}'  cargo  .of  goods.  Seven  of  the 
merchants  lived  on  the  west  side  of  the  river 
and  one,  Isaac  Brandt,  had  his  store  on  the 
east  side  in  the  Griffith  Block,  Locust  Street, 
near  the  Northwestern  depot.  The  west  side 
goods  were  (leli\ered  all  right ;  but  the  delivery 
of  the  east  side  consignment  was  a  puzzler ;  for 
there  was  no  "land  in  sight;"  however,  the 


124 


A   History  of  Early   Dks   Moines 


saucy  Little  Morgan  was  e(|ual  to  it.  She 
cruised  down  the  river  a  mile  or  so,  and  strik- 
ing the  right  place  in  the  river  hottom,  nosed 
her  way  up  to  the  store  which  stood  on  the 


Wi 

yfe  t    ^^F^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^l 

>»V.    f         '-K.--          -^^^^m.--  ^    -                             ^     T 

^^■^^^^      <    ^^^B^^^^^^^W^B^^^^^W| 

Two  Canoe  Idlers  at  Flood  Tide  of  1903 

"second  ledge,"  or  bank,  threw  out  her  gang 
plank  and  unloaded  the  goods  as  if  it  were  an 
every  day  occurrence,  backed  out  gracefully, 
found  the  regular  channel  and  was  soon  on 
her  way  to  the  Mississippi.  A  large  crowd 
collected  to  see  a  steamboat  so  far  inland,  and 
many  were  the  handshakes  and  congratula- 
tions extended  the  adventurous  voyager  as 
well  as  congratulations  to  the  merchant  on  the 
safe  arrival  of  his  cargo.  A  memorial  slab 
should  have  been  placed  on  this  spot  for  it  was 
the  most  notable  event  that  had  taken  place  in 
our  city. 

Wishing  to  confirm  the  story  of  the  Little 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussey  125 

Morgan's  great  feat  Mr.  Isaac  Brandt  was  ap- 
pealed to  and  sent  in  the  following  note: 

''Friend  Hussey: 

I  remember  quite  well  the  incident  you  r^ier 
to  as  I  was  the  merchant  who  received  the 
goods;  molasses,  tobacco,  sugar,  glass  and 
queensware.  It  occurred  during  the  first 
week  in  April,  1862,  which  was  a  fearful  week 
for  wetness.  The  newspapers  mentioned  it  as 
'raining  day  and  night.'  The  legislature  ad- 
journed on  the  8th  of  April ;  and  all  who  could, 
went  home  by  boat.  Senator  J.  B.  Young's 
wife,  who  was  sick  at  Dr.  Alexander  Shaw's 
house,  (then  opposite  the  temporary  capitol). 
was  taken  down  to  my  store,  and  there  put  in  a 
skifif  and  rowed  over  to  one  of  the  steamboats 
belonging  to  the  "Des  Moines  River  Line," 
from  thence  she  wcrit  down  the  river  to  Keo- 
kuk, and  thence  up  the  Mississippi  to  Lyons ; 
and  from  there  to  their  home  in  Marion,  Linn 
County.  I  measured  the  water  a  day  or  two 
after  from  a  boat  near  the  landing,  where  now 
stands  the  N.  \\\  station,  and  found  it  twelve 
feet  deep !  There  was  quite  a  channel  of  deep 
water  running  along  the  second  ledge,  making 
its  way  to  the  main  channel  of  the  Des  Moines 
River." — Isaac  Brandt 


View  of  "Lake  Tag  Hussey"  from  State  Capitol 

The  flooded  region  of  Main  and  Bluff  Streets,  1903,  and 
so  named  in  friendly  humor  in  token  of  Mr.  Hussey's  interest 
in  the  matter. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE    NINTH    GENERAL    ASSEMBLY 
AND  THE  DE  MOINE  BELLE 

The  legislature  adjourned  April  8,  1862,  as 
stated  by  Mr.  Brandt,  and  as  the  bottoms  had 
fallen  out  of  the  roads,  and  the  stage  line  was 
very  uncertain,  all  the  members  of-  the  House, 
Senators  and  attaches,  who  could  by  any  possi- 
bility reach  home,  or  go  in  the  direction  of  it, 
took  passage  on  the  De  Moine  Belle,  running 
between  Des  Moines  and  Ottumwa.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  list  as  it  appears  on  my  memo- 
randa, and  is  probably  correct: 

SENATORS  NINTH  GENKRAL  ASSEMBLY. 

George  W.  McCrary,  Lee; 

Abner  M.  McCrary,  Van  Buren ; 

James  Pollard,  Davis; 

Nathan  Udell,  Appanoose; 

E.  T.  Esteb,  Wayne,  Decatur; 

J.  C.  Hagans,  Ringgold,  Taylor,  Page, 
Union,  Adams  and  Montgomery; 

Harvey  W.  English,  Fremont,  Mills  and 
Pottawattamie ; 


128  ■        A   HisiuKV  oi-    Kai<i,v   Di;s   Muinks 

John  G.  Foote,  Des  Moines ; 

Theron  W.  Woodson,  Henry ; 

J.  Monroe  Shaffer,  Jefferson; 

k.  C.  Angle,  Linn; 

Geo.  A\\  Trumliell,  Jno.  D.  Jennings, 
Dnbuque. 

George  W.  Gray,  Allamakee; 

J.  W.  Dixon,  Wapello; 

Warren  S.  Dungan,  Monroe  and  Lucas; 

James  S.  Murley,  Louisa ; 

Wm.  G.  Woodward,  Muscatine; 

W.  E.  Lewis,  \\'ashington ; 

M.  N.  Williams,  ALahaska; 

Jarius  R.  Xeal,   Marion; 

Benjamin  F.  Gue  and  Joseph  E.  Leake, 
Scott ; 

Norman  Boardman,  Clinton; 

James  M.  Kent,  Cedar; 

Jesse  Bowen,  Johnson ; 

W.  H.  Holmes,  Jones; 

D.  Hammer,  Clayton; 

D.  C.  Hastings,  Delaware; 

Lucian  L.  Ainsworth,  Fayette  and  Bremer; 

George  F.  Green,  Jackson; 


By  Tacitus  Hussev  129 

irOUSIi   OF    REPRESENTATIVES,    NINTH    GENERAL 
ASSEMBLY. 

Charles  \\' .  Lowrie,  T.  C.  Stevenson,  Martin 
Thompson,  Godfrey  Eichorn,  Lee, 

Harvey  Dunlavy,  David  Ferguson,   Davis; 

OHver  P.  Rowles,  Monroe; 

Thaddeus  M.  Stanton,  Jno.  W.  Quinn, 
Washington; 

Geo.  C.  Shipnian,  Michael  Price,  Muscatine ; 

Henry  M.  Martin,  Iowa ; 

Geo.  W.  Parker,  Jno.  S.  Maxwell,  Clinton ; 

Otis  Whittemore,  Jno.  Russell,  Jones; 

James  McQuinn,  Benton ; 

Thos.  Hardie,  Wm.  McLennan,  F.  M. 
Knoll,  Christian  Denlinger,  Dubuque; 

Racine  D.  Kellogg,  Decatur; 

W.  C.  Woodworth,  Jno.  P.  West,  Henry ; 

John  Wasson,  Louis  Hollingsw^orth,  Keo- 
kuk; 

W.  B.  Lakin,  Levi  Fuller,  Fayette; 

Joseph  Burton,  Allamakee; 

Geo.  Schram,  Joshua  Glanville,  Van  Buren ; 

Geo.  Stewart,  Edw.  J.  Gault,  Appanoose; 

Jno.  Cleves,  Louisa ; 

Hiram  D.  Gibson,  W.  E.  Wetherell,  ALarion;. 

Rush  Clark,  Samuel  H.  Fairall,  Johnson; 


130  A  History  of  Early  Des  Moines 

James  T.  Lane,  Jos.  R.  Porter,  Jos.  H. 
White,  Scott; 

M.  C.  Loomis,  James  Rothrock,  Cedar; 

Joseph  B.  Young,  Isaac  Milburn,  Linn; 

Leander  Clark,  Tama; 

Hartley  Bracewell,  Wayne; 

J.  Wilson  Williams,  Franklin  Wilcox,  Cal- 
vin J.  Jackson,  Des  Moines ; 

Joseph  H.  Klint,Thos.  McGlothlin,  Wapello ; 

Salue  G.  Van  Anda,  (gave  his  religion  as 
"Barbarian")  Delaware; 

J.  F.  Wilson,  Chickasaw; 

W.  H.  Baker,  Ole  Nelson,"  Winneshiek ; 

A  newspaper  reporter  adds  this  little  inci- 
dent to  the  legislative  steamboat  trip  and 
which  took  place  at  Ottumwa:  "A  big,  fat 
legislator  who  gave  his  religious  affiliations  as 
a  'barbarian,'  and  there  were  about  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  pounds  of  him,  tried  to 
walk  over  a  ditch  on  a  slab  turned  round  side 
up,  fell  into  the  ditch,  bag  and  baggage,  and 
had  to  be  fished  out.  His  name  was  given  as 
S.  Van  Anda,  representing  Delaware  County. 

''Senator  George  F.  Green  of  Jackson  County 
was  also  a  victim  of  the  deceitful  slab  and  had 
to  be  helped  out.  The  'ducking'  was  taken  in 
good  part,  and  neither  was  the  worse  for  it; 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  131 

but  it  caused  a  hearty  laugh  to  all  who  wit- 
nessed it.  Such  an  accident  could  not  possibly 
happen  again  as  navigation  on  the  Des 
Moines  river  closed  on  that  year  of  1864;  and 
all  the  steamboats  found  a  big  job  in  the  south 
of  transporting  troops  and  supplies." 

HOW  MR.  AND  MRS.  IRA  COOK  TOOK  AN  EXCUR- 
SION ON  thh:  dks  moinKs  river. 

Mr.  Ira  Cook  was  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Cook,  Sergeant  and  Cook,  bankers  from  1854, 
and  several  years  later  at  310  Walnut  Street, 
Des  Moines. 

Mr.  Cook  told  this  story  of  high  water  in 
1858: 

"In  August,  1858,  my  wife  was  in  Daven- 
port on  a  visit;  and  I  found  it  simply  impossi- 
ble to  get  her  home  by  stage  coach  on  account 
of  the  famous  'Skunk  Bottom';  and  so,  in  that 
memorable  year  when  we  had  'water,  water 
everywhere'  I  decided  to  bring  her  home  by 
water.  The  steamboat,  Clara  Hine,  was  mak- 
ing regular  trips  from  Bentonsport  to  the 
'Forks'.  I  boarded  the  Clara  Hine,  intending 
to  go  to  Keokuk,  having  written  Mrs.  Cook  to 
come  down  on  the  packet  from  Davenport  and 
meet  me  there.     Just  before  we  reached  Ot- 


132  A  History  of  Early  Di:s  Moines 

ttiniwa,  Captain  Patton  suggested  that  if  I 
crossed  over  to  Burlington  in  the  stage,  and 
telegraphed  Mrs.  Cook  to  start  at  once,  we 
could  get  down  there  in  time  to  come  back  with 
him  on  his  own  boat,  the  Clara  Hine.  I 
thought  this  a  good  scheme  and  acted  accord- 
ingly. I  arrived  in  Burlington,  telegraphed 
my  wife  and  received  answer  that  she  would 
be  down  on  that  day.  The  boat  arrived  that 
afternoon  and  I  went  on  board  and  found  my 
wife  and  her  sister.  We  reached  Montrose 
some  time  in  the  night.  We  arose  very  early 
next  morning  to  take  the  train  for  Keokuk. 
Almost  the  first  man  I  met  that  morning  was 
Captain  Patton,  who  lived  at  Montrose.  He 
said  he  should  stay  at  Keokuk  until  the  after- 
noon train  for  Bentonsport  where  his  boat  was, 
and  advised  us  to  do  the  same.  We  went  up 
to  Bentonsport  by  train  and  found  out  that  the 
boat  had  been  sent  off  an  hour  before  in  charge 
of  the  mate!  Here  was  a  dilemma.  However, 
Captain  Patton  said  we  could  hire  an  extra 
coach  and  overtake  the  boat  at  Keosauqua. 
This  we  did,  and  eight  or  ten  of  us  piled  in  and 
started.  But  alas !  the  mud  was  deep  and  our 
progress  very  slow.  When  we  reached  Keo- 
sauqua, the  "boat  was  out  of  sight."     It  was 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  133 

then  nightfall.  After  supper  six  of  us  hired 
two  carriages  and  made  another  start,  Captain 
Patton  assuring  us  that  we  could  overtake  the 
boat  at  Ottumwa.  Our  drivers  made  fair 
headway  and  we  thought  our  prospects  good. 
At  eleven  o'clock  that  night  and  w^hen  t\\'o 
miles  from  Lil)ertyville,  on  the  stage  road  from 
Ottumwa,  there  came  up  a  tremendous  thun- 
der storm  and  we  turned  into  a  farm  house, 
where  we  stayed  until  morning.  Then  w^e 
went  over  to  Libertyville  the  following  day  and 
stayed  until  11  o'clock  that  night  when  two 
Western  Stage  Company's  mud  wagons  came 
along,  which  we  boarded  for  home.  I  shall 
never  forget  that  stage  ride !  The  streams 
were  all  out  of  their  banks  and  many  times  w^e 
w^ere  compelled  to  put  the  baggage  on  top  of 
the  coach  while  the  passengers  climbed  on  top 
of  the  seats  to  keep  out  of  the  water.  As  an 
instance  of  our  progress,  we  were  five  hours 
going  from  Eddyville  to  Oskaloosa,  a  distance 
of  ten  miles.  I  also  remember  that  we  had 
dinner,  supper  and  breakfast  at  every  station 
between  Ottumwa  and  Des  Moines !  And  this 
will  have  to  pass  as  our  only  steamboat  excur- 
sion on  the  River  Des  Moines." 


CHAPTER  IX 

SOCIAL  LIFE  OK  EARLY  DES  MOINES. 
thf:  notable  house  warming. 

Nearly  a  quarter  of  'a  century  after  the 
Redman  had  taken  an  unwilHng  departure 
from  the  territory  of  Iowa,  the  mansion 
known  as  ''Terrace  Hill,"  now  occupied  by 
F.  M.  Hubbell,  was  built  by  B.  F.  Allen  at  a 
cost  of  nearly  $250,000.00.  While  the  holi- 
day joys  of  1868  were  in  progress,  or  earlier, 
there  were  rumors  that  on  the  fifteenth,  an 
anniversary  of  the  marriage  of  B.  F.  Allen  and 
Miss  Arethusa  West,  January  29,  1854,  the 
"Crystal  Wedding"  would  be  icelebrated  at 
this  new  and  beautiful  home,  then  completed. 
This  information  was  confided  to  a  few 
friends;  but  the  news  was  so  good  and  was 
such  a  fruitful  topic  of  conversation  that  it 
was  not  long  before  the  entire  village  of  7,000 
souls  was  well  informed  of  -the  coming  event, 
the  date  of  which  was  fixed  for  January  29, 
1869;  and  the  female  portion  of  the  popula- 
tion were  soon  busy  in  overhauling  their  ward- 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  135 

robes  so  as  to  be  prepared  in  case  they  should 
be  struck  with  the  hghtning-  of  an  invitation. 

There  were  some  very  close  to  the  "inner 
circle"  who  could  predict  with  some  degree  of 
accuracy  the  numbers  of  dozens  of  eggs,  gal- 
lons of  cream,  macaroons,  flowers,  cakes,  tur- 
keys, hams  and  other  substantials  it  would 
take  to  entertain  the  thousand  guests  who 
were  to  be  invited.  The  estimates  and 
preparations  were  too  great  for  the  mathe- 
matical genius  and  ability  of  Des  Moines  and 
was  turned  over,  in  the  main  part,  to  the  ex- 
perienced caterer,  John  Wright  of  the  Opera 
House  of  Chicago,  and  to  him  was  given  the 
entire  supervision  of  the  most  remarkable  en- 
tertainment ever  given  in  the  northwest  at  that 
early  date. 

The  weather  was  stormy  and  forbidding 
but  no  invited  guest  stayed  away  on  that  ac- 
count. The  beauty  of  the  house,  the  many 
decorated  rooms,  the  general  warmth  and  the 
cordial  welcome  made  such  a  pleasant  con- 
trast to  the  inclement  weather,  that  no  one 
even  thought  of  it.  At  the  top  of  the  broad 
staircase  was  formed  of  evergreens  the  dates 
"1854-1869"  which  told  the  story,  mutely,  of 
the  couple  who  had  walked  together  in  sun- 


136  A   History  of  Early  Df.s  Moines 

shine  and  shade  for  fifteen  years.  There  were 
flowers  everywhere;  and  a  midwinter  had 
been  turned  to  the  month  of  June  by  a  miracle 
of  blossoming. 

The  tables  and  decorations  were  the  finest 
ever  seen  in  the  west.  Let  a  favored  guest  of 
thirty-seven  years  ago  describe  them  as  they 
came  from  the  hands  of  a  skillful  caterer.  In 
the  midst  was  a  bouquet  of  rarest  flowers, 
costing  $700.00;  boned  turkey  at  each  end 
smothered  in  port  colored  jelly;  three  baskets 
of  natural  fruit;  two  charlotte  russe  baskets; 
two  pyramids  trimmed  with  vintage  grapes 
and  oranges ;  two  fruit  cakes  weighing  twenty- 
five  pounds  each ;  a  basket  of  ice  cream 
trimmed  with  iced  fruits;  one  statuette  of 
.Washington  in  lemon  ice;  one  lion  in  vanilla 
ice  cream;  one  basket  in  ^^hich  there  was  a 
mammoth  strawberry  iced.  Then  there  were 
the  substantial,  the  foreign  nuts,  fruits, 
oysters,  comfits,  confections,  lemonade,  tea, 
cofifee,  chocolate  served  in  china  and  silver- 
ware. 

The  spacious  dining  room  was  thrown  open 
at  ten  o'clock  and  from  that  hour  until  all  were 
served,  the  happy  guests  ate,  drank  and  were 
merry.    During  the  evening  Mr.  Will  H.  Leh- 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  137 

man  and  Professor  Apel  rendered  some  musi- 
cal selections  on  the  Grand  Square  Pickering 
piano,  flooding  the  rooms  with  melody.  Miss 
Kitty  Allen,  Miss  Mata  Newton  and  Major 
A.  G.  Studor  favored  the  company  with  solos 
and  Mr.  Thomas  Hatton  and  Joseph  P.  Shar- 
man  sang  a  charming  duet.  Although  it  was 
a  "crystal  anniversary"  and  it  had  been 
previously  announced  that  "no  present  would 
be  accepted,"  it  did  not  prevent  some  persons, 
unknown,  from  bringing  some  beautifully 
colored  glass  ware  as  a  loving  remembrance  of 
the  happy  occasion.  One  rare  piece  bore  the 
wish  "Dieu  vous  garde",  a  sentiment  which 
found  quick  response  in  the  hearts  of  all  the 
guests. 

