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OF 


Chickasaw  and  Howard  Counties 


lOAV^ 


BY  W^.  E.  ALEXANDER 


DECOaAH,  IOWA: 
Western  Publishing  Company. 
.    1883. 


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PREFACE. 


The  object  of  this  work  is  to  place  upon  record  in  a  reliable  man- 
ner and  in  a  permanent  form  what  ever  incidents  of  importance  may- 
have  transpired,  within  the  limits  of  Howard  and  Chickasaw  coun- 
ties, since  their  first  settlement.  While  the  publisher  does  not 
arrogate  to  himself  a  degree  of  accuracy  beyond  criticism,  he 
hopes  to  be  found  measureably  correct,  in  the  compilation,  and  ar- 
rano-ement,  of  the  almost  immeasurable  incidents  that  have  been 
swallowed  up  in  the  past,  and  that  enter  so  largely  into  the  pres- 
ent of  the  community,  in  whose  interest  this  volume  is  written. 

Without  the  aid  and  assistance  of  the  pioneers,or  their  immedi- 
ate descendants,  and  numerous  notes  from  their  carefully  written, 
and  well  preserved  diaries,  the  task  would  have  been  far  more 
arduous  and  difficult.  To  the  patriarchs  of  the  past,  who  have  so 
favored  us;  as  well  as  to  the  representative  men  of  the  present  we 
tender  our  grateful  acknowledgement.  Among  those  we  take 
especial  pleasure  in  mentioning  are  J.  H.  Powers,  Jos.  F.  Grawe, 
B.  A.  Billino-s,  L.  E.  Smith,  W.  R.  Mead  and  John  E.  Peck,  whose 
retentive  memories,  and  carefully  preserved  newspaper  files  and 
general  records,  have  added  largely  to  whatever  of  interest  may  be 
found  in  this  volume. 

The  undertaking  of  the  publisher  completed,  it  only  remains  to 
tender  to  the  people  of  Howard  and  Chickasaw  counties  in  gene- 
ral his  obligations  and  acknowledgement,  for  the  uniform  kind- 
ness and  courtesy  extended  to  him  and  his  representatives  and 
agents,  during  the  preparation  of  these  annals,  as  well  as  for  their 
liberal  patronage,  without  which  this  history  would  have  been  left 
buried  beneath  the  debris  of  time,  unwritten  and  unprepared. 

Respectfully, 

W.  E.  ALEXANDER. 


HISTORY  OF  IOWA. 


DISCOVERY    AND     OCCUPATION. 

The  name  Iowa  is  said  to  signify  "The  Beautiful  Land,"  and 
was  appHed  to  this  magnificent  and  fruitful  region  by  its  ancient 
owners,  to  express  their  appreciation  of  its  superiority  of  climate, 
soil  and  location.  Prior  to  1803,  the  Mississiijpi  River  was  the 
extreme  western  boundary  of  the  United  States.  All  the  great 
Empire  lying  west  of  the  "Father  of  Waters,"  from  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  on  the  south,  to  British  America  on  the  north,  an(f  west- 
w^ard  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  was  a  Spanish  province.  A  brief  his- 
torical sketch  of  the  discovery  and  occupation  of  this  great  em- 
pire by  the  Spanish  and  French  governments  will  be  a  fitting  in- 
troduction to  the  young  and  thriving  state  of  Iowa,  which,  until 
the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  was  a  part  of  the 
Spanish  possessions  in  America. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1-^  2,  Ferdinand  DeSoto  discovered  the 
mouth  of  the  Mississii^pi  River  at  the  mouth  of  the  Washita. 
After  the  sudden  death  of  DeSoto,  in  May,  of  the  same  year,  his 
followers  l^uilt  a  small  vessel,  and  in  July,  1543,  descended  the 
great  river  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

In  accordance  with  the  usage  of  nations,  under  wliicli  title  to 
the  soil  was  claimed  by  right  of  discovery,  Spain,  having  con- 
quered Florida  and  discovered  the  Mississippi,  claimed  all  the  ter- 
ritory bordering  on  that  river  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  But  it 
was  also  held  by  the  European  nations  that,  discovery  gave  title, 
that  title  must  be, perfected  by  actual  possession  and  occupation. 
Although  Spain  claimed  the  territory  by  right  of  first  discovery, 
she  made  no  effort  to  occupy  it ;  by  no  permanent  settlement  had 
she  perfected  and  held  lier  title,  and  therefore  had  forfeited  it 
when,  at  a  later  period,  the  Lower  Mississippi  Valley  was  re-dis- 
covered and  occupied  by  France. 

The  labors  of  the  zealous  French  Jesuits  of  Canada  in  pene- 
trating the  unknown  rigion  of  the  West,  commencing  in  1611, 
form  a  history  of  no  ordinary  interest,  but  have  no  particular  con- 
nection with  the  scope  of  the  present  w^ork,  until  in  the  fall  of  1665. 
Pierre  Claude  Allouez,  who  had  entered  Lake  Superior  in  Septem- 
ber and  sailed  along  the  southern  coast  in  search  of  cop])er,  had 
arrived  at  the  great  village  of  the  Chippewas  at  Chegoincegon. 
Here  a  grand  council  of  some  ten  or  twelve  of  the  princii)al  Indian 
nations  was  held.  The  Pottawatomies  of  Lake  Michigan,  and  Sacs 
and  Foxes  of  the  West,  the  Hurons  from   the  North,   the   Illinois 


10  HISTORY    OF  IOWA. 

from  the  South,  and  the  Sioux  from  the  land  of  prairie  and  wild 
rice,  were  all  assembled  there.  The  Illinois  told  the  story  of  their 
Ancient  glory,  and  about  the  noble  river  on  the  banks  of  which 
they  dwelt.  The  Sioux  also  told  their  white  brother  of  the  same 
great  river,  and  Allouez  i^romised  to  the  assembled  tribes  the 
protection  of  the  French  nation  against  all  their  enemies,  native  or 
foreign. 

The  purpoi^  of  discovering  the  great  river  about  which  the  In- 
dian nations  liad  given  such  glowing  accounts,  appears  to  have 
originated  with  Marquette,  in  1669.  In  the  year  previous,  he  and 
Claude  Dablon  had  established  the  Mission  of  St.  Mary's,  the  old- 
est white  settlement  within  the  present  limits  of  the  state  of  Mich- 
igan. Marquette  was  dela3^ed  in  the  execution  of  his  great  under- 
taking, and  spent  the  interval  in  studying  the  language  and  hab- 
its of  the  Illinois  Indians,  among  whom  he  expected  to  travel. 

Alx)ut  this  time  the  French  government  had  determined  to  ex- 
tendThe  Dominion  of  France  to  the  extreme  western  borders  of 
Canada.  Nicholas  Perrott  was  sent  as  the  agent  of  the  govern- 
ment to  propose  a  grand  council  of  the  Indian  nation,  at  St. 
Mary's. 

When  Perrot  reached  Green  Bay,  he  extended  the  invitation 
far  and  near  ;  and,  escorted  by  Pottawatomies,  repaired  on  a  mis- 
sion of  peace  and  friendship  to  the  Miamis,  who  occupied  the  re- 
gion about  the  present  location  of  Chicago. 

In  May,  1671,  a  great  council  of  Indians  gathered  at  the  Falls 
of  St.  Mary,  fr-om  all  parts  of  the  northwest,  from  the  head  waters 
of  the  St.  Lawrence,  from  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  and  from 
the  Red  River  of  the  North.  Perrot  met  with  them,  and  after 
grave  consultation,  formally  announced  lo  the  asseml^led  nations 
that  their  good  French  Father  felt  an  abiding  interest  in  their  wel- 
fare, and  had  placed  them  all  under  the  powerful  protection  of  the 
French  Government. 

Marquette,  during  that  same  year  had  gathered  at  Point  St. 
Ignace  the  remnants  of  one  branch  of  the  Hurons.  This  station, 
for  a  long  series  of  years,  was  considered  the  kev  to  the  unknown 
West. 

The  time  was  now  auspicious  for  the  consummation  of  Mar- 
quette's grand  project.  The  successful  termination  of  Perrott's 
mission,  and  the  general  friendliness  of  the  native  tribes,  rendered 
the  contemplated  expedition  much  less  perilous.  But  it  was  not 
until  1673  that  the  intrepid  and  enthusiastic  priest  Avas  finally 
ready  to  depart  on  his  daring  and  perilous  journey  to  lands  never 
trod  by  white  men.  Having  implored  the  blessing  of  God  upon 
his  undertaking,  on  the  13th  day  of  May,  1673,  with  Joliet  and 
five  Canadian-French  voyageurs,  or  ]:)oatmen,  he  left  the  mission 
on  his  daring  journey.  Ascending  Green  Bay  and  Fox  River, 
these  bold  and  enthusiastic  pioneers  of  religion  and  discovery  pro- 
ceeded until  they  reached  a  Miami  and  Kickapoo  village,  where 