There  were  a  number  of  invited  guests  from 
Chicago,  among  whom  were:  L.  L.  Coburn, 
R.  A.  Ketchum,  \V.  F.  Brackett,  J.  B.  Ray- 
mond, \\\  B.  Walker,  James  Wood,  Charles 
J.  Council,  Miss  Matteson,  Miss  Rosencrans, 
Miss  Rue,  Miss  Doty,  Mrs.  Cable,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Boyington,  Fred  W.  Cook  of  the  Chicago 
Tribune,  W.  A.  Campbell  of  the  Chicago  Re- 
publican. J.  W.  Knowlton  of  the  Chicago 
Times,  Judge  Finch  and  wife  of  the  Indian- 
apolis Mirror,  and  others. 


138  A  History  of  Early  Des  Moines 

Among  the  distinguished  guests  were  Gov- 
ernor Samuel  Merrill,  Gen.  Ed  Wright,  Secre- 
tary of  State,  some  of  the  Supreme  Judges, 
Hon.  F.  W.  Palmer,  John  A.  Kasson  and 
others. 

Mrs.  Allen,  the  hostess,  was  elegantly  at- 
tired in  a  rich  black  velvet  robe,  made  plain, 
her  dark  hair  decked  with  roses.  She  enter- 
tained her  guests  with  the  grace  and  dignity 
of  nature's  gentlewoman  and  an  accomplished 
lady,  her  bright  face  wreathed  in  smiles  which 
betokened  the  pleasure  felt  in  the  cordiality 
thus  bestowed  on  others. 

Miss  Kitty  Allen,  a  very  pretty  maiden  of 
only  fourteen  years,  most  ably  assisted  her 
mother  in  the  reception  and  entertainment  of 
the  guests,  and  throughout  the  evening,  like  a 
graceful  fawn,  flitted  from  room  to  room,  her 
bright  presence  always  welcomed.  She  was 
attired  in  a  short  pink  dress,  the  skirt  trimmed 
with  flounces  of  the  same  material,  half  panier 
puffed,  and  white  kid  gaiters. 

Miss  Florence  McKay  was  attired  in  a  lav- 
ender silk,  square  neck  and  long  train,  hair 
crimped  and  adorned  with  roses. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  139 

Mrs.  Major  Wm.  Ragan  wore  a  white  satin 
with  crystal  bead  trimmings,  square  neck, 
flowing  sleeves  and  train. 

Mrs.  George  C.  Tichenor,  a  handsome  lady, 
wore  a  beautiful  blue  silk  with  white  lace  over- 
skirt,  looped  with  pink  roses. 

Mrs.  R.  T.  Wellslager  wore  a  rich  black 
silk  with  satin  and  lace  trimmings. 

Miss  Susie  Wilson,  a  pretty  and  fascinating 
blonde,  was  most  becomingly  gowned  in  a 
white  grenadine,  with  a  white  puffed  upper 
waist,  the  dress  trimmed  with  pink  satin,  hair 
curled  and  ornamented  with  a  wreath  of  white 
roses. 

Mrs.  W.  C.  Pritchard,  a  handsome  lady, 
was  dressed  in  a  purple  silk  with  white  lace 
overskirt,  looped  with  buff  roses,  low  neck 
and  short  sleeves. 

Mrs.  J.  B.  Stewart  wore  a  lavender  silk, 
square  neck  and  long  train,  trimmed  with 
white  point  lace  and  lavender  silk,  a  very 
pretty  costume. 

Mrs.  E.  F.  Hooker  wore  a  light  tinted 
watered  silk  with  white  chenile  trimmings, 
square  neck  and  long  train. 


140  A  History  of  Early  Des  Moinks 

Mrs.  E.  H.  Gillette  was  becomingly  arrayed 
in  a  handsome  white  silk,  corsage  waist,  train, 
flowing  sleeves,  dress  trimmed  with  white 
satin — an  elegant  dress. 

Mrs.  C.  C.  Howell  wore  a  short  brown  silk 
with  lace  overskirt  looped  with  roses. 

Mrs.  John  Mitchell,  a  bright  and  pretty 
brunette,  wore  a  drab  and  striped  silk,  square 
neck  and  long  train,  green  satin  trimmings. 

Miss  Ella  Keane,  a  pretty  young  lady,  wore 
a  green  silk  dress  with  train,  green  satin  trim- 
mings. 

Miss  Nettie  West,  a  pretty  and  sprightly  lit- 
tle miss  of  seven  summers,  was  very  taste- 
fully dressed  in  bufif  alpaca  with  blue  silk 
trimmings. 

Mrs.  L.  F.  Andrews,  a  white  alpaca,  train, 
square  neck,  with  pink  satin  overskirt. 

Mrs.  Gov.  Merrill  wore  a  handsome  dark 
purple  silk,  long  train,  purple  satin  and  fringe 
trimmings — a  rich  costume. 

Miss  Jeanette  Russell  wore  a  rich  green  silk, 
long  train,  with  white  lace  overskirt  looped 
with  roses,  white  puffed  lace  waist.  A  pretty 
young  lady. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  141 

Miss  Kitty  Johnson,  another  pretty  young 
lady,  was  modestly  attired  in  a  short  drab  al- 
paca, with  a  scarlet  opera  cloak. 

Mrs.  Add  Hepburn  wore  a  rich  green  silk 
dress,  made  plain.    A  very  handsome  lady. 

Miss  Mollie  Rommell,  a  very  pretty  young 
lady,  was  attired  in  white  alpaca,  puffed  waist 
and  long  train. 

Mrs.  A.  C.  Talbot  was  becomingly  attired 
in  plain  book  muslin  with  double  skirt  looped 
with  roses. 

The  Misses  Le  Bousquet,  a  couple  of  bright 
and  pretty  sisters,  were  similarly  attired  in 
dresses  of  white  swiss  muslin,  long  trains, 
puffed  waists,  pink  sashes,  dark  hair  orna- 
ments. 

Miss  Mattie  Whitledge,  a  very  pretty  lady, 
wore  a  light  blue  silk,  long  train  and  flowing 
sleeves ;  dark  hair  decked  with  roses. 

Miss  Hattie  Ankeny,  a  pretty  brunette,  was 
dressed  in  a  buff  alpaca,  square  neck,  flowing 
sleeves,  long  train ;  dark  hair  decked  with 
roses. 

Mrs.  William  Foster  wore  a  pink  satin  with 
broad  flounce,  white  point  lace  overskirt,  with 
white  puffed  \\'aist,  low  neck  and  short  sleeves. 


142  A  History  of  Early  Des  Moines 

Mrs.  E.  J.  IngersoU  was  dressed  in  a  lilac 
silk,  square  neck,  flowing  sleeves  and  train. 
Waist  trimmed  with  point  lace. 

Miss  Kellogg  wore  a  white  alpaca,  puffed 
waist  with  white  satin  trimmings,  hair  decked 
with  roses. 

Miss  Mata  Newton  wore  a  buff  alpaca, 
square  neck  and  long  train,  with  white  satin 
fringe. 

Mrs.  T.  D.  Seeberger  was  attired  in  a  light 
drab  satin  with  white  lace  sleeves  bound  with 
scarlet  satin. 

Mrs.  J.  C.  Savery  wore  a  rich  and  costly 
black  satin  robe  de  Paris,  ornamented  with 
white  beaded  lace. 

IVIrs.  Charles  Spofford,  a  pretty  lady,  wore 
a  white  lace  dress  trimmed  with  white  satin. 

Miss  Sadie  Washburn,  a  pretty  blonde,  was 
attired  in  a  white  alpaca,  long  train,  square 
neck,  heavy  purple  satin  trimmings. 

Mrs.  William  Quick  wore  a  light  drab  silk, 
made  plain,  with  white  lace  ?nd  satin  trim- 
mings. 

Mrs.  John  Knight  was  beautifully  attired  in 
a  blue  watered  silk,  white  point  lace,  flowing 
sleeves  and  long  train. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  143 

Miss  Maggie  Lyon,  a  pretty  young  lady, 
wore  a  pink  alpaca,  made  plain,  waist  trimmed 
with  satin  fringe. 

Mrs.  Tac  Hussey,  white  organdie,  baby 
waist  and  full  skirt,  pink  roses  in  hair.  A  trim 
and  vivacious  little  lady. 

A  MASQUERADE  PARTY 

The  most  hilarious  party  of  the  winter  of 
1860,  and  one  long  to  be  remembered  was  one 
given  by  Mrs.  Warren  Hussey  and  others  at 
what  was  then  known  as  the  "Sanford  House," 
since  removed,  to  give  place  to  the  new  "Mor- 
gan House."  It  was,  as  the  invitations  stated, 
to  be  "A  Masquerade  and  Fancy  Dress  Party/' 
and  about  the  first  one  of  the  kind  giveo,  so 
you  may  rest  assured  that  it  was  discussed  in 
"society  circles,"  and  those  intending  to  take 
part  in  it,  at  once  set  about  preparing  a  cos- 
tume, carefully  guarding  the  secret  as  to  how 
they  should  appear.  There  were  about  sixty 
invitations  given,  mostly  to  married  people — 
and  but  few  regrets,  as  people  in  those  days  did 
not  allow  any  trifling  circumstance  to  keep 
them  away.  I  give  the  characters  as  I  remem- 
ber them,  aided  somewhat  l)y  some  of  the  par- 
ticipants, who  yet  look  back  upon  it  as  one  of 


144  A  History  ov   Early   Des  Moines 

the  bright  spots  in  their  pioneer  experience 
when  friendship's  chain  had  not  been  weak- 
ened by  corroding  cares  and  conventionalities, 
which  ''grows  with  our  growth  and  strength- 
ens with  our  strength." 

The  guests  appearing  in  costume  were  as 
follows : 

Mr.  B.  F.  Allen,  Indian  Chief,  with  usual 
accouterments,  including  moccasins  and  ankle 
bells. 

Mrs.  B.  F.  Allen,  ''Bridget  Ann,"  a  new 
Celtic  importation  just  arrived  from  the  "auld 
sod" — a  splendid  character  and  well  acted. 

Mr.  Hoyt  Sherman,  a  Chinaman — a  cos- 
tume to  "deceive  the  very  elect."  Chinamen 
were-  unknown  in  this  locality  in  those  days, 
and  "Ah  Sin  Chin"  created  a  sensation. 

Mrs.  Hoyt  Sherman  as  Mrs.  Partington, 
was  the  best  character  of  the  evening.  During 
the  dancing,  in  which  she  took  part,  she  was 
so  engaged  in  looking  after  her  scissors,  spec- 
tacles, work-bag,  filled  with  cookies  and  knit- 
ting, and  her  son  "Isaac,"  that  she  had  no 
time  to"swing  partners"  but  walked  through 
the  cotillion  as  one  entirely  absorbed  in  the 
anxieties  and  troubles  of  a  busy  life. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  145 

The  character  of  "Isaac"  was  well  sustained 
by  "Jed"  Warner,  who  kept  close  to  his  mother 
and  was  more  than  willing  to  read  his  "compo- 
sition" if  there  was  the  least  desire  on  the  part 
of  any  one  to  hear  it.  "Isaac"  was  in  luck — 
there  were  no  refreshments  served  and  he  was 
the  only  one  who  had  access  to  his  mother's 
work-bag  of  "cookies." 

Mr.  Byron  Rice  appeared  as  a  ghost,  or 
domino,  with  "sheet  and  pillow  case  attach- 
ments." . 

Dr.  Brownell  as  a  French  officer. 

C.  W.  Keyes  as  Brother  Jonathan  in  a  Yan- 
kee suit  built  for  the  occasion  out  of  calico. 
During  a  lull  in  the  amusements  he  dressed  up 
four  of  the  characters  in  sheets — covering 
them  up  entirely  and  drilled  them  in  singing — 
a  very  good  hit,  but  tough  on  the  listeners,  as 
the  voices  were  all  unused  to  the  task  set  before 
them. 

Mrs.  Byron  Rice  appeared  as  "Huldah,"  a 
Yankee  lass  with  short  dress  of  striped  mater- 
ial. She  carried  in  her  hand  a  "yellow  ban- 
danner"  handkerchief  heavily  charged  with 
perfume  de  peppermint,  and  was  perfectly 
willing  to  share  it  with  the  friends. 


146  A  History  of  Early  Des  Moines 

Mrs.  Dr.  F.  W.  Woodruff  appeared  as  a 
housekeeper,  with  an  immense  bunch  of  keys 
attached  to  her  girdle. 

Wesley  Redhead  as  a  clown  made  lots  of  fun 
for  the  crowd. 

Samuel  H.  Lunt  was  a  "Big  Injun"  with  a 
tomahawk,  and  scalping  knife.  He  livened 
his  performance  wnth  genuine  war  whoops — 
an  accomplishment  he  had  evidently  learned 
on  the  frontier. 

Charley  Spofford  was  a  Jockey,  with  top 
boots,  cap,  whip  and  a  pile  of  "Agricultural 
Bank  of  Tennessee"  money. 

William  D.  Wylie,  Highlander. 

Add.  Hepburn,  Turk. 

Douglass  Houghton  (sometimes  called 
"Whack"),  a  Dandy. 

Mrs.  Tac  Hussey  appeared  as  Mrs.  Daffodil, 
with  snuff-box,  reticule,  spetacles  and  knit- 
ting. This  character  was  so  well  made  up  that 
the  on-lookers  were  mystified  for  nearly  half 
the  evening. 

Warren  Hussey,  a  Yankee,  calico  coat, 
striped  pants,  with  straps  and  white  hat. 

D.  O.  Finch  appeared  as  a  strong-minded 
woman,  in  Bloomer  costume,  fan  and  the  very 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  147 

necessary  article  for  a  winter's  evening — a 
parasol.  The  girl  who  attended  the  door  had 
a  great  deal  of  trouble  with  this  character, 
who  would  insist  on  going  into  the  gentlemen's 
dressing  room,  which  she  did  not  think  at  all 
proper. 

Tac  Hussey  was  an  'Irish  Washerwoman," 
arrayed  in  a  dress  borrowed  from  the  tallest 
woman  in  town,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Cattell,  and  a  cap 
borrowed  from  "a  broth  of  a  boy,"  who  bor- 
rowed it  from  his  mother.  A  very  thin  mous- 
tache was  sacrificed  for  this  occasion. 

Will  Doty  appeared  as  a  rollicking  Irish 
lad — a  part  he  could  play  to  perfection.  Poor 
lad,  he  gave  his  life  for  his  country,  falling 
bravely  at  Fort  Donelson,  Feb.  15,  1862. 

Mrs.  Warren  Hussey's  costume  represent- 
ed "Evening." 

Mrs.  S.  R.  Ingham  was  an  aged  Yankee 
woman,  with  usual  costume,  not  forgetting 
the  twang. 

Mrs.  D.  O.  Finch  appeared  as  a  Quakeress, 
a  very  quiet  costume,  but  eliciting  many  com- 
pliments for  its  quaintness. 

Mrs.  S.  J.  Dangler  was  Martha  Washington. 

Miss  Abby  Mitchell  appeared  as  Red  Riding 
Hood. 


148  A  History  ok   Early   Des  Moines 

Mr  J.  B.  Stewart  was  "Friend  Broadbrim," 
a  Quaker.  It  is  said  he  would  occasionally  get 
his  "thees"  and  "thous"  in  wrong — l)ut  the 
writer  does  not  believe  it. 

Miss  Mary  Love,  Flower  Girl. 

Mrs.  Thomas  Carpenter,  English  Dowager. 

Mr.  A.  Newton,  an  Ancient  Dame  with 
cane  and  knitting. 

Dr.  C.  H.  Ranson  played  the  part  of  an  old 
Doctor,  and  went  around  among  the  charac- 
ters prescribing  all  manner  of  impossible 
things,  and  insisting  on  their  being  "well  shak- 
en before  takin'." 

Mrs.  John  A.  Kasson  appeared  as  a  French 
Lady  of  Honor,  with  powdered  hair  and  cos- 
tume of  pink  silk,  after  the  style  of  the  six- 
teenth century.  A  splendid  costume,  which 
elicited  much  admiration. 

Helen  E.  Reed,  a  Turkish  Peasant  girl. 

Mrs.  James  Savery,  "Madame  Lafayette." 

Lyman  Munger,  Domino. 

W.  S.  Pritchard,  "Continental  Gentleman." 

S.  J.  Dangler,  Dutchman — a  "good  one." 

Walter  G.  Reed,  a  Monk,  with  cap  and  gown. 

Miss  Bonnie  Van  Tuyl,  "Morning." 

Mrs.  E.  F.  Hooker,  Turkish  Sultana. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  149 

John  A.  Stuart,  Spanish  CavaHer. 

There  were  also  present  as  spectators,  or 
participants  whose  costumes  and  characters  I 
have  forgotten,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gov.  Kirkwood, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  P.  Luse,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George 
A.  Childs,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  C.  Howell,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  S.  F.  Spofford,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Shaw, 
Miss  Annie  Seymour,  Mr.  S.  R.  Ingham,  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Fox,  Mrs.  Brownell,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
A.  Newton,  E.  F.  Hooker,  and  no  doubt  others 
whose  names  have  slipped  away  from  me 
after  a  lapse  of  so  many  years. 

A  women's  party. 

I  have  heard  recently  some  murmurings 
among  the  "Lords  of  Creation"  that  in  these 
latter  days  the  ladies  are  getting  entirely  too 
exclusive  in  their  company.  They  are  ''leav- 
ing the  gentlemen  out"  of  their  lunch  parties; 
some  of  these  murmurers  say  that  it  was  not 
usually  so  in  "the  good  old  days."  Let  us 
refresh  our  memory  a  little  and  see  if  some  of 
us  did  not  "get  left"  then,  as  well  as  now. 

In  the  first  part  of  October,  1859,  there  w^as 
a  large  party  of  ladies  made  up  to  go  in  car- 
riages and  buggies  to  a  popular  place  in  those 


150  A  History  of  EARtY  Des  Moines 

days  known  as  ''Swan's,"  *  about  ten  miles 
south  of  the  city.  The  hotel  was  kept  by  a  very 
genial  gentleman,  Geo.  Swan,  and  was  a  fav- 
orite resort  for  parties  of  young  and  old,  who 
wished  a  good  dinner  or  a  supper  and  a  gen- 
eral good  time.  The  preparation  for  the  trip 
was  made  by  the  ladies  and  the  party  was  com- 
posed of  thirty-eight  or  forty.  It  was  especi- 
ally forbidden  that  any  man,  married  or  single, 
should  have  anything  to  do  with  it,  except,  per- 
haps, the  hitching  up  of  the  teams  before  start- 
ing. It  seemed  like  a  rash  undertaking,  but  the 
ladies  determined  to  carry  the  enterprise 
through,  so  on  a  bright  morning  in  the  early 
part  of  October,  1859,  they  started.  A  break- 
down at  the  start  of  the  buggy  containing  Mrs. 
C.  P.  Luse  and  Mrs.  Tac  Hussey,  caused  a 
halt  of  a  few  minutes,  but  they  very  pluckily 
sent  the  horse  back  by  a  passing  acquaintance, 
took  seats  in  another  conveyance,  and  went  on 
their  way  rejoicing.  The  country  people 
whose  houses  they  passed  were  divided  in 
their  opinions  as  to  whether  the  cavalcade 
was  a  moral  circus  or  a  troupe  of  Mor- 
mon women  on  their  way  to  the  "promised 
land.'"    The  country  people  who  were  met  com- 

*Norwalk,  Warren  county. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  151 

ing  to  town  with  teams  side-tracked  themselves 
as  the  eighteen  vehicles  approached,  supposing 
the  procession  to  be  of  grave  import,  and  sat 
in  their  wagons  with  countenances  expressing 
astonishment,  mingled  with  awe.  One  man 
was  heard  to  remark  after  they  had  got  safely 
by — "Say,  Jim,  that's  the  jolliest  funeral  pro- 
cession I  ever  saw." 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  it  was  one  of  the  most 
enjoyable  larks  ever  set  on  foot  by  the  ladies, 
and  the  occasion  was  looked  upon  with  much 
pleasure  in  after  years.  Word  had  been  sent 
to  Swan's  of  the  expected  raid  the  day  before 
and  full  preparation  had  been  made  for  their 
coming.  With  appetites  whetted  to  the  keen- 
est edge  b}^  their  long  ride  across  the  prairie, 
ample  justice  was  done  to  the  tempting  dinner 
for  which  the  house  was  noted.  The  women 
unhitched,  fed  and  watered  their  horses  with- 
out the  aid  of  any  of  the  sterner  sex,  and  ar- 
rived at  home  safely  at  sunset,  much  to  the 
relief  of  their  somewhat  anxious  friends. 