HISTORY    OF  IOWA.  11 

Marquette  was  delighted  to  lind  a  "beautiful  cross  planted  in  the 
middle  of  the  town,  ornamented  with  white  skins,  red  girdles  and 
bows  and  arrows,  which  these  good  people  had  offered  to  the  Great 
Manitou,  or  God,  to  thank  Him  for  the  pity  He  had  bestowed  on 
them  during  the  winter,  in  having  given  them  abundant  chase." 
This  was  the  extreme  point  beyond  which  the  explorations  of  the 
French  missionaries  had  not  then  extended.  He  called  together 
the  principal  men  of  the  village,  and  informed  them  that  his  com- 
panion, Joliet,  had  been  sent  by  the  French  Governor  of  Canada 
to  discover  new  countries,  to  be  added  to  the  dominion  of  France  ; 
but  that  he,  himself,  had  been  sent  by  the  Most  High  God,  to 
carry  the  glorious  religion  of  the  Cross  ;  and  assured  his  wonder- 
ing hearers  that  on  this  mission  he  had  no  fear  of  death,  to  which 
he  knew  he  would  be  expos^ed  on  his  perilous  journey. 

Obtaining  the  services  of  two  Miami  guides,  to  conduct  his 
little  band  to  the  Wisconsin  River,  he  left  the  hospitable  Indians 
on  the  10th  of  June.  Conducting  them  across  the  portage,  their 
Indian  guides  returned  to  their  village,  and  the  little  party  de- 
scended the  Wisconsin,  to  the  great  river  which  had  so  long  been 
so  anxiously  looked  for,  and  boldly  floated  down  its  unknown 
waters. 

On  the  25th  of  June,  the  explorers  discovered  indications  of  In- 
dians on  the  west  bank  of  the  river,  and  landed  a  little  above  the 
mouth  of  the  river  now  known  as  Des  Moines,  and  for  the  first 
time  European  trod  the  soil  of  Iowa.  Leaving  the  Canadians  to 
guard  the  canoe,  Marquette  and  Joliet  boldly  followed  the  trail  in- 
to the  interior  for  fourteen  miles  (some  authorities  say  six),  to  an 
Indian  ^dllage  situated  on  the  banks  of  a  river,  and  discovered 
two  other  villages,  on  the  rising  ground  about  a  half  a  league  dis- 
tant. Their  visit,  while  it  created  much  astonishment,  did  not 
seem  to  be  entirely  iHiexpected,  for  there  was  a  tradition  or 
prophec}^  among  the  Indians  that  white  visitors  were  to  come  to 
them.  They  were,  therefore,  received  with  great  respect  and  hos- 
pitality, and  were  cordially  tendered  the  calumet  or  i^ipe  of  peace. 
They  were  informed  that  this  band  was  a  part  of  the  Illini  nation, 
and  that  their  village  was  called  Monin-gou-ma  or  Moingona, 
which  was  the  name  of  the  river  on  it  stood.  This  from  its  simi- 
larity of  sound,  Marquette  corrupted  into  Des  Moines  (Monk's 
River)  its  present  name. 

Here  the  voyagers  remained  six  days,  learning  much  of  the 
manners  and  customs  of  their  new  friands.  The  new  religion 
they  boldly  preached,  and  the  authority  of  the  King  of  France 
they  proclaimed  were  received  Avitho'ut  hostilit}^  or  remonstrance 
by  their  savage  entertainers.  On  their  departure,  they  were  ac- 
companied to  their  canoes  by  the  chiefs  and  hundreds  of  warriors. 
Marquette  received  from  them  tlie  sacred  calumet,  the  emblem  of 
peace  and  safeguard  among  the  nations,  and  re-embarked  for  the 
rest  of  their  journey. 


12  HISTORY    OF  IOWA. 

In  1682,  TjaSalle  deBcended  tlie  Mississip])!  to  the  Gulf  of  Mex- 
ico, and  in  tlie  name  of  the  King  of  France  took  formal  possession 
of  all  the  immense  region  watered  by  the  great  river  an(l  its  tribu- 
taries from  its  source  to  its  mouth,  and  named  it  Louisiana,  in 
honor  of  his  master,  I.ouis  XIV.  At  the  close  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  France  claimed,  by  right  of  discovery  and  occupancy,  the 
whole  valley  of  the  Mississippi  and  its  tributaries,  including  Texas, 
as  far  as  the  Kio  del  Norte. 

In  1719,  Philli])e  Francis  Renault  arrived  in  Illinois  with  two 
hundred  miners  and  artisans.  Tlie  war  between  France  and  Hpain 
at  this  time  rendered  it  extremely  probable  that  the  Mississippi 
Valley  might  become  the  theater  of  S])anish  hostilities  against  the 
French  settlements  ;  to  prevent-this,  as  ^^'ell  as  to  extend  French 
claims,  a  chain  of  forts  was  begun,  to  keej)  oi)en  the  connection 
between  the  mouth  and  the  source  of  the  JNlississippi.  Fort  Or- 
leans, high  up  the  IVIissouri  River,  Avas  l)uilt  as  an  outpost  in  1720. 