The  ladies  taking  part  in  this  expedition 
were  Mesdames  R.  L.  Tidrich,  S.  R.  Ingham. 
L.  A.  Pelton,  Martin  Winters,  Thomas  Car- 
penter, Mrs.  Bachus,  (afterward  Mrs.  John 
Yost),  C.  C.  Nourse,  C.  P.  Luse,  Tac  Hussey, 


152  A   History  oi-    Early   Di;s   Mcuxks 

A.  Newton,  Byron  Rice,  D.  O.  Finch,  Ho^'t 
Sherman,  E.  F.  Hooker,  A.  B.  Woodbury, 
Alex  Shaw,  Dr.  Brooks,  Warren  Hussey,  J. 
M.  Griffith,  Isaac  Cooper,  B.  F.  Allen,  F  R 
West,  A.  Y.  Rawson,  Dr.  Baker,  Dr.  Wood- 
ruff, Miss  Goodwin  (later  Mrs.  Thos.  F.  With- 
row),  Mrs.  S.  V.  White,  later  of  New  York, 
and  others  to  the  number  of  about  forty,  whose 
names  have  not  been  kept  on  record. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  BAG  OF  GOLD 

A  Story  of  1859-60— Of  B.  F.  Allen's  Days 
In  Banking. 

In  the  business  office  of  the  building  former- 
ly occupied  by  The  Dcs  Moines  Register,  at 
Fourth.and  Court  streets,  there  were  two  large 
vaults  with  iron  doors  and  combination  locks. 
A  visitor  to  the  building  might  wonder  why  a 
newspaper  office  should  need  such  large  fire- 
proof receptacles  of  valuables.  But  the  vaults 
were  there  when  The  Register  and  Leader  took 
possession  of  the  building,  having  been  built 
and  used  by  the  previous  occupant,  Mr.  B.  F. 
Allen.  The  vault  fronting  Court  avenue  was 
the  older  of  the  two,  and  it  is -the  one  particu- 
larly associated  with  the  following  true  story. 

In  June,  1855,  there  came  to  the  village  of 
Des  Moines  a  young  man  not  then  twenty-one 
years  old,  who  was  seeking  a  home  in  the  West 
— a  druggist  by  trade.  A  situation  was  ob- 
tained in  a  drugstore  on  Second  street,  near 
Market,  where  ^Mott's  elevator  was  afterward 


154  A  History  of  Early  Dks  Moines 

built.  From  lowest  he  rose  to  highest  position 
in  the  store,  and  was  finally  asked  ''to  come 
up  higher,"  which  meant  a  situation  as  assist- 
ant bookkeeper  in  Mr.  Allen's  Bank,  Second 
street,  not  far  from  Vine,  the  center  of  busi- 
ness. 

When  the  bank  moved  to  the  building  espe- 
cially built  for  it  by  Mr.  Allen,  in  1857-8— later 
the  Register  block — the  young  man  whom  I 
will  call  Warren,  had  become  a  trusted  em- 
ploye, and  had  risen  to  the  position  of  Assist- 
ant Cashier — Acting  Cashier,  in  Mr.  Allen's 
absence — with  a  general  charge  of  the  busi- 
ness. The  United  States  Land  Office,  of 
which  the  well  known  Isaac  Cooper  was  Regis- 
trar, had  a  room  directly  back  of  the  bank,  on 
the  same  floor  and  having  no  safe  or  vault  for 
valuables,  obtained  the  consent  of  Mr.  Allen 
to  use  his  vault  for  storing  the  coin  received 
in  the  business  of  his  office,  as  that  was  the 
kind  of  money  the  government  required  in  pay- 
ment of  dues.  As  Mr.  Cooper  only  settled  wath 
the  government  once  a  quarter  a  considerable 
sum  thus  accumulated  and  was  allowed  to  lie 
in  a  bag  in  the  vault  till  needed  to  pay  the  gov- 
ernment dues.  Mr.  D.  O.  Finch,  a  young  law- 
yer, who  attended  pretty  largely  to  the  collec- 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  155 

tions  for  the  bank,  had  an  office  in  the  second 
story  and  was  given  a  "pigeon-hole  privilege" 
in  the  vault  for  his  collection  wallet.  He  came 
and  went  without  let  or  hindrance  during 
banking  hours.  Messrs.  Allen  and  Warren 
carried  the  keys  and  combination  of  the  vault 
and  the  latter  was  the  first  to  open  and  the 
last  to  close  and  lock  it  after  the  day's  business 
was  over. 

One  day  near  the  close  of  the  quarter  Mr. 
Cooper  came  in  the  back  way,  as  was  his  cus- 
tom, and  going  to  the  vault,  said,  "I'll  take 
that  money  out  of  your  way  now." 

"All  right,"  was  the  reply;  "go  in  and  get  it." 

He  went  in  and  stayed  an  unreasonable 
length  of  time,  and  came  out  with  a  look  of 
great  surprise  on  his  face. 

"I  can't  find  it!" 

"Can't  find  it !"  Mr.  Allen  replied.  "It  must 
be  there." 

But  it  did  not  so  appear.  A  very  careful 
search  was  instituted.  With  tremblins:  hands 
and  fluttering  hearts  the  l)ankcr  and  assistant 
turned  the  vault  inside  out,  searching  every 
nook  and  corner,  but  no  bag  of  gold  was  dis- 
covered.    The  missing  bag  contained  $5,000! 


156  A   History  oi-   Early   Dks   Moines 

There  was  only  one  way  to  explain  its  ab- 
sence. Tt  had  been  stolen,  and  by  whom?  It 
was  a  very  heavy  loss,  and  might  seriously 
complicate  Mr.  Cooper's  afifairs.  There  was 
only  one  thing  to  be  done,  to  find  the  thief. 
But  how? 

On  the  afternoon  of  that  day  Messrs.  Allen 
and  Cooper  held  a  conference  with  the  law 
firm  of  Casady,  Crocker  and  Polk,  Sherman's 
Block,  and  it  was  a  long  and  very  searching 
session.  It  was  found  that  only  four  persons 
had  access  to  the  vault,  Mr.  Allen,  Warren,* 
Mr.  Cooper  and  D.  O.  Finch,  and  these  per- 
sons were  discussed  and  dissected  by  them 
and  the  lawyers,  one  at  a  time.  It  was  thought 
that  perhaps  Dan  Finch  might  have  been 
tempted  to  take  the  money,  but  the  impetu- 
ous Crocker  said,  with  a  little  profanity,  "No, 
Dan  Finch  don't  think  enough  of  money  to 
steal  it,  and  besides  he  couldn't  hide  it  twenty- 
four  hours  if  he  had."  So  it  was  finally  nar- 
rowed down  to  one  person.  Warren  must  have 
stolen  the  money,  as  there  was  no  one  else  who 
could  have  done  it.  Mr.  P.  M.  Casady,  the  sen- 
ior of  the  law  firm,  was  appointed  to  see  him 

*Warren   Hussey,   Spokane,   brother  of   Tacitus  Hiissey. 


Rv  Tacitus  Hussky  157 

and  try,  if  possible,  to  get  some  clue  or  admis- 
sion that  could  be  followed  up  by  the  arrest  of 
the  guilty  party.  The  interview  took  place  in 
a  little  private  room  cut  off  from  the  bank, 
near  where  The  Register's  bookkeeper,  Sim 
Welling,  later  had  his  desk.  Just  what  passed 
between  them  the  writer  does  not  know,  but 
at  the  end  of  an  hour,  when  the  Judge  went 
back  to  his  ofifice  to  report  progress  to  those 
in  waiting,  he  was  more  mystified  and  in  the 
dark  than  ever.  "Gentlemen,"  he  said,  in  sub- 
stance, in  answer  to  questions,  "This  is  the 
strangest  case  I  ever  had  anything  to  do  with, 
and  I  hardly  know  what  to  advise.  Warren 
was  perfectly  cool  and  self-possessed.  When 
I  asked  him  if  there  was  not  a  possibility  of 
some  one  from  the  outside  slipping  into  the 
vault  while  he  was  busy  with  his  books  and 
getting  this  money,  he  replied  that  such  a 
thing  could  not  be  done  as  he  was  always  on 
the  alert  and  very  careful.  He  admitted  that 
he  had  the  only  key  and  combination  to  the 
vault  except  those  Mr.  Allen  carried;  that  the 
money  was  there  but  a  short  time  ago;  that 
it  cannot  now  be  found ;  that  he  had  no  suspi- 
cion of  any  one  outside  that  could  possibly 
have  stolen  it,  and  that  it  was  as  much  a  mys- 


158  A  History  or   Early  Des  Moinus 

tery  to  him  as  to  anyone.  When  I  told  him  it 
looked  very  bad  for  him  and  that  he  was  liable 
within  an  hour  to  be  arrested  he  admitted  it, 
looking  me  squarely  in  the  face  without  a  tre- 
mor of  the  lip  or  a  quiver  of  the  eyelid.  In 
fact,  he  admitted  everything  except  taking  the 
money  or  having  any  knowledge  of  its  where- 
abouts. I  can  hardly  believe  this  young  man 
guilty — at  least  he  did  not  look  so — but  the 
circumstances  are  certainly  dead  against  him." 

This  very  frank  and  manly  statement  had 
its  weight,  and  it  was  agreed,  after  much  dis- 
cussion, that  things  should  be  left  as  they 
were;  that  Mr.  Allen  should  continue  Warren 
in  his  employ,  and  all  concerned  should  watch 
for  some  clue  upon  which  to  hang  a  case,  and 
compare  notes  daily  concerning  this  myster- 
ious theft.  In  the  meantime  Warren  had  laid 
the  case  plainly  and  honestly  before  his  friend, 
D.  O.  Finch,  asking  his  counsel.  Mr.  Finch 
said,  "Keep  cool.  If  the  worst  comes,  I  will 
defend  you.  I  am  in  the  same  boat  with  you, 
for  I  have  been  in  and  out  of  that  vault  at  all 
hours  of  the  day,  and  am  no  doubt  suspected, 
as  you  are.  \Ye  can  do  nothing  now  except 
wait  for  a  clue.  We  must  wait."  To  wait 
under  these  circumstances  was  the     hardest 


Ry  Tacitus  Hussey  159 

task  ever  set  before  mortal  man.  The  burden 
of  life  was  taken  up  again  and  made  all  the 
heavier  by  a  heart  of  lead  and  the  conscious- 
ness of  a  secret  which  could  not  be  lightened 
by  sharing  it  with  near  and  dear  friends. 

If  the  readers  please,  let  me  go  back  to  a 
time  three  days  prior  to  the  startling  scenes 
of  the  last  chapter,  and  in  order  that  they  may 
understand  something  of  the  difficulties  of 
banking  as  well  as  other  business  in  those  days, 
it  is  only  necessary  to  say  that  we  had  very 
little,  if  any,  paper  money,  in  circulation  in 
Des  Moines  that  New  York  bankers  would  ac- 
cept. Western  currency  would  not  do,  and 
that  was  about  all  the  paper  money  we  had,  so 
in  shipping,  gold  and  silver  was  the  only  kind 
a  Western  banker  could  trust  to  keep  his  credit 
good  and  to  draw  his  drafts  against  in  the 
Eastern  cities. 

If  I  had  space  I  would  like  to  give  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  kind  of  money  we  were  aft'licted 
with  in  those  days,  when  we  had  any.  All 
bankers,  tradesmen,  merchants,  etc.,  studied 
the  "Bank  Note  Reporter"  and  "Counterfeit 
Detector,"  a  copy  of  which  hung  by  every  pru- 
dent business  man's  desk,  with  the  utmost  dili- 
gence, and  in  receiving  money     a     merchant 


160  A  History  oi'   Early   Di:s  AIoini-s 

would  have  to  satisfy  himself  by  consulting  the 
"reporter,"  that  it  would  be  accepted  by  the 
bank  "if  he  run  all  the  way"  to  deposit  it  as 
soon  as  received.  Otherwise  he  would  lose  it 
in  case  he  couldn't  find  ''the  man  who  passed 
it  off  on  him,"  and  compel  him  to  take  it  back. 
So  if  the  receiver's  bump  of  caution  was  well 
developed  and  the  amount  considerable,  it  took 
about  as  much  time  to  receive  the  money  as  to 
sell  the  goods. 

The  express  company  in  those  days  sent  out 
only  one  shipment  a  week  to  Towa  City  in  an 
extra  stage  coach  in  charge  of  George  Butts, 
a  man  who  has  carried  more  treasure  in  this 
way,  perhaps,  than  any  one  in  the  same  busi- 
ness in  Iowa,  and  a  man  of  great  endurance 
and  faithful  to  duties  assigned  to  him.  As 
this  express  stage  had  no  regular  time  to  de- 
part the  express  agent  usually  went  around  to 
his  customers  and  notified  them  privately  of 
the  time  of  intended  departure  so  that  ship- 
ments might  be  ready  in  time,  and  they  would 
accordingly  prepare  the  shipment  and  carry  it 
to  the  express  office  after  night,  thereby 
avoiding  a  display  of  the  treasure  on  the  streets 
in  day  time.  Thus  it  was,  after  such  notifica- 
tion, that  Mr.  Allen  told  Warren  if  he  would 


Ijv  Tacitus  Hussey  161 

prepare  the  $27,000  he  wished  to  ship  to  W.  S. 
Gihnore  and  Son,  New  York  make  a  nieiiio- 
randum  of  the  same,  and  leave  him  the  keys  to 
the  bank,  he  wonkl  carry  the  coin  to  the  ex- 
press office  at  night  and  save  his  assistant  the 
trouble  of  coming  back  to  attend  to  it.  Mr. 
Allen  then  lived  where  the  Aborn  House  later 
stood,  and  at  10  o'clock,  with  the  assistance  of 
Billy,  his  man  of  all  work,  he  went  into  the 
vault  by  the  light  of  a  tallow  dip — we  had  no 
gas  in  those  days  to  freeze  up  and  vex  our 
righteous  souls — gathered  up  the  bags  of  gold 
and  carried  them  to  the  express  office  on  Third 
street,  and  taking  a  receipt  therefore  retired 
to  his  home  to  sleep  the  sleep  of  the  just. 

A  week  passed  slowly  by  after  the  discovery 
of  the  theft,  another  had  come  and  was  near- 
ing  its  close,  bringing  not  a  rift  in  the  cloud  of 
mystery,  nor  a  ray  of  light  to  hang  a  hope  upon. 

Finally,  one  morning  Mr.  Allen  returned 
from  the  post  off'ice  and  was  busy  opening  and 
reading  his  letters.  A  letter  from  his  well- 
known  New  York  correspondent  caught  his 
eye — an  acknowledgment  of  the  receipt  of  the 
$27,000  he  thought.  The  letter  was  short  and 
terse  as  nearly  all  business  letters  are,  and  for 
a  wonder  had  a  "P.  S.",  which  read:     "in  ad- 


162  A  History  of  Early  Dks  Moines 

dition  to  the  $27,000  of  which  we  have  advices, 
there  is  a  bag  of  gold  containing  $5,000,  of 
which  there  is  no  mention;  to  whom  shall  we 
credit  it?" 

"Glory  Hallelujah!"  shouted  the  banker, 
"The  $5,000  is  found.     Read  this !" 

"Thank  the  Lord!"  said  Warren  fervently, 
after  reading,  and  without  waiting  for  hat  or 
coat  he  rushed  up  to  Dan  Finch's  office,  and 
throwing  his  arms  about  that  astonished  law- 
yer's neck,  shouted  "Thank  God,  Dan,  we  are 
saved;  the  money  is  found!"  and  burst  into 
tears  of  joy. 

"And  what  did  you  do"  the  writer  asked  Mr. 
Finch,  after  hearing  from  him  the  story.  "Oh," 
said  the  warm-hearted  man,  "I  'spose  I  blub- 
bered too." 

vSo  the  mystery  was  cleared  up.  Mr.  Allen 
had  shifjped  Mr.  Cooper's  money  with  his  own 
by  mistake,  and  the  honesty  of  the  New  York 
house  saved  the  good  names  of  all  concerned. 
The  lawyers  lost  their  case,  and  no  one  rejoiced 
more  thereat  than  themselves.  Confidence 
was  restored  and  restitution  made  to  Mr. 
Cooper,  and  the  reader  is  no  doubt  ready  to 
agree  with  me,  that  "All's  well  that  ends  well." 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  DES  MOINES  VALLEY  RAILROAD 

There  was  ever  a  strong  bond  of  friendship 
between  the  early  settlers  of  Des  Moines  and 
the  city  of  Keokuk,  Iowa.  This  friendship 
began  when  that  city  on  the  Mississippi  was  a 
young  and  bustling  town  and  Fort  Des  Moines 
was  a  little  muddy,  smoky  hamlet  at  the  "Rac- 
coon Forks  of  the  Des  Moines  river."  Keokuk, 
in  those  days,  was  our  Chicago.  There  we 
used  to  get  our  supplies.  From  the  capacious 
warehouses  of  Chittenden  and  McGavic,  Con- 
nable,  Smyth  and  Co.,  B.  B.  Hinman  and  Co., 
Foote  and  Co.,  J.  B.  Carson,  Stafford  and  Mc- 
Cune  and  others,  perhaps  situated  on  or  near 
the  levee,  where  consignments  of  goods  were 
stored  intended  for  the  interior  of  Iowa,  wait- 
ing transportation  by  boat,  down  the  river,  or 
by  wagon  during  the  dry  seasons  over  a  wild 
prairie,  in  summer's  heat,  autumn's  haze  and 
through  winter's  snow-drifts. 

Keokuk  bears  the  name  of  the  "Gate  City." 
A  very  appropriate  cognomen;  for  through 
this    gate    nearly    all    the    shipments    to    Des 


164  A  History  of  Early  Dks  Moines 

Moines  passed  for  consumption  here  and  for 
distribution  to  the  scattered  villages  and 
sparsely  settled  country  which  surrounds  them. 
There  was  another  bond  of  friendship  which 
united  these  two  cities.  In  the  beginning  of  the 
dark  days  of  1861,  with  tears  and  prayers,  the 
people  of  Des  Moines  follow^ed  some  of  their 
young  men  who  had  sprung  to  their  country's 
call;  to  that  city,  where  they  were  uniformed, 
armed  and  drilled  for  the  bloody  work  to 
which  they  were  called,  and  watched  them  as 
they  were  carried  away  by  boat  and  rail  to  the 
front, .amid  tears,  cheers  and  streaming  ban- 
ners. 

It  was  there  that  Miss  Allie  Smith,  a  little 
Keokuk  girl,  twelve  years  of  age,  with  an  up- 
turned barrel  for  a  platform  sang  war  songs  to 
the  soldiers,  cheering  the  homesick  ones,  caus- 
ing the  hearts  of  all  to  throb  with  renewed 
patriotic  resolves.  Later  the  singer  was  w^ell 
known  as  Allie  Smith  Cheek,  of  Des  Moines. 

There  is  another  bond  of  friendship  be- 
tween these  two  cities  which  will  never  be 
forgotten  by  the  pioneers  of  Des  Moines.  In 
January,  1857,  the  constitutional  convention 
met  in  Iowa  Cit}^  and  formulated  a  new  con- 
stitution which  was  to  be  submitted  to  the  vot- 


By  Tacitus  Hussey 


165 


ers  of  Iowa  in  August  of  that  year.  In  order 
to  make  the  location  of  the  capital  at  Des 
Moines  doubly  sure,  the  following  clause  was 
inserted  at  the  instance  of  some  of  the  prom- 


MRS.  ALLIE  SMITH  CHEEK 

Standing  on  a  Pork  Barrel,  She  Sang  eor  the  Departing 
"Boys  in  Blue"  in  1861,  at  Keokuk 


inent  Des  Moines  citizens :  "The  seat  of  gov- 
ernment is  hereby  permanently  established  as 
now  fixed  by  law,  at  the  city  of  Des  Moines, 


166  A  History  oi-  Early  Dks  Moines 

in  the  County  of  Polk,  and  the  State  Uni- 
versity at  Iowa  City,  in  the  County  of  John- 
son." For  jealousy,  or  some  other  reason,  the 
various  counties  of  the  state  opposed  the  adop- 
tion of  this  constitution  and  voted  vigorously 
against  it.  The  people  of  Polk  county  being 
intensely  interested,  raised  a  subscription  of 
$100,000  to  aid  the  Des  Moines  Valley  Rail- 
road, and  gave  a  majority  of  1,500  for  the  new 
constitution.  Lee  county,  in  return  for  this 
very  high  compliment  to  its  pet  railroad  line, 
gave  an  immense  majority  for  the  constitution, 
and  saved  the  day !  But  it  was  a  tight  squeeze ; 
for  the  entire  state  majority  was  only  about 
1,600. 

It  took  nearly  twelve  years  to  build  this  rail- 
road from  Keokuk  to  Des  Moines.  Four  reg- 
ular sessions  of  the  legislature  had  been 
held  here,  and  another  was  almost  due,  when 
the  first  train  came  into  the  city.  The  project 
and  the  work  of  carrying  it  to  a  successful 
finish,  was  little  short  of  heroic.  Four  years 
previous  to  the  throwing  of  a  single  shovelful 
of  dirt  there  had  l)een  an  unprecedented  flood 
which  had  swept  the  valley  of  the  Des  Moines 
clean  of  crops,  stored  and  growing,  live  stock, 
fences,  and  in  fact  all   floatable  articles  and 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  167 

filled  the  Mississippi  with  all  sorts  of  floating 
debris.  The  farmers  on  the  upland  did  not 
fare  much  better,  as  the  continuous  rains  pre- 
vented planting  and  washed  the  ploughed 
fields  into  unsightly  ditches.  Iowa  came  as 
near  to  a  crop  failure  and  Des  Moines  to  a 
flood  famine  as  ever  before  or  since.  It  took 
three  or  four  years  to  recuperate.  Then  there 
was  financial  difficulty.  Gold  and  silver,  what 
little  there  was,  had  gone  into  hiding.  Cur- 
rency was  of  the  doubtful  kind,  being  free 
bank  money  from  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Iowa 
''wild  cat  currency". 

The  officers  of  the  road  in  1855-56  were: 
President,  H.  T.  Reid,  afterwards  a  gallant 
soldier  in  the  civil  war,  and  an  accurate  his- 
torian; secretary,  C.  F.  Conn;  Treasurer,  W. 
C.  Graham,  and  a  board  of  directors.  Grad- 
ing began  in  1855  when  a  contract  was  let  to 
Bentonsport,  a  distance  of  forty  miles.  The 
rails  for  this  distance  were  ordered  by  eastern 
capitalists,  September,  1855,  and  were  expect- 
ed in  1856.  Grading  began  again  in  March, 
1856,  although  the  frost  was  not  yet  out  of 
the  ground.  The  contractors  who  were  to 
furnish  the  ties  were  going  on  with  their  w'ork. 
On  June  17,  1856,  the  good  news  was  received 


168  A  History  of  Early  Des  Moines 

that  4,000  tons  of  the  rails  ordered,  costing 
$64,000  had  arrived  at  New  Orleans  and  were 
on  their  way  up  the  river  on  seven  steamboats. 
When  the  boats  arrived  track-laying  began 
without  ceremony,  and  on  the  seventh  day  of 
October  of  that  year,  the  first  ''Excursion 
train  on  the  D.  V.  R.  R."  started  from  the 
depot  grounds  in  Keokuk  for  the  first  station, 
Buena  Vista.  The  locomotive  pulling  this 
first  train  had  been  christened  "Des  Moines," 
as  a  compliment,  no  doubt,  to  the  city  in  the 
dim  distance  at  the  terminus  of  the  road.  The 
passengers  were  President  Reid,  Messrs. 
Eaton,  Roberts,  Leighton,  Parsons  and  others 
of  the  directory  board,  together  with  a  number 
of  citizens  unnamed,  but  who,  no  doubt,  wished 
to  go  down  in  history  as  passengers  on  the 
first  train  of  Keokuk,  Track  was  at  this  time 
being  laid  at  the  rate  of  half  a  mile  a  day,  and 
it  was  estimated  that  by  December  first  the 
road  would  stretch  out  twelve  miles,  ever 
pointing  hopefully  to  its  destination. 

There  began  on  the  first  day  of  December, 
1856,  an  unprecedented  snowstorm,  lasting 
three  days,  followed  by  a  blizzardly  wind 
which  heaped  up  the  snow  all  over  Iowa  from 
one  to  ten  feet  deep,  making  the  graded  work 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  169 

look  like  an  elongated  grave  of  buried  hopes. 
But  under  a  somewhat  belated  spring  sun  the 
snowdrifts  wept  themselves  away,  and  on 
June  10,  1857,  Farmington  welcomed  the  "Iron 
Horse"  with  loud  acclaim,  fed  and  encouraged 
the  officers  of  the  road  and  welcomed  visitors 
who  accompanied  them  and  with  a  Godspeed 
waved  them  on  to  their  journey's  end.  Bona- 
parte was  passed  in  due  time  and  in  the  spring 
of  1858  the  road  had  reached  Bentonsport  in 
time  to  carry  to  their  homes  some  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  first  legislature  Des  Moines  ever 
had.  Some  members,  who  could  in  any  way 
reach  home  by  boat,  embarked  on  the  steamer 
"Skipper,"  arriving  safely  at  their  destina- 
tion and  thence  by  railroad  to  their  several 
homes.  These  members  had  been  courted,  had 
feasted  and  danced  during  the  winter  and 
left  the  capital  in  the  best  of  spirits.  The  first 
legislature,  the  first  railroad  and  the  first  ar- 
rival of  a  steamboat  in  the  spring  were  events 
which  caused  the  heart  of  the  average  Des 
Moines  citizen  to  swell  with  pride.  The  Re- 
publican state  convention  met  in  Des  Moines 
in  1859,  and  the  entire  delegation  from 
Dubuque,  one  member  of  which  was  Frank  W. 
Palmer,  came  up  as  far  as  Agency  City,  the 


170  A  History  of  Early  Dks  Moinus 

then  terminus,  by  rail,  and  thence  by  boat  to 
Des  Moines.  All  the  delegates  who  could,  came 
in  the  same  way  and  were  loud  in  their  praise  of 
the  quickness  of  the  trip  and  the  courteous 
treatment  accorded  them. 

In  the  spring  of  1862,  all  the  members  of 
the  legislature  on  adjournment,  who  could 
reach  home  by  river,  embarked  on  the  "Des 
Moines  City,"  to  Ottumwa,  and  were  carried 
to  their  homes  by  the  Des  Moines  Valley 
Railroad  Company.  Then  by  slow  and  easy 
stages  the  road  crept  up  to  Eddyville,  where 
it  found  a  tarrying  place  during  a  portion  of 
the  years  when  the  war  was  going  on,  and 
where  it  was  met  by  the  "Des  Moines  Steam- 
boat Line"  as  it  advertised  itself.  This  line 
was  used  to  transport  the  outgoing  troops  and 
to  return  the  sick  and  wounded  and  furloughed 
soldiers  who  had  been  to  the  front,  smelled 
powder  to  their  cost,  and  returned  home  to  be 
nursed  back  to  health  and  strensfth  bv  tender 
hands  and  loving  hearts.  But  little  by  little 
the  railroad  crept  up  the  river  and  on  July  10th 
the  readers  of  the  Daily  Register  smiled  over 
one  of  J.  M.  Dixon's  characteristic  couplets: 

"Sammum  Hillum!   Something's  broke! 
The  cars  have  got  inside  of  Polk!" 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  171 

The  news  had  been  brought  in  by  a  farmer, 
who,  with  beaming  face,  gave  the  pleasing  in- 
formation that  track-laying  and  a  construction 
train  had  penetrated  Polk  county  nearly  half 
a  mile!  Then  w^e  began  to  hear  of  it  at  "Wood- 
ville,"  only  a  few  miles  aw^ay;  for  stages  met 
the  passengers  there  for  a  while  and  the 
hearts  of  the  Des  Moines  people  began  to  beat 
high  with  hope,  especially  after  being  in  the 
presence  of  and  talking  with  the  men  and  wom- 
en who  were  congratulating  themselves  on 
coming  to  Des  Moines  wdth  so  little  staging. 
On  the  22nd  of  August  our  citizens  were  re- 
galed by  the  following : 

PROCLAMATION 

Hear,  oh,  ye  heavens,  and  give  ear,  and  hear 
oh,  ye  earth !  Let  the  glad  news  sw^eep  over  the 
prairies  and  around  the  universe,  that  the  first 
train  on  the  valley  road  will  come  into  Des 
Moines  on  the  afternoon  of  the  29th  of  August, 
1866,  Colonel  Leighton  says  it,  and  his  word 
stands  fast!  In  view^  of  this  circtmistance,  pre- 
liminary arrangements  should  be  made  to  meet 
the  Iron  Horse  and  give  him  a  grand  reception  ! 
Let  the  mayor  and  city  council  lead  oft'  in  this 
matter.     About   forty  persons   from   Keokuk 


172  A  History  of  Early  Des  Moines 

will  come  up  on  the  train  as  railroad  delegates 
to  Des  Moines,  and  there  should  be  marching, 
bonfires,  music,  hurrahing,  whistling,  yelling, 
and  circumscribed  and  uncircumscribed  rip- 
pings  and  tearings  through  all  this  Land  of 
Promise !  Let  us  have  a  perfect  roar  and  rush 
and  thunders  of  enthusiasm ! 

Accordingly  a  public  meeting  was  held  at 
the  city  council  room  to  make  arrangements 
for  the  coming  event.  Mayor  Geo.  W.  Cleve- 
land was  called  to  the  chair  and  Seward  Smith 
appointed  secretary.  John  Morris  moved  that 
a  committee  of  seven  of  which  the  mayor 
should  be  chairman,  should  be  selected  to  take 
the  matter  in  charge.  The  committee  chosen 
was  as  follows:  P.  M.  Casady,  J.  M.  Moody, 
B.  F.  Allen,  S.  F.  Spofford,  and  Geo.  W.  Jones. 
They  were  given  full  power  to  complete  the 
arrangements.  On  motion  of  Judge  Casady, 
Mayor  Cleveland  was  authorized  to  invite  the 
mayor  and  city  council  of  Keokuk  to  visit  Des 
Moines  on  the  first  train.  The  meeting  then 
adjourned  to  meet  on  the  following  Saturday, 
at  which  time  the  city  council  would  be  asked 
to  make  such  appropriation  as  would  meet  the 
bills  of  the  committee  of  arrangements.  At 
the   meeting   thus    appointed    Colonel    E.    F. 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  173 

Hooker  was  elected  marshal  of  the  day,  Colonel 
S.  F.  Spofford  was  appointed  committee  on 
transportation  of  visitors,  and  John  Morris  on 
music,  artillery  and  ringing  of  the  bells  of  the 
city. 

A  supper  and  dance  was  appointed  at  the 
Savery  House  and  given  into  the  hands  of  Geo. 
A.  Drake,  Ten  Eyck  Beekman  and  Major  Jo- 
seph Lyman,  with  such  sub-committees  as 
might  be  required. 

Honorable  Geo.  W.  Jones,  Col.  E.  F.  Hooker, 
and  Col.  Stewart  were  appointed  a  committee 
on  program  and  they  at  once  selected  Hon. 
John  A.  Kasson  to  make  the  speech  of  wel- 
come. Other  speakers  to  be  called  out  by  the 
chairman,  if  desired.  The  arrangements  were 
as  follows: 

Order  of  Exercises  and  Procession. 

1.  Collard's  brass  band, 

2.  Mayor  and  city  council. 

3.  Invited  guests. 

4.  Masonic  order. 

5.  Odd  Fellows. 

6.  Good  Templars. 

7.  Citizens  on  foot. 

8.  Carriages  and  ec^uestrians. 


COL.   EDWARD   F.   HOOKER 
Owner  of  First  Stage  Coach  in  Des  Moines 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  175 

Marshals : 

Colonel  E.  F.  Hooker,  chief  marshal. 
Colonel  S.  F.  Spofford,  1st  assistant. 
Joseph  C.  Warner,  2nd  assistant. 
Harry  Stephenson,  3rd  assistant. 
Augnstns  Newton,  4th  assistant. 
John  Bacon,  5th  assistant. 

Returning,  procession  will  form  in  the  same 
order  from  depot  on  Market  street,  thence 
from  Market  to  Fourth,  from  Fourth  to  Court 
Avenue,  from  Court  Avenue  to  Third  street, 
up  Third  street  to  Walnut,  up  Walnut  to 
Savery  House,  where  the  procession  will  be 
dismissed  by  Hon.  George  G.  Wright. 

When  the  whistle  sounded  somewhere  near 
the  Brooks  farm  on  the  afternoon  of  August 
29,  1866,  the  crowd  with  one  accord  shouted: 
"She's  a  coming!"  When  the  train  came  in 
sight,  as  far  down  the  track  as  could  be  seen, 
there  was  a  wilderness  of  handkerchiefs,  hats 
and  hands  waving  from  the  windows  of  the 
cars,  while  on  the  crowded  platforms  could  be 
seen  men  waving  their  hats  and  shouting  their 
greetings  to  the  assembled  crow^ds  on  both 
sides  of  the  track.  When  the  stop  was  finally 
made,  there  were  speeches,  but  not  a  third  of 


176  A  History  of  Early  Des  Moines 

the  crowd  heard  them.  They  were  too  happy 
to  Hsten.  A  majority  preferred  to  inspect  the 
cars  and  shake  hands  with  the  engine,  so  to 
speak.  Many  of  the  assembly  had  never  seen 
a  train  of  cars,  especially  the  younger  portion 
of  the  generation.  Some  of  the  older  ones  had 
not  seen  a  train  since  they  bid  adieu  to  the  rail- 
road on  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  years 
ago,  as  they  journeyed  into  Iowa  with  eyes 
fixed  on  "Fort  Des  Moines,"  the  prospective 
capital  of  the  state. 

John  A.  Kasson  was  at  his  best  that  day,  as 
was  also  Judge  Wright,  who  had  been  "wait- 
ing for  the  wagon"  for  the  last  twenty-five 
years.  His  face  beamed  with  the  satisfaction 
he  felt,  and  he  convulsed  the  listeners  with  some 
of  his  old-time  stories  of  early  transportation, 
by  ox-team,  stage  and  steamboat.  The  visitors 
responded  in  their  happiest  vein  and  the  crowd 
was  the  jolliest  ever  seen  and  heard  in  Des 
Moines.  xA.nd  the  women !  They  were  there  in 
great  numbers;  for  where  the  men  are,  there 
will  the  women  be  also. 

Then  the  procession  was  formed  and  the 
march  to  the  Savery  House,  Fourth  and  Wal- 
nut, was  made  in  the  same  order  as  the  previous 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  177 

procession,  yet  with  much  more  enthusiasm 
and  noise.  All  were  so  happy  that  they  had  to 
give  vent  to  their  enthusiasm  in  some  way  and 
it  generally  took  the  form  of  shouting  and 
singing.  When  the  destination  was  reached 
the  procession  was  dismissed  by  Judge  Wright 
in  a  few  well-chosen  words  and  the  procession 
melted  away.  The  visitors  were  assigned  to 
the  Savery,  the  Des  Moines  House  and  other 
hotels,  while  not  a  few  were  taken  care  of  by 
friends  and  acquaintances  at  their  private  resi- 
dences. The  people  of  Des  Moines  seemed  to 
be  fully  in  accord  with  one  of  the  voices  of  the 
day,  which  said : 

"They  waited  for  its  coming!  They  prayed 
for  its  coming!  They  talked  of  its  coming  un- 
til their  tongues  grew  eloquent  with  the  theme ! 
But  they  died  and  were  all  in  their  graves  be- 
fore their  eyes  saw  the  glories  of  this  latter 
age!  Through  the  films  of  death  they 
struggled  to  see  the  glory;  but  a  cloud  from 
the  Shadowy  Land,  freighted  with  the  chills  of 
the  grave  intercepted  all  vision  and  encom- 
passed the  dying  with  universal  darkness!  It 
is  here!  All  doubts  have  fled!  The  great 
triumph  has  been  achieved!  The  promised 
train  is  here  today !    The  sun  shines  in  a  clear 


178  A  History  of  Eaiu,y  Dks  Moines 

firmament!  The  day,  yea,  the  hour  of  final 
victory  has  come!" 

The  supper  and  dance  at  the  Savery  House 
was  all  that  could  be  wished  and  was  enjoyed 
until  a  late  hour  of  the  morning.  Some  of  our 
staid  citizens  did  not  go  to  bed  at  all,  but  "made 
a  night  of  it !"  Des  Moines  never  saw  a  hap- 
pier throng  of  citizens,  and  none  was  more 
happy  than  Judge  Wright,  Judge  Casady,  B. 
F/ Allen,  Col.  Spofford,  Col.  Hooker,  J.  B. 
Stewart,  Thomas  Hatton,  Ed  R.  Clapp,  Geo. 
W.  Jones,  Sol.  Stewart  and  hundreds  of  others 
who  had  waited  for  years  for  the  coming  train 
which  was  to  bind  Des  Moines  in  bands  of 
iron  to  the  outside  world,  and  cause  her  to 
stretch  her  limbs  in  the  great  race  of  prefer- 
ment. 

For  the  benefit  of  the  younger  generation 
a  list  of  the  guests  is  given  that  they  may  go 
down  into  history  as  participants  in  the  first 
railroad  excursion  in  the  capital  of  the  greatest 
state  in  the  Union: 

From  Keokuk:  J.  M.  Billings,  S.  C.  Carter, 
D.  Payne,  J.  Jewell,  R.  Patch,  E.  Griswold, 
Judge  S.  F.  Miller,  B.  S.  Merriam,  F.  H. 
Wickersheim,  E.  J.  Leech,  J.  W.  Delaplaine, 
Wm.  Patterson,  mayor  of  Keokuk,  James  Coy, 


By  Tacitus  Hussey  179 

William  Thompson,  J.  C.  Patterson,  S.  P. 
Patterson,  Harry  Fulton,  W.  Wilson,  John  P. 
Wise,  Geo.  E.  Kilburne,  Captain  Ball,  Major 
Lowe,  J.  L.  Rice,  C.  Bailey,  Col  J.  A.  Vaill,  D. 
Urinick,  J.  K.  Cochran,  D.  B.  Drmiimond,  C. 
Gaber,  C.  Thompson,  H.  Kerr,  W.  Sample, 
Capt.  Add  Hine  and  son,  Gen.  H.  T.  Reid  and 
son,  Howard  Tucker,  Wm.  Brownell  and  son, 
H.  J.  Miller,  Jas.  H.  Wilson,  Joseph  L.  Kerr, 
Captain  Pearmain,  General  McKenney,  Geo. 
J.  H.  Wilson,  U.  S.  A.,  Col.  C.  P.  Haines,  H. 
A.  Whitney,  Isaac  Anderson,  S.  M.  Anker,  W. 
N.  Stannus,  H.  Robertson,  S.  Pollock,  W.  S. 
Roche,  B.  Williams,  Michael  Gregg,  James 
Mayer,  G.  W.  Kerr,  Col.  A.  W.  Sheldon,  E.  H. 
Jones,  W.  C.  J.  Vines,  G.  W.  Pittman,  Rev. 
Mr.  Hassall,  H.  S.  Earrar,  Sam  M.  Rankin, 
D.  Mooar,  M.  K.  Taylor,  C.  P.  Birge,  James 
C.  Bruce,  E.  Sellers,  J.  W.  Rankin,  Col.  D.  B. 
Hillis,  J.  R.  Copelin,  H.  B.  Ten  Eyck,  Col.  J. 
C.  Parrott,  R.  H.  Wyman,  A.  C.  McQueen, 
Hon.  J.  W.  McCreary,  H.  T.  Cleaver,  I.  N. 
Sterne,  Gen.  W.  W.  Belknap,  Doc  Lowe,  D. 
W.  Blackburn,  A.  J.  Wilkinson,  George  E. 
Yarman,  S.  Cary,  S.  Younker,  George  Cabus, 
P.  D.  Foster,  H.'w.  Bobsnik,  J.  M.  Hiatt,  Rev. 
John  Burgess,  D.  W.  Tucker,  C.    E.    Snow, 


180  A  History  of  Early  Des  Moines 

John  W.  Bowers,  J.  W.  Pearmain,  J.  Gush,  E. 
M.  Buell,  Geo.  L.  Coleman,  P.  Gibbins,  Geo. 
B.  Smyth,  A.  Bridgeman,  O.  C.  Hale,  Thomas 
Clyde,  Thomas  J.  Tucker,  J.  J.  Goodwin,  Geo. 
R.  Stafford,  J.  P.  Carl,  J.'Tibbetts  and  Alex 
Barclay. 

From  Oskaloosa:  W.  H.  Seevers,  J.  R. 
Needham,  M.  T.  Williams,  Geo.  J.  Bennett,  W. 
H.  Needham,  E.  Moore,  D.  W.  Loring  and  C. 
G.  Moss. 

From  Burlington :  A.  D.  Wentz,  L.  Carper, 
E.  Chamberlain,  Mark  S.  Foote,  C.  P.  Squires, 
James  Morton,  A.  G.  Adams,  Dr.  Beardsley, 
James  Pittman,  H.  E.  Hunt  and  T.  W.  Bar- 
hydt. 

From  Ottumwa:  Gen.  J.  M.  Hedrick,  J. 
Howley,  Jr.,  Hon.  E.  H.  Stiles,  Gen.  E.  Gilles- 
pie, E.  M.  Gibbs,  J.  J.  Robison,  and  W.  H. 
Caldwell. 

The  same  train  took  the  excursionists  back 
the  next  day  and  bore  on  one  side  of  the  en- 
gine a  banner  reading:  "Keokuk-Des  Moines, 
the  gate  open  to  the  Capital."  On  the  other 
side  of  the  engine  a  banner  read:  "D.  V.  R. 
R. — The  link  which  unites  us." 

And  the  train  moved  out  across  the  wide 
stretch  of  prairie  amid  the  goodbyes  and  cheers 


By  Tacitus  Hussey 


181 


of  the  happiest  people  in  Iowa.  And  thus  Des 
Moines  shook  hands  with  the  outer  world  by 
rail. 

The  first  locomotive  entering  Des  Moines 
was  the  "Marion"  on  the  28th  day  of  August, 


W.  H.  McHENRY 


with  rails  to  finish  laying  the  track,  James 
Carl,  engineer.  The  engine  bringing  in  the 
"excursion  train"  on  August  29,  1866,  was  the 


182  A  History  of  Early  Dhs  Moines 

''Keokuk  No.   1,"  James  Tibbetts,     engineer, 
and  R.  Patch,  conductor. 

Robert  Given,  later  of  Dallas,  Texas,  was 
conductor  of  the  first   freight  train  entering 


F.  M.  HUBBELL 


Des  Moines,  August  30,  1866,  drawn  by  the 
"Leighton,"  Jack  McKeachie,  engineer.  This 
train  brought  up  a  big  consignment  of  lum- 
ber for  H.  F.  Getchell  &  Co. 


Bv  Tacitus  Hussey 


183 


FRANK  M.  MILLS 


APPENDIX 


Autobiography  of  Tacitus  Hussey 


A  FRAGMENT 

My  father,  Lieutenant  George  Hussey,  was 
a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812.  A  short  time 
after  the  bombardment  of  Ft.  McHenry — of 
which  he  was  one  of  the  defenders — he  came 
west  and  settled  at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  and 
entered  into  the  mercantile  business  in  a  small 
way.  Afterwards  he  bought  a  farm  of  160 
acres,  and  with  the  aid  of  some  hired  men, 
cleared  up  the  land,  built  a  house  and  a  barn, 
and  began  making  arrangements  to  go  to 
farming  in  earnest. 

My  mother's  name  was  Mary  Brockway. 
This  family  came  west  from  Schenectady, 
N.  Y.  There  were  three  brothers  with  four 
teams  of  horses.  My  mother  rode  a  pony,  ac- 
companying the  wagon  train  all  the  way,  with 
a  hymn  book  on  one  horn  of  her  saddle  and  a 
Bible  on  the  other.  There  were  sixteen  in  the 
party.  They  rode  all  day,  and  camped  where- 
ever  night  found  them,  pitching  two  large 
tents  for  sleeping  pur])()ses  and  a  smaller  tent 
used  as  a  kitchen.     Their  destination  was  a 


B^B 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Hg^--*'    ^^^1 

k^B^            *- j^^^^^^^B 

^H^^.^d 

^^B^^L_j^^^^^^^B 

^^^^^^Hv^llfK'^  '^^^^^M 

^^MPipiF  /  B^l 

^^^^^^K_^^i__ut^^^l 

■  ^^ 

Li^^ 

"^i^ 

Late;  Photo  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hussey 


Ai'PKNDix  189 

point  on  the  \\'al)ash  river,  eighteen  miles 
from  Terre  Haute. 

I  do  not  know  when  or  how  my  father  and 
mother  met,  "Unless,  by  chance,  the  usual 
way,"  as  the  old  song  recites  it,  and  I  can 
imagine  it  was  at  the  "Brockw.ay  settlement  up 
the  river"  as  we  used  to  call  it.  The  meeting 
resulted  in  an  intense  admiration,  a  mutual 
love,  a  courtship  of  three  months,  a  proposal, 
an  acceptance,  a  happy  marriage  soon  after, 
and  a  new  home  at  Terre  Haute. 

A  happy  life  of  eight  years  was  lived  here, 
and  here  T,  the  fourth  child  of  the  family,  was 
born  on  October  10,  1832. 

My  father,  who  was  looked  upon  by  his 
neighbors  as  one  of  the  few^  scholars  of  those 
times,  was  reading  a  history  of  the  Romans  by 
Cornelius  Tacitus,  at  the  time  of  my  birth. 
Hence  I  was  named  Tacitus.  If  there  had  not 
been  a  rule  in  our  family  against  giving  mid- 
dle names,  I  should  probal)ly  have  been  called 
Cornelius  Tacitus  Hussey. 

In  the  absence  of  schools  and  the  distance 
they  were  away,  my  father  taught  his  first 
three  children,  Preston,  Ann  and  Tacitus, 
(Brockway,  my  next  older  brother,  having 
died   in   infancy)    their  letters   from  the   old 


IIX) 


Al'l'ENDIX 


Webster's  Elementary  Spelling  Book,  used  by 
all  pioneer  boys  and  girls.  Abraham  Lincoln 
in  his  history  of  his  life  tells  of  how  he  studied 
this  book  by  an  open  fire  place  and  how  he  re- 
ceived his  first  knowledge  in  this  way.  I  used 
this  old  book  as  a  speller  and  reader  both,  but 
had  never  been  to  school. 


MRS.  JENNIE  CLEMENT  HUSSEY 

A  Pioneer  Teacher  at  Lyon  School  House,  Corner 
Capitol  Square 


One  Sunday  morning  at  breakfast  my 
father  informed  us  three  older  children  that 
we  were  going  to  school  on  the  next  Monday 
morning.  The  school  was  one  mile  away  to 
the   north    through    a    forest   of   hard    sugar 


Al'I'KNDlX  191 

maple  and  oak  trees.  There  were  no  roads  nor 
paths  to  the  school  house.  My  father  mounted 
one  of  his  horses,  and  with  a  hand  ax,  rode  to 
the  schoolhouse  "blazing''  the  trees  on  the 
route  every  thirty  feet  apart  on  opposite  sides 
of  the  route,  and  we  were  instructed  to  w^alk 
between  these  blazed  or  marked  trees  and  we 
would  reach  the  school  by  following  these 
directions. 

The  schoolhouse  was  built  of  logs  with  a 
window  on  each  side.  There  were  six  or  seven 
rows  of  slab  seats  with  the  upper  sides 
smoothed  off  with  a  carpenter's  plane,  with 
legs  cut  of  proper  lengths  to  suit  the  height  of 
the  scholars.  A  wade  open  fireplace  filled  the 
larger  portion  of  the  building,  in  w^hich  a  fire 
of  logs  was  burning.  The  master  came  in 
bringing  a  small  bundle  of  hickory  whips, 
which  he  laid  on  his  desk  with  a  thump,  serv- 
ing on  his  pupils,  large  and  small,  notice  of 
what  might  be  expected  if  there  were  any  in- 
fraction of  rules.  For  in  those  days  "lickin' 
and  learnin'  "  walked  side  by  side  in  the  halls 
of  learning. 

The  books  in  this  school  were  primitive. 
The  highest  was  Trast's  History  of  the  United 
States,  the  English  Reader,  Ray's  Arithmetic. 


192  AlTENDlX 

Grammar  may  have  been  taught,  but  if  so  I  do 
not  recall  it.  Teachers,  if  they  knew  the  multi- 
plication table  and  ciphered  as  far  as  the 
double  rule  of  three,  were  acceptable  to  the 
trustees,  providing  they  could  "handle  the  big 
boys." 

I  had  six  terms  of  three  months  each  in  a 
log  schoolhouse.  These  were  winter  terms. 
In  March,  maple  sugar  making  began,  and 
other  work  of  clearing  the  fields  of  winter's 
accumulated  rubbish  and  getting  the  plows 
ready  for  spring  plowing. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen  I  reported  to  my 
father  that  I  was  ready  to  obey  his  wish  that  I 
should  become  a  printer.  A  place  was  found 
for  me  on  the  Wabash  Courier,  with  the  pro- 
vision that  after  a  month's  trial  I  could  have 
a  change  of  employers,  if  I  wished.  The 
Courier  was  not  to  my  liking,  because  the  pro- 
prietors were  not  practical  printers  and  the 
foreman  did  not  like  to  be  "bothered  by  coun- 
try boys."  I  found  a  place  at  the  Terra  Haute 
Journal,  edited  and  published  by  Bentley  and 
Moore,  two  practical  printers,  with  whom  I 
stayed  four  years,  or,  as  they  expressed  it, 
until  I  could  "hold  a  case  anywhere."  To 
Cyrus  Bentley  I  am  indebted  for  my  first  les- 


Appendix  193 

sons  in  ''concentration  of  mind."  He  was  a 
fine  compositor,  taking  an  article  to  be  put  in 
type  and  reading  the  first  sentence,  he  would 
put  it  into  type  without  referring  to  the  copy 
again.  Then  the  next  sentence,  long  or  short, 
he  would  set  up  in  the  same  way.  Ordinary 
compositors,  for  lack  of  concentration,  or  a 
lapse  of  memory,  would  have  to  refer  to  the 
copy  several  times.  ' 

He  wTOte  his  editorials  in  the  same  way,  and 
it  would  have  puzzled  a  literary  critic  to  have 
found  a  word  out  of  place  or  a  dull  expression. 
I  thought  it  worth  while  to  master  his  system 
of  "concentration,"  to  reinforce  my  good 
memory,  which  it  may  be  I  inherited  from  my 
mother.  My  father  kept  a  journal  or  diary, 
which  every  farmer  ought  to  do;  but  when  it 
came  to  a  show-down  between  the  diary  and 
my  mother,  it  was  about  a  stand  off  between 
the  carefully  prepared  journal  and  a  mar- 
velous memory. 

I  had  just  enough  education  to  make  me 
wish  for  more  and  improved  every  opportunity 
to  read  the  best  books  I  could  find,  which  filled 
my  heart  full  with  a  burning  desire  to  become 
a  writer. 


194  Ai'PKNinx 

My  younger  brother,  Warren,  was  an  am- 
bitions yonng  man  and  wanted  to  see  the 
world.  Having  learned  the  business  of  a 
druggist  and  wishing  to  see  the  far  west,  he 
joined  a  wagon  train  bound  for  California. 
He  was  taken  sick  enroute  and  had  just  money 
enough  to  bring  him  as  far  as  Fort  Des 
Moines.  He  found  a  place  as  a  druggist  at  Dr. 
Shaw's  drug  store,  and  being  lonesome,  he  got 
a  situation  for  me  as  a  printer,  where  I  joined 
him  on  November  9,  1855. 

I  found  Fort  Des  Moines  a  dirty,  smoky 
little  place  of  four  hundred  people.  Yet  the 
greeting  the  people  gave  me  won  my  heart  and 
I  resolved  to  make  Fort  Des  Moines  my  home 
for  all  time  to  come  and  have  not  had  the  least 
desire  to  change  my  mind.  The  Statesman 
office  was  a  loosely  constructed  building  and 
so  badly  heated  that  steady  work  was  impossi- 
ble, so  as  soon  as  possible,  I  found  a  new  place. 
The  Exchange  Block  at  the  corner  of  Third 
and  Walnut  was  just  then  finished  and  when 
a  new  Republican  paper  was  established  by 
T.  Y.  Sypherd,  T  went  to  work  in  that  office. 
Work  was  plenty  and  the  snow  did  not  l:)low 
in  and  fill  up  our  type  cases.  I  had  plenty  of 
time    for    reading    and    study    and    improved 


Appendix  19b 

every  minute,  during  which  I  gathered  a  good 
deal  of  history,  which  stood  me  well  in  hand  in 
the  later  years. 

I  took  up  job  printing  in  1857-8  with  N.  W. 
Mills  and  Co.  and  worked  under  instruction 
for  six  months.  At  the  end  of  that  term  I  took 
a  situation  with  them  at  fourteen  dollars  a 
week  and  in  the  absence  of  the  two  brothers 
had  direction  of  the  work.  N.  W.  Mills  was 
an  excellent  printer,  a  verse  writer  and  a  news- 
paper writer,  and  seeing  that  my  mind  ran  in 
that  direction,  he  gave  me  encouragement 
after  seeing  an  occasional  article  from  my  pen 
published  in  The  Register  of  that  early  day. 
After  that,  having  written  a  series  of  articles 
under  the  nom  de  plume  of  ''Steven  Billings," 
I  was  encouraged  to  send  in  my  communica- 
tions under  my  own  name.  Many  of  these 
articles  are  preserved  in  scrapbooks  in  the  His- 
torical Department  of  Iowa.  I  am  indebted 
to  Frank  W.  Palmer  of  The  Register  for  many 
literary  hints  so  grateful  and  helpful  to  an 
amateur  writer. 

The  next  step  forward  was  made  in  estab- 
lishing and  publishing  an  advertising  paper  in 
the  interest  of  Carter,  Husscy  &  Curl,  called 
the  "New  Broom"  which,  in  the  language  of 


196  Appendix 

The  Register,  "swept  the  cobwebs  off  the  city," 
for  a  couple  of  years.  A  complete  file  of  this 
saucy  little  sheet  can  be  found  in  Tac  Hussey's 
compartment  in  the  Historical  building,  with 
other  literary  curiosities. 

I  do  not  remember  the  exact  date  when  my 
first  verses  were  written.  The  writing  of 
them  came  so  naturally  that  I  kept  no  dates, 
and  they  were  written  whenever  a  subject  ap- 
pealed to  me  and  the  Muse  would  not  take  no 
for  an  answer,  but  insisted  that  they  must  be 
uttered.  When  Colonel  Roosevelt  was  nomi- 
nated and  elected  president  the  first  time  a 
paragrapher  in  The  News  said,  "President 
Roosevelt  must  congratulate  himself  greatly 
these  days  because  his  name  cannot  be 
rhymed,"  and  yet  I  rhymed  it  eight  times  in 
the  eight  verses  of  a  little  poem  that  was  writ- 
ten in  his  honor.  On  the  occasion  of  his  visit 
to  Des  Moines  some  years  ago.  The  News 
printed  one  edition  of  the  paper  in  his  honor. 
One  copy  of  the  issue,  printed  on  white  satin, 
with  my  poem  in  it,  was  presented  to  Colonel 
Roosevelt  in  person  by  one  of  the  editors.  A 
copy  of  the  verse  can  be  found  in  one  of  my 
numerous  scrap  books  at  the  Historical 
building. 


Ai'i'KMiix  197 

I  edited  a  part  of  the  Mail  &  Times  two  or 
three  years,  but  the  sickness  and  subsequent 
death  of  the  editor,  E.  S.  Whitcomb,  caused 
the  pubHcation  to  change  owners  and  finally  to 
die  outright,  or  to  be  merged  with  another 
publication. 

My  petition  for  a  fishway  in  the  Bonaparte 
dam,  presented  in  rhyme,  is  still  remembered 
as  one  of  the  winning  petitions  of  the  legis- 
lature of  a  few  years  ago. 

My  last  newspaper  work  was  done  on  the 
east  side  paper  known  as  Plain  Talk,  published 
by  the  Bishard  Brothers.  I  had  to  quit  this 
work  because  of  failing  eye  sight;  and  when 
my  book  of  "Beginnings — an  Encyclopedia  of 
Very  Early  Des  Moines,"  is  published  and  de- 
livered, I  shall  feel  as  if  my  literary  work  is 
finished,  and,  folding  my  hands,  wait  for  a 
joyful  meeting  with  the  loved  one  who  has 
passed  on  before,  and  who  is  waiting  to  meet 
me  with  a  welcoming  smile. 


"  Six  Bonaparte  Dam  Elegies " 


Which   Assisted   in  the   Passage   of  the  "Bill   Condemning  a 
Fishway  in  the  Bonaparte   Dam." 


Passed  by  Senate,  March  8th. 

Passed  by  House,  March  22nd. 

1902. 


"Music  hath  charms,"  'tis  said,  "to  soothe  the  savage  breast ;" 
But  for  putting  in  a  "Fishway"  "portry"  works  the  best! 


A  DAM  ELEGY. 

Said  the  Pickerel  to  the  Catfish : 

"I  heard  rare  news  today ; 
That  the  dam  down  here  at  Bonaparte 

Will  have  a  good  fish-way! 
I  can't  be  pious  here  below ; 

For  staying  where  I  am 
I  bump  against  the  structure 

And  invariably  say  'Dam  !'  " 
Then  the  game  fish  fell  to  shouting 

At  the  good  news  they  had  heard — 
The  Catfish  opened  wide  his  mouth, 

But  never  gasped  a  word ! 

Said  the  Qiiillback  to  the  Sucker : 

"I  hate  to  be  confined 
To  this  one  spot  forever — 

I'm  afraid  I'll  lose  my  mind  ; 
This  dam  roaring  makes  my  head  ache' 

"Say,  look  here,"  said  the  Bass: 


Appendix  199 

"Ask  the  Fish  and  Game  Committees 

To  give  us  all  a  pass !" 
Then  the  Quillback  took  the  bandage 

From  off  his  aching  head — 
''^''ou're  a  scaly  lot  of  fellows !" 

The  big-mouthed  Catfish  said. 

Said  the  Salmon  to  the  Goggle  Eye : 

"When  this  fish-way  is  in  place, 
I'll  strike  out  for  headquarters 

At  a  good  two-forty  pace ! 
The  dam  roaring  and  head-thumping 

Will  ne'er  again  be  mine — 
And  perhaps  our  friends,  the  fishermen. 

Will  be  dropping  us  a  line !" 
Then  the  game  fish  burst  out  laughing, 

Nodding  each  expectant  head — 
"Meeks  will  roar  much  louder  than  the  dam !" 

The  grinning  Catfish   said. 

Said  the  Mullet  to  the  Catfish : 

"I've  just  heard  something  new; 
That  the  Fish  Clubs  and  Game  Warden 

Have  been  making  'game'  of  you ; 
That  the  'Sucker  Tribe'  you've  shaken 

And  you're  classed  with  Pike  and  Bass !" 
Then  said  the  smiling  Catfish  :     "Yes, 

I'm  swimming  in  that  class !" 
Then  the  Eel  began  to  grumble 

About  this  new-found  preference — 
"Well,  a  big  mouth."  said  the  Mullet, 

"Often  stands  in  stead  of  sense!" 

When  the  fish-way  had  been  finished, 

And  the  Meeks  had  shed  their  tears, 
There  was  the  biggest  "Fish  Convention" 

That  had  been  held  there  for  years ! 
With  their  loins  now  firmly  girded. 

And  in  each  fin  a  staff. 


200  Appendix 

They  prepared  to  give  "Old  Bonaparte" 
The  "Grand  Razzle-Dazzle"  laugh! 

As  they  climbed  the  road  to  freedom 
Everybody  had  to  smile, 

For  the  glad  flip-flapping  of  their  tails 
Could  be  heard  for  half  a  mile! 

Tacitus  Hussey. 


SWEELEY  REPLIES  TO  HUSSEY. 

Second  Elegy  on  the  Bonaparte  Dam  Makes  Its  Appearance. 
It  is  now  in  order  to  make  arguments  on  legislative  matter 
in  poetry.  A  rhythmical,  rhyming  production  entitled,  "Elegy 
No.  Z'  made  its  appearance  today  in  the  House.  It  is  signed 
"A  Member,"  and  is  attributed  to  Sweeley  of  Woodbury. 
The  production  is  an  answer  to  "A  Dam  Elegy,"  written  by 
Tac  Hussey  not  long  ago,  and  which  was  presented  and  read 
before  the  senate  and  referred  to  the  committee  on  fish  and 
game.  The  Hussey  poem  was  an  appeal  from  the  fish  of  the 
Des  Moines  river  asking  the  General  Assembly  to  put  a  fish- 
way  in  the  Bonaparte  dam  at  Bonaparte,  which  dam  has  no 
fish-way  and  has  been  under  controversy  for  years. 

DAM  ELEGY— No.  2. 

Said  the  Statesmen  to  the  Poet: 

"We  have  read  your  Elegy 

Telling  how  the  finny  tribe 

Have  held  a  jamboree 

At  the  stoppage  in  the  river 

'Gainst  which  their  heads  they  jam, 

Making  all  of  them  most  wicked 

By  continually  saying  'Dam.' 

We  will  very  gladly  help  you 

If  you'll  show  an  easy  way 

How  to  get  the  Dammed  stream  open 

Without  furnishing  the  pay. 


Appendix  201 

We  appreciate  the  troubles 
Stated  in  your  Elegy, 
But  we  really  can't  remove  them 
When  it  pulls  our  L — E — G. 
You  have  fought  the  battle  nobly 
But  you  cannot  count  it  won 
Till  you  show  us  how  to  do  it 
Without  putting  up  the  'mon.' " 

MarIvIN  J.  SwEEivEY, 
Member  from  Woodbury. 


THIRD  "DAM  ELEGY." 

"Dam  Elegy  No.  3"  has  made  its  appearance,  the  same  be- 
ing written  by  Tacitus  Hussey,  author  of  the  original  "Dam 
Elegy,"  and  being  in  reply  to  a  production  written  by  Sweeley 
of  Woodbury  upon  the  subject  of  the  Bonaparte  dam.  Hus- 
sey's  reply  reads  as  follows : 

Said  the  Fishes  to  the  Statesman : 

"We  were  very  much  amused 
At  the  poultice  you  are  placing 

On  our  heads  so  long  contused 
By  the  dam  bumping  we've  received 

For  forty  years  or  more ! 
Do  you  wonder,  oh,  Wise  Statesman, 

That  our  heads  and  hearts  are  sore? 
Should  you  ask  us,  'Weary  Wigglers' :    ' 

'Are  you  happy  in  your  plight?' 
We  would  shout,  with  fins  uplifted, 

No  !    Not  by  a  dam  site  !'  " 

"Pull  your  leg?     Why  how  immodest! 

We  don't  ask  for  wealth  in  chunks. 
But  a  modest  path  to  Freedom — 

Say,  about  five  hundred  plunks ! 


202  Appendix 

'Our  Iowa'  has  no  'rubber  neck'. 

But  we've  been  glad  to  see 
That  her  legs  are  of  material  that 

Will  stretch  from  Woodbury  to  Lee! 
Now  which  think  you  the  cheaper 

In  ending  this  long  fight— 
The  small  appropriation  asked  for 

Or  a  lift  of  dynamite?" 

Tacitus  Hussey. 


DAM  ELEGY— No.  4. 

Said  the  Statesmen  to  the  Fishes : 

"We  have  heard  your  latest  call, 
Saying  that  to  get  your  freedom 

The  expenses  will  be  small ; 
We  are  always  sympathetic — 

To  do  good  we're  ever  tryin'— 
If  a  doubt  of  this  you  harbor 

Ask  the  member  from  O'Brien! 
There's  a  feeling  now  existing 

That  for  happiness  to  gain 
We  must  have  our  duties  ended 

And  be  headed  for  the  train. 
Speaking  of  the  train  reminds  us, 

That  like  you  we'd  had  the  blues 
Had  the  amendment  not  been  tabled 

To  that  bill  prepared  by  Hughes. 
It  is  now  our  understanding, 

That  you're  strictly  in  our  class, 
And  through  the  dam  at  Bonaparte 

You  want  to  travel  on  a  pass ! 
We're  convinced  now  more  than  ever. 

And  for  aught  that  we  can  see, 
No  obstructions  should  you  hinder, 

For  all  travel  should  be  free ! 


Appendix  203 

So  we'll  try  to  be  consistent 

The'  the  voters  our  heads  jam, 
And  as  we  did  not  dam  the  pass, 

We  will  help  you  pass  the  dam." 

AIarlin  J.  SwEELEY. 


DAM  ELEGY— No.  5. 

Said  the  Fishes  to  the  Statesmen 

Of  the  Twenty-ninth  G.  A. : 
"You've  caused  our  hearts  to  sing  for  joy 

Because  we  feel  so  gay ! 
You  have  promised  us  our  passes 

And  our  joy  we  cannot  name. 
But  we  flip  our  fins  in  gladness, 

And  hope  you'll  do  the  same  ! 

"Our  King,  the  big  Mud  Catfish, 

About  Jim  Brenton's  size, 
With  his  wealth  of  corpulency, 

And  looking  quite  as  wise, 
Is  waiting,  self-appointed, 

In  some  cool,  shady  nook, 
For  the  first  chance  that  is  offered 

To  swallow  Lambert's  hook ! 

"With  the  general  wish  expressing. 

Which  seems  now  to  prevail, 
That  when  Blanchard  goes  a-fishing 

He  miay  always  catch  a  whale ! 
Then  the  Fish  and  Game  Committee 

Of  the  House  has  done  first  rate — 
Though  it  may  have  had  a  Cruikshank, 

You  bet  its  heart  is  straight ! 


204  Appkndix 

"And  now  to  our  new  Dam  Poet, 

Away  out  on  the  Sioux, 
For  his  rhyming  words  of  comfort 

Here's  a  word  of  love  for  you: 
May  you  scale  to  top  Fame's  Ladder ; 

For  you're  one  with,  you  know — 
We'll  not  play  you  for  a  Sucker — 

But,  'Are  you  a  Buffalo?' 

L'  Envoi. 

"The  needed  brain  food  we'll  supply — 

Of  this  there's  no  denyin', 
And  furnish  fish  on  Fridays 

To  the  member  from  O'Brien ! 
All  the  baited  hooks  you  drop  us 

We  will  swallow  without  fuss, 
And  as  for  you  we'll  ever  pray^- 

So  may  you  prey  on  us !" 

Tacitus  Hussey. 


DAM  ELEGY— No.  6. 

I  write  to  inform  you  that  this  very  day, 
While  the  Solons  were  busily  earning  their  pa:>', 
The  bill  from  the  Senate,  watched  over  by  you. 
Was  acted  upon  and  went  swimmingly  through. 
When  the  bill  is  approved  by  the  successor  to  Shaw, 
And  the  "way"  is  completed  according  to  law, 
All  of  Walton's  disciples  with  their  jugs  full  of  bait 
For  that  big  Mud  Catfish  can  lie  slyly  in  wait. 
Here's  hoping  that  some  day  before  the  year's  through. 
He'll  come  up  to  Des  Moines  and  be  landed  by  you ! 

Marlin  J.  SwEELEY. 


Materials  Belonging  to  Tacitus  Hussey 
Deposited  in  Historical  Depart- 
ment of  Iowa 


Books — 

Address  Book. 

Adrian,  Mich. — Account  Book — 1815. 

Aylesworth,  Barton  O. — Songs  and  Fable. ' 

Bashford,  Herbert — Songs  from  Puget  Sea. 

Bishard,  M.  H. — Business  Directory  of  Des  Moines  Val- 
ley R.  R.  Towns,  1869. 

Brassey,  Lady — In  the  Trades,  the  Topics  and  With  the 
Roaring  Forties. 

Brocklesby,  John — Elements  of  Astronomy. 

Brown,  Leonard — American  Patriotism — Poems  of  the 
Prairie. 

Central  Presbyterian  Church  Calendars   (five). 

Central  Presbyterian  Church  Manual. 

Clapp,  Edwin   Ruthven — Biography. 

Coleridge — Poems. 

Columbian  Orator. 

Connecticut — Code  of  1850. 

Crane,  J.  L.— Two  Circuits. 

Custer,  E.  B. — Boots  and  Saddles. 

Dawson,  C.  C. — Thoughts  and  Fancies. 

Day,  Parson  E. — Public  Declamation. 

Des  Moines  Blue  Book. 

Des  Moines  House — Hotel  Register,  1864. 

Diary— 1863. 

Dixon's  Centennial  History  of  Polk  County,  1876. 

Durley,  Ella  Hamilton — My  Soldier  Lady. 

Field,  A.  G. — Footprints  Made  in  the  Dark. 

Fink,  Wm.  Westcott — Echoes  from  Erin. 

Foxe's  Book  of  Martyrs. 

Frisbie,  x\lvah  H. — Plymouth  Vespers. 


206  Appendix 

Books — Continued 

Frost,  John — History  of  United  States. 

Hammill,  Prof.  H.  M. — Four  Gospels  and  Life  of  Christ. 

Hammond,  Edward  Payson — New  Praises  of  Jesus. 

Harper's  Encyclopedia  English  and  American  Poetry. 

Hugh,  George  Shelley— American  Civilization. 

Hussey,  Mary  B. — Poems. 

Hussey,  Tacitus — River  Bend. 

Kipling,  Rudyard — Barrack  Room  Ballads. 

Lee,  Franklin  W.,  Rhymes. 

Lessons  in  Reading. 

Longfellow,  Henry  W. — Poems,  2  vols. 

Miller.  Freeman — Oklahoma,  and  other  poems. 

Mills,  Frank — Jinglets. 

Mills,  Frank — Mills  Family  and  Collateral  Branches. 

Moore,  Thos. — Poems. 

Mulock,  Dinah  C— Jolm  Halifax,  Gentleman,  and  other 

novels. 
Murray,  Lindley — English  Grammar — English  Reader. 
Poe,  Edgar  Allan — Works,  3  vols. 
Polk  County  History  with  Biography. 
Pool,  Maria  A. — Mrs.  Keats  Bradford. 
Porter,  William — History  of  Polk  County. 
Portrait  and  Biographies  Governors  of  Iowa  and  Presi- 
dents of  U.  S. 
Ray — Elementary  Arithmetic. 
Richmond,   Rev.  Leigh — Drayman's  Daughter. 
Rodeheaver — Great  Revival  Hymns,  autographed. 
Rollins,  Chas. — Ancient  History. 
Sabin,  Henr}- — Talks  to  Young  People. 
Sanders,  Chas.  W. — School  Reacler. 
Secor,  Eugene — Echoes  from  the  Shelter. 
Smith,  Roswell — English  Grammar. 
Songs  for  the  Sanctuary. 
Sweet  Hour  of  Prayer. 
Thomson,  James — The  Seasons. 
Thoreau,  Henry  D.— Walden. 


Appknuix  207 

Books — Continued 

Tourgee,  Albion — Bricks  Without  Straw. 

Turrill,  H.  B.— History  of  Des  Moines,  1857. 

Twain,  Mark — (A)  Tramp  Abroad. 

Van  Lenner — Bible  Lands. 

Voices  of  the  Flowers. 

Walker,  J. — Rhyming   Dictionary. 

Wallace,  Lew — Fair  God,  Ben  Hur. 

Ward,  Artemus — 2  vols. 

Webster — Elementary  Speller. 

Whiston — Works  of  Josephus. 

Wilson,  William  Duane — Iowa  and  Des  Moines,  Vol  L 

Wyckoff,  W.  C— Workers. 

Young,  E.  R. — By  Canoe  and  Dog  Train. 

Correspondence — 
Five  Files. 

Cuts — 

Box  Miscellaneous. 

Daguerreotype — 

In  Highland  Costume. 

Flask  (pocket). 

Knick-Knacks   (Miscellaneous  and  of  no  special  interest). 

Manuscripts  and  Fragments — 

Newspapers — 

Adrian,  Michigan — Michigan  Expositor.  Feb.  5,  1850 
Boston — Boston  Investigator,  Oct.  L  1850. 

Pamphlets — 

History  Central  Presbyterian  Church   S.  S.   (8  Nos.). 
Miscellaneous  with  footnotes. 

Photographers — 
Archery  group. 
Des  Moines  House,  1864. 
Des  Moines— Old  Postofficc,  1845. 
Old  Settlers'  group. 


208  Appendix 

Postal  Cards — 

Several  packages  picture  postals. 

Scrap  Books — 

Miscellaneous  clippings   (10). 
Printing  (5). 

Songs  Published  and  for  SaliC — 
Booster  Song  of  Iowa. 
Iowa,  Beautiful  Iowa. 
My  Country,  Oh  My  Country. 
Old  Flag. 


SONGS 


THE  OLD  FLAG. 


Tacitub  Husset. 
In  March  Time. 


H.   >l.   TOWNBR. 


1.  Oh,  star  -    ry  flag,  with  waving  folds 

2.  Old  Flag:!    we  love  your  colors  brijyht; 

3.  OldFlap!  our  fathers  loved  so  well, 


And  field  of  az  -  ure  blue. 
Your  stars  of  white, so  true; 
The  brave     Red,  Whiteand  Blue. 


^m 


-!V^ 


-*t'5- 


^-^ig'-v— 


m 


ny-A- 


With  stars    of  white  and  stripes  of  red. 
We're  read  -  y     ev-er  for  the  fight 
We'll  fol  -  low  thro' the  battle  smoke, 


So  proud  -  ly  floating  o-ver-head. 
In  Freedom 's  cause  and  for  the  Right! 
The  can-i)on's  roar  and  sabre  stroke; 


m 


:^^^=? 


-N-'l- 


-AS— ^ 


2±^ 


:tc 


What  are  we  thinking  of  you.  Old  Flag?  What  are  we  thinking  of  you? 
That's  what  we're  promising  you.  Old  Flag!  That's  what  we're  promising  you! 
Vic  -    tory'salwayswith   you,   Old  Flag!  Vic  -    to-ry's  always  with  you! 


^ 


-N-a- 


Copytight,  1900,  by  Tacitus  Hussey.  Des  Moines,  Towa. 


211 


INDEX 


Page 

Aborn   House    161 

Adams,  A.  G 180 

Agatha   (steamboat)    10,  13,  113,  116,  118 

Agency   City    169 

Agricultural   Bank  of   Tennessee 91 

Ainsworth,  Capt.  J.  C 120 

Ainsworth,  Lucian  L 128 

Alexander  Rodgers   (steamboat) 121 

Alice   (steamboat)    120 

Allen  &  Lyon 85 

Allen,  B.  F 7,  20,  34,  85.  88,  100,  134,  144,  153,  154,  172 

Allen,  Capt.  James 9,  10,  13,  115 

Allen,  Kitty  IZ,  137,  138 

Allen,  Mrs.  B.  F 138,  144,  152 

American   House    83 

Anderson,  Isaac   179 

Andrews,  Mrs.  L.  F 140 

Andrews,  W.  G 91 

Angle,  M.  C 128 

Ankeny,  Hattie   141 

Anker,    S.   M 179 

Apel,  Prof 137 

Appanoose  (Chief )    116 

Appanoose  Rapids   116 

Ayers  Drug  Store 93 

Ayers,  W.  F 34,    53 

Bachus,  Mrs 151 

Badger  State    (steamboat) 120 

Bailey,  C 179 

Bailey,  George  W 86 

Baker,   Adjutant   General 123 

Baker,  Col.   Thomas 100 

P.aker,  Mrs.  Dr 152 

Baker,  W.  H 130 


INDEX. 

Page 

Baker,  Win.  B 88 

Ball,   Capt 179 

Bank   Note   Reporter 159 

Baptist  College     86 

Barclay,  Alex    180 

Barhydt,   T.   W 180 

Bartlett,    Maro   Loomis 217 

Barlow,  John  52 

Bates,  Curtis   20 

Battle  of  Shiloh 48 

Beardsley,   Dr 180 

Beaver  Creek   100 

Beebe,  George  52 

Beekman,  Ten  Eyck 173 

Beers,  Capt.  F.  E 119 

Belknap,  Gen.  W.  W 179 

Bennett,    Benjamin    52 

Bennett,   George  J 180 

Bentley,   Cyrus    192 

Bentonsport    132 

Billings,  J.  M 178 

Bird,    Mrs.   Thompson 59 

Bird,  Rev.  Thompson 48.  50.  67,     74 

Bird  School  50 

Birds'  Run   23 

Birge,  C.  P 179 

Birge,  Elvira  66 

Blackburn,  D.  W 179 

Black  Hawk  Purchase 9 

Boardman,   Norman    128 

Bonaparte,  Iowa  123,  198,  200 

Boone  County  17 

Bowen,  Jesse  128 

Bowers,  Alex 27.  28,  77 

Bowers,   John   W 180 

Bobsnik,  H.  W 179 

Bovd,   John  H 71 


INDEX. 

Page 

Boyd,   Thomas    71 

Boyd,  Wm.    E 71 

Boyington,  Mr.  and  Mrs 137 

Bracewell,   Hartley    130 

Brackett,  W.  F 137 

Brandt,  Isaac   123,  125 

Brass  Band 71 

Brazil,  Rev.  Father  John  F 99 

Breekbill,  A.  C 51 

Brewery     72 

Bridge,  First   74 

Bridgeman,   A 180 

Briggs,  Otis   20 

Brockway,   Mary    187 

Brooks,  Dr.  Thomas  K 16,  52,  62 

Brooks,  Mrs.  Dr 152 

Brown,  Leonard  ." 63 

Brown,  Talmage   E 85 

Brownell,  Dr 145 

Brownell,  Mrs.  Dr 149 

Brownell,  Wm.  and  Son 179 

Bruce,  James  C 179 

Bryant,   Benjamin    66 

Buell,   E.   M 180 

Buell   Spinning  Bait 104 

Buena  Vista    169 

Bunn,  Henn  97 

Burbridge,  Jim    104 

Burgess,  Rev.  John 179 

Burgett,  J.  F 52 

Burlington   Hawkeye    72 

Burlington,  Iowa   132 

Burnham,  E.-L.  &  Co 93 

Burns,  Tom  115 

Burton,  Joseph    129 

Bush,  H.  M 88 

Bush,   Horace    71 


INDEX. 

Page 

Bush,  L.  H 60 

Butts,  George    160 

Buzzard,  P.  H 52 

Cable,   Mrs 137 

Cabus,   George    179 

Caldwell,   W.   H 180 

Caleb  Cope   (steamboat) 112 

Campbell   Brothers    100 

Campbell,  Burrell  87 

Campbell,  "Jim" 20.  76,     11 

Campbell,  Mr 22 

Campbell,  W.  A 137 

Cane,   Addison    51 

Canfield,   Elijah    53 

Capitol  Building  69 

Carl,  James    181 

Carl,  J.   P 180 

Carpenter,  Mrs.  Thomas     151,  148 

Carper,  L 180 

Carson,  J.  B 163 

Carter,  S.  C 178 

Gary    179 

Casady,  Judge  P.  M 20,  23,  30,  31,  37,  41,  55,  156,  172 

Casady,  Simon 60 

Case,   Philo  L : 53 

Cave,  Capt.  Richard 122 

Cave,  Jesse 122 

Census,  First  in  Des  Moines 66 

Central  Presbyterian  Church 48 

Chamberlain,  E 180 

Charley   Rodgers    (steamboat) 119 

Cheek,  Allie  Smith 164 

Childs,  George  A.  and  Mrs.  George  A 149 

Childs,  Howell  and  Sanford 88 

Chittenden  &  McGavic 163 

Chronicler    (The)    11 

Clapp,  Ed.  R 30.  67,    76 


INDEX. 

Page 

Clapp,  W.  W 51 

Clara  Hine  (steamboat) 112,  123,  131,  132 

Clark,  G.  B 53 

Clark,  Leander   130 

Clark,  Rush   129 

Clarke,  Capt.  S.  B 121 

Cleaver,  H.  T 179 

Cleveland,   George  W 172 

Cleves,  John    129 

Clough,  Thomas  M 53 

Clyde,  Thomas   180 

Coal    69 

Coburn,  L.  L 137 

Cochran,  J.   K 179 

Coffeen,  Benjamin  51 

Coflfin,  Capt.  T.  C 121 

Cole,  Isaaa  51 

Coleman,  George  L 180 

Collins,  Artoise  84 

Colonel    Morgan    (steamboat) 20,  119 

Cook,  Fred  W 137 

Cook,   Ira    131 

Cook,  Sergeant  &  Cook 131 

Cooper,  Isaac  21,  74 

Cooper,  Mrs.  Isaac 152 

Cooper,  Pomroy  60 

Coon,  C.  F 167 

Connable   163 

Connell,  Chas.  J 137 

Copelin,  J.   R 179 

Court  House 64,  65,  69 

Court  House  Square  112 

Counterfeit  Detector  159 

County  Commissioners  54 

County  Officers    53 

Covered  Bridge 10 

Coy,  James  178 


INDEX. 

Page 

Crane,  James    88,  89 

Crossman,  Perry 62 

Croton,  Iowa    64,  122 

Dailey,  John  L " 84 

Dallas,  Texas   29 

Dam  Elegies,  Six  Bonaparte 198 

A  Dam  Elegy 198 

Dam  Elegy  No.  2 200 

Tliird  Dam  Elegy 201 

Dam  Elegy  No.  4 202 

Dam  Elegy  No.  5 203 

Dam  Eleg>'  No.  6 204 

Dangler,  Mrs.  S.J 147 

Dangler,  S.  J 148 

Davenport,   Iowa    131 

Davis,  Capt 120 

Davis,   Charles    114 

Davis,  Mary   32,  59 

Davis,  Moses  114 

Dean,  John  S 53 

Death's  Mill 113 

Defiance  (steamboat)    120 

De  Eord,  William  32,  51 

De  Graff,  Grace  Clark 219 

Delaplaine,  J.  W 178 

Delinger,  Christian    129 

De  Moine  Belle  (steamboat) 119,  123,  127 

De  Moine  City  (steamboat) 120,  123 

Demoine  House  93,  95 

De  Moine  Valley  (steamboat) 121 

Des  Moines   (See  Ft.  Des  Moines)  — 

Barlow  Granger  elected  mayor  of 26 

Charter  for,  adopted 55 

Charter  for,  to  be  written 55 

City  council  elected 55 

Election  held  to  incorporate 55 


INDEX. 

Page 

Des   Moines — Continued. 
Firsts 

Amusement  hall   70 

Brass  Band 71 

Brewery 12. 

Brick  building  62 

Bridge    74 

Capitol  building   69 

Census  taken   66 

Church  62 

Church  building  erected 62 

Coal  mined  69 

Court  House   64-65 

Daily  paper  published 72 

District  court 6i 

Drug  Store 66 

Election  in 61 

■  Flock  of  sheep 76 

Fourth  of  July  celebration di 

Fraternal  society    69 

Grist  mill   69 

Ice  plow  in  use T^ 

Iron  foundry  71 

Jail  in 65 

Marriage  license  issued   66 

Meat  market    67 

Mortgage  recorded   67 

Newspaper  published ^1 

Political  meeting   61 

Power  printing  press 71 

Post  office  building 66 

Presbyterian  sermon  74 

Public  school  63 

Public  school  building 63 

Real  estate  sale 67 

Regular  mail  arrives 66 

Runaway  slaves  arrive  75 


INDEX. 

Page 

Des  Moines — Continued. 

Sermon  preached  62 

Stage  enters  village  of 69 

Steam  boiler  works 71 

Stove  store 69 

Taverns  63 

Two  story  building  62 

Whig  paper    69 

History  of  early 9 

Seat  of  government  established  at 165 

Sherman,  Lampson  P.  elected  mayor 27 

Serves  as  recorder  and  treasurer  of 27 

Des  Moines  Register    153 

Des  Moines  River 10,  17,  100 

Des  Moines  River  Line  (of  steamboats) 125 

Des  Moines  Row 19 

Des  Moines  Valley  Railroad 163,  167,  171,  172 

Dewey,  Robert    60 

Dicks,  Alonzo  F 51,  71 

Dicks,  Edward  F 51 

Dicks,  Jesse  F 51,  55,  69 

Dicks,  Victoria  51,  60,  88 

Dilley,  William  51 

District  court   61,  62 

Dixon,  J.  M 170 

Dixon,  J.  P 120 

Dixon,  J.  W 128 

Doff  man,  Jacob  113 

Doty,  Will   148 

Drady,  Michael  70,  82,  83 

Dragoons  (U.  S.) 9 

Dragoon  Well   80,  81 

Drake,   George  A 173 

Drake.  James  15 

Drummond,  D.  B 179 

Dungan,  Warren   S 128 

Dunkle  Brothers 91 

Dunlavy,  Harvey   129 


INDEX. 

Page 

Eaton,  Mr 168 

Eddy's  Trading  Post 115,  116 

Eddyville 133 

Edison  Electric  Light  Plant 103 

Ed.  Manning   (steamboat) 120 

Eichorn.  Godfrey 129 

Eider,  Anna 60 

Eider,   Till    60 

Ellis,  John   114 

Elliott,  F.  E 53 

England,  Wm 88 

English,  Harvey  127 

English  Reader  191 

Equitable  Insurance  Company 24 

Esteb,  E.  T 127 

Everl}-,  Henry 51 

Ewings,  Washington  George 16 

Fagan,  Dr.  P.  B 30,  31 

Fagan's  Mill    31 

Fairall,   Samuel  H 129 

Farmington,  Iowa  113,  118 

Farner.  Dr.  W.  H 47,  84 

Farr,  Stephen 53 

Farrar,  H.  S 179 

Farris,  Joseph  119 

Farris,  Capt.  Robert 120 

Farris.  Capt.  W.  H. 119,  120,  121 

Female  Seminar^'  (Academy) 59,  60,  61 

Ferguson.  David  129 

Finch,  D.  0 146,  154,  162 

Finch,  J.  H 53 

Finch,  Judge  and  wife 137 

Finch,  Dr.  D.  0 147,  152 

Flagstaff    81 

Flint.  Joseph  H 130 

Flora   Temple    (steamboat) 120 


INDEX. 

Page 

Foote  &  Co 163 

Foote,  John  G 128 

Foote,  Mark  S 181 

Fort  Des  Moines   (See  Des  Moines)  — 

Brick  industry  started  in 11,  13 

Campbell  and  McMuUin's  addition  to 22 

Capt.  Allen  selects  site  of 9 

Citizens  form  steamboat  company ZL» 

Fire  fighting  machine  arrives  at 22 

Located  at  head  of  navigation ■ 18 

Located  at  the   forks   of    Des   Moines   and   Raccoon 

rivers    9,  10,  163 

Military  station  completed  at 13 

Narrative  of  camp  life  in 14,  15 

Settlers  arrive  17 

Soldiers  arrive   10 

Steamboat  Agatha  arrives  10 

Fort  Des  Moines  Star ; 25 

Fort  Des  Moines  Steamboat  Company 20,  ll9 

Fort  Des  Moines  Weekly  Gazette 26,  27 

Fort  Dodge   119 

Fort  Raccoon  57,  80 

Fort  Sanford   10,  116 

Forty-Niners    21 

Foster,  Mrs.  Wm 141 

Foster,  P.  D 179 

Fourth  of  July 63 

Four  Mile  Creek 11,  100 

Fonts,  E 54 

Fox,  Dr.  and  Mrs 149 

Frazier,  Wm.   D 69 

Frederick,  B.  F 53 

Frederick,  Jacob  53 

Fuller,  A.  B 51 

Fuller,  Levi   129 

Fulton,  Harry   179 


INDEX. 

Page 

Gaber,  C 179 

Catling,  W.  J 82 

Gault,  Capt 112 

Gault,  Edward  J 129 

Gazette,  The   69 

George  H.  Wilson   (steamboat) .   121 

Getchell,  H.  F.  &  Co 182 

Gibbins,  P 180 

Gibbs,  E.  M 180 

Gibson,  Hiram  D 129 

Gillespie,  Gen.  E 180 

Gillette,  Mrs.  E.  H 140 

Gilmore,  W.  S.  &  Son 161 

Given,  Arthur  60 

Given,  John  H 35 

Given,  Pauline  (Swalm) 35 

Given,  Robert   182 

Glanville,  Joshua   129 

Glimpse,  Eli  114 

Globe  (steamboat)  119 

Good,  Charles  86,  87,  100 

Goodwin  &  Purdy  88 

Goodwin,  George  B 12,    73 

Goodwin,  J.  J 180 

Goodwin,  Miss    152 

Graham,  W.  C 167 

Granger,  Barlow  25,  26,  47,    67 

Gray,  George  W 128 

Gray,  Samuel   : ,.20,    69 

Great  Western  Stage  Coach  Co 69 

Greeley,  Horace    26,    47 

Gregg,  Michael  179 

Green,  Senator  George  F 128,  130 

Grier,  Lieutenant  Wm.  N 10,  13,    31 

Griffith  Block  123 

Griffith,  Mrs.  J.  M 152 

Grimmell,  Augusta    37 


INDEX. 

Page 

Grimmell,  Dr.  F.  C 2,7,  38,  66,    71 

Grinstead,  B.  F 53 

Grist  Mill   69 

Griswold,   E 178 

Guard  House  37 

Gue,  Benjamin  F 128 

Gush,  J 180 

Guthrie  County 95 

Hagans,  J.  C 127 

Haines,  Col.  C.  P 179 

Hale,  O.   C 180 

Hall,  Edwin  51 

Hall,  James    51 

Hall,  Townsend   51 

Hallett,  Mrs.  Minerva  Jones 60 

Hall's  Ridge    80 

Hammer,  D l28 

Hardie,  Thomas 129 

Harlan,  Aron  W 63,  64,  121 

Harlan,   Edgar   R 7 

Harris,  Capt.  W.  H 121 

Harrods,  J.  J SZ 

Harter,  Misses   88 

Hassall,  Rev 179 

Hastings,  D.  C 128 

Hatton,  Thomas  137 

Hays,  Mary 42,  44,  45 

Hedrick,  Gen.  J.  M 180 

Heft,  Arthur  213 

Hemingway,  H.  N 71 

Hempstead,  Gov.  Stephen 26 

Henderson,  Thomas    S3 

Hepburn,  Add  88,  90,  146 

Hepburn,  Mrs.-  Add 141 

Hervey,  White  &  Bradshaw 86 

Hewett,  "Pap" 66 


INDEX. 

Page 

Hiatt,  J.  M 179 

Hierb,  George   12 

Hill,  Capt.  Grant  W 119 

HiUis,  Col.  D.  B 179 

Hine,  Capt.  Add 179 

Hininan,  B.  B.  &  Co 163 

Holland,  Ella  60 

Holland,  Oanville  and  Mrs.  Granvilk- 60 

Holland,  Kate   60 

Holland,  Marie  60 

Holcomb,  Jacob    51 

Holcomb,  James  51 

Holcomb,  Richard   51 

Holcomb,  Wm 51 

Hollingsworth,  Louis    129 

Holmes,  W.  H 128 

Hooker,  Col.  E.  F 149,  172,  173 

Hooker,  Hagie 1^ 

Hooker,   Kittie    73 

Hooker,   Lizzie    1^ 

Hooker,  Mrs.  E.  F 148,  152 

Home.  H.  M lOU 

Horseshoe  Lake   112 

Houghton,  Douglas   146 

Howard  (murder  and  lynching) 93 

Howard,  Robert  53 

Hoxie,  B.  F 32,    62 

Hoxie,  Herbert  M 29,    30 

Hoxie,  James 29 

Hoxie,  Melville  '29 

Hoxie,  Melville  B 29,    30 

Hoxie,  Rose   29,    30 

Hoxie,  Ruth 29 

Hoxie.  Wm.  H 29,    30 

Howell,   C.  C 149 

Howell,  Mrs.  C.  C 140,  150 

Howes,  J.  F 85 


INDEX. 

Page 

Howley,  J.  Jr 180 

Hubbell,  F.  M 134 

Hubbell,  Mrs.  Frances  Cooper 60 

Hughes,  Wm 53 

Hull,  Miss  Lida 88 

Hunt,  H..  E 180 

Hussey,  Lieutenant  George 187,  189 

Hussey,  Tacitus — 

Ann  Hussey,  sister  of 189 

Attends  dinner   84 

Autobiography  of   187,  197 

Compositor  84 

Death  of  7 

Gratitude  of  7 

Impersonates   Irish  Washerwoman 147 

Journeys  to  Fort  Des  Moines 194 

Materials  in  Historical  Department 205 

Printer  195 

Hussey,  Mrs.  Tac 143,  146,  151 

Hussey,  Warren  146.  153,  156,  162 

Hussey,  Mrs.  Warren 143,  147,  152 

Iowa   City    160,  166 

Iowa  Loan  and  Trust  Co 62 

Iowa  Star    47,    67 

lowaville   121 

Iowa  W^eekly  Citizen 72 

Indians   16.  17,  19,    61 

Ingersoll,  Mrs.  E.  J 142 

Ingham  &  Starr 85 

Ingham,  S.  R 149 

Ingham,  Mrs.  S.  R 147,  151 

Introductory 7 

Iron   Foundry    71 

Jackson.  Calvin  J 130 

Tail   65,    66 

Jenkins,  James    64 


INDEX. 

Page 

Jennie  Dean  (steamboat) 122 

Jennings,  John  D 128 

Jennie  Lind    (steamboat) 120 

Jeroleman,  J ^ 92 

Jewell,  J 178 

Jewett  family 58 

Jewett,  George  A 58 

Jewett,  Mrs 32 

John  B.  Gordon   (steamboat) 119 

Johnson  (murder) 92,    93 

Johnson,  Capt.  J.N 121 

Johnson,  Kitty 141 

Jones,  A.  D 32 

Jones,  Alwilda  6U 

Jones,   Edward    60 

Jones,   E.   H 179 

Jones,  Hon.  George  W 172,  173 

Jones,  Lewis    51 

Jordan,  J.  C 53 

Julia  Dean    (steamboat) 120 

Kahler,   Charles    90 

Karns,  F.  C 71 

Kasson,  John  A 138,  173 

Kasson,  Mrs.  John  A; 148 

Keane,  Ella 140 

Keene,  Mrs.  Samuel 29 

Keffer,  By 90 

Keffer,  Simon  90 

Kellogg,  Miss    142 

Kellogg,  Racine  D 129 

Kellogg,  Samuel   48 

Kemp,  Jim  90 

Kennedy,  Michael    71 

Kent,  James  M 128 

Kentucky  (steamboat)    119 

Keokuk   (Indian   Chief) 116 


INDEX. 

Page 

Keokuk,  Iowa 125,  131,  132,  163 

Keosauqua,  Iowa 115,  132 

Kerr,  G.  W 179 

Kerr,  H 179 

Kerr,  Joseph  L 179 

Kerr,  Mrs.  W.  B 7 

Ketchum,  R.  A 137 

Keys,  C.  W 145 

Kilburne,  George  E 179 

Kirkwood,  Governor  ami  Mrs 149 

Knight,  Mrs.  John 142 

Knoll,  F.  M 129 

Knowlton,  Anna  P 50 

Knowlton,  J.  W 137 

Lafferty,  Capt.  J.  M 10,  113 

Lafferty,  James  53 

Lakin,  W.  B 129 

Lamb,   Newton    53 

Lamb,  William    15 

Lane,  James  T 130 

Land  oflfice 52 

Lawson,  Isaac  52 

Lawson,  Lizzie 60 

Leviathan    (keel  boat) 121 

Leake,  Joseph  E 128 

Le  Bousquet,  Misses 141 

Leech,  E.  J 178 

Lehman,  Will  H 136,  137 

Leighton,  Mr 168 

Levis,  Mary  88 

Lewis,  W.  E 128 

Libertyville,  Iowa ~. 133 

Light  (steamboat)    122 

Lighter  (steamboat)    122 

Little  Morgan  (steamboat) 121,  124 

Logan,  Jeff •  •  ■  •     75 


INDEX. 

Page 

Loomis,  M.  C 130 

Loring,  D.  W 18U 

Louisiana  Purchase   9 

Love,  Mary    148 

Lovejoy   . . .  .* 88 

Lovejoy's   Lumber   Yard 82 

Lowe,  Doc   179 

Lowe,  Major   179 

Lowrie,  Charles  W 129 

Luella  (steamboat)    119 

Lunt,  Samuel  H 146 

Luse,  Cyrus  P 88,  149 

Luse,  Mrs.  Cyrus  P 149,  151 

Lyon  34 

Lyman,  Major  Joseph 173 

Lyon,    Captain 12U 

Lyon,    Eliza 60 

Lyon,  Elizabeth  Chester 60 

Lyon,    George 60 

Lyon  Girls   88 

Lyon,    Maggie     143 

McBride,    Dr i)^ 

McClain.  John  D 52 

McClelland,  William   52 

McCrary,   Abner  M 127 

McCrary,    George    W 127 

McCreary,  J.  W 179 

McCune,  Captain  C.  F 119 

McDonald,    N.    S 71 

McGaughey,   Mumma  &  P>are 84 

McGlothlin.   John    D 52 

McGlothlin,    Thomas    130 

McGorrish,  Dr 97,    99 

McHenry,    Wm.    H 52 

McKay,    Florence    138 

McKay,    Judge    William 52 


INDEX. 

Page 

McKeachie,  Jack    182 

McKenney,    General    179 

McLennan,   William    129 

McMullin,  Thomas   22,  23,  100,  104 

McQueen,    A.    C 179 

McQuiggan,    Colonel    121 

McQuinn,  James    129 

McTighc,   Michael    (Mike) 70,       87 

McWilliams,   John    91,    92 

Madrid,   Iowa   17 

Maid   of    Iowa    (steamboat ) 122 

Mail,    first    regular 66 

Manning,  Hon.  Ed 120 

Marion    (The)    181 

Marion,   Iowa    125 

Martin,    Henry    M 129 

Marts,  D.  C 52 

Marvin,  W.  T 55 

Mason,   Captain   Charles 119 

Masons    (Free)    69 

Martesen,  Miss  137 

Maxwell,  John   S 129 

Mayer,  James    179 

Meacham,  W.  H 52,  63,    69 

Meacham,  W.  R 54 

Merriam,    B.    S 178 

Merrill,   Governor   Samuel 139 

Merrill,    Mrs.    Governor 140 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church 15,  28,  31,    62 

Michael,  Addison  52 

Michigan   (steamboat)    121 

Middle  River  11 

Milard,   Captain    Charlie 114 

Milard,  Levit 114 

Milburn,   Isaac    130 

Miller,  Judge  S.  F 178 


INDEX. 

Page 

Mississippi     River    9,  125 

Missouri  River   75 

Mitchell,  Abby    147 

Mitchell,   Mrs.  John 140 

Mitchell,  Thomas   52,  53,    61 

Mooar,    D 179 

Mock,    Daniel S3 

Montrose,   Iowa    132 

Moody,  J.   M 172 

Moore,  E 180 

Moore,  Mrs.  William  Winchester 60 

Moore,  W.  W.   (Uncle  Billy) 35,  36,  Zl,  62,  74,  91,     100 

Moss,  C.  G 180 

Morgan  House   143 

Morris,    John    ' •. 172 

Morris,  W.   C 113,   114,  118 

Morrison,    Captain    121 

Morrow,  Charles    53 

Morton,  James    180 

Mott's   Elevator    153 

Mosier,   C.   A 71 

Mosier,    Cyrus    34 

Movestar  (steamboat)    122 

Mumma's  Hotel 83 

Munger,  Lyman    148 

Munsell,   O.   W 72 

Murley,  James  S 128 

Myers,   Captain   Peter 19,   20,  119 

Nagle,  Franklin    53 

Napier,  Thomas   53 

Nash,  Rev.  J.  A 63 

Neal,   Jarius   R 128 

Needham,  J.   R 180 

Needham,  W.  H 180 

Nelson,  Ole   130 

Nevada   (steamboat)    121,  123 


INDEX. 

Page 

Newcomer,  Peter   53 

New  Georgetown   (steamboat) 122 

Newton,    A 148,  149 

Newton,  Augustus  20 

Newton,   Mata   '. . . .  137,  142 

Newton,   Mrs.   A 149,  152 

New   Purchase    9 

Norris,    David    (  Uncle ) 53,     67 

Northwestern    Depot    123 

Nutt,  H.   C 86 

Nourse,  Mrs.  C.  C 151 

Obers,   Dr 116 

O'Kell,  George    104 

Old    Settlers'   Association 74 

Oskaloosa,  Iowa  133 

Ottumwa,  Iowa   116,  119,  121,  133 

Oyler,  WaUer    53 

Palmer,  Hon.  F.   M 138,  169 

Pandodging    (steamboat)    122 

Parade  Ground    81,    82 

Parker,  George  W 129 

Parmalee,  John   D 11 

Parmalee,  Jules   102,  108 

Parrott,  Colonel  J.   C 179 

Parsons,  Mr 168 

Patch,  R 178,  182 

Patterson,  J.   C r 179 

Patterson,    S.    P 179 

Patterson,   William    178 

Patton,    Captain    132 

Payne,  D 178 

Pearmain,  Captain   179 

Pearmain,   J.    W .' 180 

Pelton,  Mrs.  L.  A 151 

Perry,  John   M 52 


INDEX. 

Page 

Phelps,   Captain  William 122 

Phillips,    James    53 

Pittman,    G.   W 179 

Pittman,    James    180 

Plathe,   Rev.   G.  H 97,  99 

Plymouth   Mill    113 

Poems 

To  a  Pair  of  Old  Boots 78 

We  Are  Building  a  City  Hero 55 

Polk  County  54,  58,  61,  101 

Pollard,  James    127 

Pollock,  S 179 

Porter,  Joseph   R 130 

Porter,   Will    84 

Posegate,  Frank   100 

Post   office    66,  85 

Potter,  Mrs.  Lida  Hull 60 

Presbyterian    Church    (Central) 11 

Price,   Captain   Joseph 112 

Price,    Michael    129 

Pritchard,    Walter    Scott 86,  148 

Pritchard,  Mrs.  Walter  Scott 139 

Providence    (steamboat)    121 

Pursley,  Hugh 53 

Quick,   Mrs.   William 142 

Quinn,  John  W 129 

Raccoon  River  10,  100 

Raccoon  Row   19 

Ragan,  Mrs.  Major  \Mlliam 139 

Rankin,   J.    W 179 

Rankin,   Sam  M 179 

Ranson,  Dr.  C.  H 148 

Rathbun,  Abncr    31 

Rathbun,   Elizabeth    31 

Rathl)un,  Ezra   31,  6z 

Rathbun,   Jonathan    31 


INDEX. 

Page 

Rathbun,  Mary  D '. 31 

Rathbun,  Mary  Marie 31 

Rattlesnake  Bend    109,  116 

Raymond,  J.    B 137 

Ray's  Arithmetic    191 

Rawson,  Mrs.  A.  Y 152 

Redhead,   Wesley   , 85,  146 

Red  Rock,  Marion  County 9,    50 

Reed,    Helen   E 148 

Reed,   Walter   G 148 

Register,  Des  Moines 72 

Reid,  General  H.  T 167,  179 

Reinicker,  George 60 

Reinicker,  J.  D 85 

Reinicker,   William    60 

Reinig,  August    84 

Reinking,  C.  D 23,    55 

Revenue    Cutter    (steamboat) 122 

Reynolds,   B.   F 92 

Reynolds,   G.   L 69 

Rice,  Byron    145 

Rice,  J.   L 179 

Rice,  Mrs.   Byron 145,  152 

Roberts,  Mr 168 

Robertson,  H 179 

Robinson,  J.  J 180 

Rouche,  W.   S 179 

Rodgers,  John 90 

Rogg,  Charles   91 

Rogg,   Joseph    91 

Rommell,    Mollie    141 

Rose,  Colonel  John 52 

Rosecrans,  Miss   137 

Rothrock,   James    130 

Rowles,  Oliver   P 129 

Rue,  Miss  l^''^ 

Rush,   Austin 47,    48 


INDEX. 

Page 

Russell,  Captain   120 

Russell,  E.  F 84 

Russell,    Jeanette 140 

Russell,  John  129 

vSt.    Ambrose    Church 38 

Sample,  W 179 

Sanford  House  143 

Sangamon   (steamboat)    121 

Saylor,  Benjamin   54 

Saylor,  John    53 

Saylor,  J.   P 53 

Saylor,   John   Q.   A 53 

Saylor,   H.    S 16 

Savery  House    72,  1 73 

Savery  Mrs.  James 148 

Savery,  Mrs.  J.  C 142 

S.  B.  Science  (steamboat) 121 

School   building    03 

Schram,  George   129 

Scott,  Aleck  53 

Scott,    General    Winfiekl 80 

Scott,   John   R 15 

Scott,  W.  A 15 

Seeberger,  Mrs.  J.  D 142 

Seevers,   W.    H 180 

Selgrove,  Eli   114 

Sellers,   E 179 

Seward,  Wm.  H 26 

Seymour,  Annie    149 

Shaffer,  J.   Monroe 128 

Shamrock  House 70,  87 

Sharman,    Joseph    P 88,  137 

Sharman,   Mrs.    Susan 88 

Shaw,  Dr.  Alexander 45.  85,   126,  149 

Shaw,  Mrs.  Alexander 1 49,  152 

Shebble,  Captain  D.  C 120 


INDEX. 

Page 

Sheldon,  Colonel  A.  W 179 

Sherman  Block  24 

Sherman,  Charles   39,    60 

Sherman,  Wm.  T 20,  23,  24,    39 

Sherman,  Hoyt 23,  24,  39,  55,  (^,  144 

Sherman,  Hoyt  Jr 39,  46,    60 

Sherman,  James   20,  23,    39 

Sherman,  Lampson  P 11,  26,  27,  39.  44,  55,  69,     74 

Sherman,  Mrs.  Lawson 60 

Sherman,    Mrs.   James 39 

Sherman,    Mrs.    Hoyt > 145,  153 

Sherman's  Hall  28 

Shipman,  George  C 129 

Shoemaker,  A.   B 52 

Shoemaker,  Jack    100 

Shoemaker,  Jacob    52 

Silver  Anniversary    74 

Simons,  Billstein  &  Strauss 88 

Sims,  L.  D 53 

Skipper    (steamboat)     120,  169 

Skunk  Bottom    131 

Slaughter,  Ed   114 

Slaves    75 

Smith,   Sevv^ard    172 

Smyth  &  Co 163 

Smyth,  George  B 180 

Sneer,  George   71 

Snow,  C.  E 179 

Snovv^,    Sam    114 

Soap   Creek    122 

Solanberger,   Mr.  and   Mrs 32 

Solanberger,    David    62 

Songs    (by  Tacitus  Husscy) 209 

Iowa — "Beautiful   Land"    215 

"Iowa's   Queen"    213 

"My   Country!   Oh,   My   Cuntry!" 217 

"The    Booster    Song" 219 

"The  Old  Flag". 210 


INDICX. 

Page 

Spofford,    Charley    146 

Spofford,   Mrs.   Charley 142 

Spofford,    S.  F 149,  172 

Spofford,  Mrs.  S.  F l49 

Squatters     52 

Squires,    C.    P 180 

Stack,  Johns  &  Co 90 

Stafford   &   McCune 163 

Stafford,  John  R 180 

Stanley,  Squire   116 

Stannus,   W.   N 179 

Stanton,   James 52,    53 

Stanton,  Thaddeus  M 129 

Starr,  J.  H 86 

State  Bank  of  Iowa 24 

State  Bank  of  Missouri 118 

Steamboats    109,  112 

Steam   Boiler    Works 71 

Stephenson,   Harry    88 

Sterne,   I.   N 179 

Stevens,    A.   J 30,    91 

Stevenson,   T.   C 129 

Stew^art,   Colonel    173 

Stewart,  George   129 

Stewart,  J.  B 148 

Stewart,   Mrs.  J.   B ■. 1'39 

Stickney,  Joseph   H 63 

Stiles,   F.   H 46 

Stuart,  John  A 149 

Studor,  Major  A.  G 137 

Sturdevant,  John    15 

Stutsman,  C 53 

Sunday  School,  first  in  Des  Moines 62 

Swalm,   Al    35 

Swan,   George    150 

vSweczey,    Captain     122 

Sweeley,  Marlin  J 200,  201,  203,  204 


INDEX. 

Page 

Sypher,  Reuben  W 20,  29,  55,    91 

Sypher,  Thomas  H 71,    72 

Tailor,  first  in  Des  Moines 69 

Talbot,  Mrs.  A.  C 141 

Taylor,  Emily   88 

Taylor,  M.  K 179 

Tavern,  first  in  Des  Moines 63 

Teesdale,  John    1^ 

Ten   Eyck,   George    114 

Ten  Eyck,  H.  B 179 

Terrace   Hill    134 

Thode,  J.  H 22 

Thomas,   Braxton   D 84 

Thompson,  C 179 

Thompson,   Martin    129 

Thompson,   William    179 

Thorntown,  Indiana    50 

Thrailkill,  Joe  84 

Thrift,  Hamilton    52 

Thrift,  Hannah  Jane    58 

Thrift,  Joseph  M 15,  57,  58,  69 

Thrift,  William  H.  Adj.  Gen 58 

Tibbetts,  J 180 

Tibbetts,   James    182 

Tichenor,  Mrs.  George  C 139 

Tidrick,  R.  L 23 

Tidrick,  Mrs.   R.   L 151 

Time  and  Tide    (steaml)oat) 121 

Tisdale,  Captain    : 119 

Towner,  H.  M 210,  215 

Town  lots   67.  76,  11 

Tritle,  B.  F : 86 

Trullinger,    Gordy    11 

Trullinger,  Mr H 

Trumbell,  George  W 128 

Tucker,   D.  W 179 


INDEX. 

Page 

Tucker,   Howard    179 

Tucker,  Martin  X 63 

Tucker,  Thomas  J 180 

Turner,   Alexander    15 

Turner,   Dr.  M.   P .• 70 

Twin   Lakes 101,  102 

Udell,  Nathan   127 

Uinick,    D 179 

Utterson,  Dave  90 

Vaill,   Colonel  J.   A 179 

Van,  Charles  C 17 

Van  Anda,  Salue  G 130 

Van  Buren,   President   Martin 26 

Van  Dorn,  William    53 

Van's  Hill   17,  80 

Van  Tuyl,  Bonnie   148 

Victoria   Hotel    38 

Vines,  W.  C.  J 179 

Vorse,    Addison    S 20 

Wabash    Courier    192 

Walker,  W.  B 137 

Walnut    Creek    100 

Ward,  Dr.  W.  H 74 

Ward,   Mr 114 

Warden,    George    I  > 52 

Ware,  William    52 

Warner,  Jed    145 

Warner,  Hattie  46 

Warner,  Mrs.  Joseph    46 

Washburn,  Sadie   142 

Washington,  George   16 

Wasson,  John    129 

Weaver,   Charley    104 

Weed,   Th.urlow    26 


INDEX. 

Page 

Weiser,   Professor    86 

Welling,  Sim  157 

Wellman,  Grandma   32 

Wells,  L.  J 102 

Wellslager  &  Ledlie 72 

Wellslager,  Mrs.  R.   T 139 

Wentz,   A.   D 180 

West,  Arethusia  • 134 

West,  Captain  F.  R 71,     11 

West,  Frank    84 

West,  John    P 129 

West,    Miss    Thusa 71 

West,  Mrs.  F.  R 70,  152 

West,    Nettie    73,  140 

Western   Stage  Coach   Co 133 

Wetherell,  W.  E 129 

Whitcomb,  Edward  B 1^^  1^,    74 

White,    Joseph    R 130 

WTiite,    Laura    Lyon 60 

White,  Mrs.  S.  V 152 

Whitledge,  Mattie   141 

Whitman,  Dr.  H.  L 96,  97,    99 

Whitney,  C.  F 83 

Whitney,  H.   A 179 

Whittemore,  Otis   129 

Whitten,    Lewis    ^^ 

Wickersheim,   F.   H 178 

Wilcox,  Franklin   130 

Wilkins,    Reason    53 

Wilkinson,   A.   J 179 

Williams,    B 179 

Williams,  J.   Wilson 130 

Williams,  Judge   42.  44.  45,    46 

Williams,  M.  N 128 

Williams,    M.    T 180 

Williams,    Dan    102 

Willits,  Jim    H"^ 


INDEX. 

Page 

Wilson,  Captain   121 

Wilson,  General  William  Duane 75 

Wilson,  George  J.  H 179 

Wilson,  James  H 179 

Wilson,    J.    F...... 130 

Wilson,   Susie   139 

Wilson,   W ' 179 

Winchester,    L.    D 52,  62 

Wingate,   Blanche    7 

Winters,  Mrs.  Martin 151 

Wisconsin    Territory    64 

Wise,  John  P ." 179 

Withrow,  Thomas  F 152 

W^ood,   James    137 

Woodbury,  Mrs.  A.   B 152 

Woodruff,    Mrs.    Dr 146,  152 

Woodson,   Theron  W^ 128 

Woodward,    William    G 128 

Woodworth,  W.  C 129 

Women's   Club   25 

Wright,  General  Ed 138 

Wright,   John    135 

Wylie,   William   D 146 

Wyman,  R.  H 179 

Yarnman,   George   E 179 

Yawer,  The    (steamboat) 122 

Yost,  Mrs.  John  151 

Young,  Joseph   B 130 

Young,  Senator  J.  B 125 

Younker,  S.   179