The  ]Viississi])i)i  scheme  was  at  the  zeriith  of  its  power  and  glory 
in  January,  1720,  but  the  gigantic  bu])ble  collajised  more  suddenly 
than  it  had  lieen  inflated,  and  the  company  was  declared  liope- 
lessly  bankrujit  in  INlay  following.  France  was  impoverished  by 
it,  both  private  and  public  credit  was  overthrown,  capitalists  sutl- 
denly  found  themselves  paupers,  and  labor  was  left  without  em- 
ployment. The  efiect  on  the  colony  of  Ijouisiana  was  A^ery  dis- 
astrous. 

While  this  was  going  on  in  Lower  Louisiana  the  region  about 
the  lakes  was  the  theater  of  Indian  hostilities,  rendering  tli£ 
passage  from  Canada  to  Louisiana  extremely  dangerous  for  maiiy 
years.  The  Fnglish  had  not  only  extended  their  Indian  trade  in- 
to the  vicinity  of  the  French  settlement,  ])ut  through  their  friends, . 
the  Iroquois,  had  gained  a  marked  ascendan{;y  over  the  Foxes,  a 
fierce  and  })owerful  tribe,  of  Iroquois  descent,  whom  they  incited 
to  hostilities  against  the  French.  The  Foxes  l)egan  their  hos- 
tilities with  the  siege  of  Detroit,  in  1712,  a  siege  which  continued 
for  nineteen  consecutive  days,  and  although  the  expedition  re- 
sulted in  diminishing  their  numbers  and  hum})ling  their  pride, 
yet  it  was  not  until  after  several  successive  cam])aigiis,  cml)odying 
the  best  military  resources  of  New  France,  had  been  directed 
against  them,  that  they' were  finally  defeated  at  the  great  battles 
of  Butte  des  Morts,  and  on  the  Wisconsin  river,  and  (h-iven  west 
in  1746. 

The  Company,  having  found  that  the  cost  of  defending  Louisi- 
ana exceeded  the  returns  from  its  commerce,  solicited  leave  to  sur- 
render the  Mississip]n  wilderness  to  the  home  government.  Ac- 
cordingly, on  the  10th  of  A]»ril,  1732,  the  jurisdiction  and  control 
over  the  commerce  reverted  to  the  crown  of  France.  The  Com- 
pany had  held  jxissession  of  Louisiana  fourteen  years.  In  1725, 
Bienville  returned  to  assume  eonnnand  for  the  King. 

A  glance  at  a  few  of  the  old  French  settlement  will  show  the 
progress  made  in  portions  of  Louisiana  during  tlie  early  part  of 


HISTORY    OF  IOWA.  13 

the  eighteenth  century.  As  early  as  1705,  traders  and  hunters  had 
penetrated  the  fertile  regions  of  the  Wabash,  and  from  this  region 
at  that  early  date,  fifteen  thousand  hides  and  skins  had  been  col- 
lected and  sent  to  Mobile  for  the  European  market. 

In  the  year  171G,  the  French  population  on  the  Wabash  kept  up 
a  lucrative  commerce  with  Mobile  by  means  of  traders  and  voyag- 
eurs.     The  Ohio  river  was  com]jaratively  unknown. 

In  1746,  agriculture  on  the  Wabash  had  attained  to  greater 
prosperity  than  in  any  of  the  French  settlements  besides,  and  in 
that  year  six  hundred  barrels  of  fiour  Avere  manufactured  and 
shipped  to  New  Orleans,  together  with  considerable  quantities  of 
hay,  peltry,  tallow  and  beeswax. 

In  the  Illinois  country,  also,  considerable  settlement  had  been 
made,  so  that,  in  1780,  they  embraced  one  hundred  and  forty 
French  families,  about  six  hundred  "converted  Indians,"  and  many 
traders  and  voyageurs. 

In  1758,  the  first  actual  conflict  arose  between  Louisiana  and 
the  Atlantic  colonies.  From  the  earliest  advent  of  the  Jesuit 
fathers,  up  to  the  period  of  which  we  speak,  the  great  ambition  of 
the  French  had  been,  not  alone  to  preserve  their  possessions  in  the 
West,  but  by  every  possible  means  to  prevent  the  slightest  attempt 
of  the  English,  east  of  the  mountains,  to  extend  their  settlement 
towards  the  Mississippi.  France  was  resolved  on  retaining  posses- 
sion of  the  great  territory  which  her  missionaries  had  discovered 
and  revealed  to  the  world.  French  commandants  had  avowed 
their  intention  of  seizing  every  Englishman  within  the  Ohio 
Valley. 

The  colonies  of  Pennsylvania,  New  York  and  Virginia  were 
most  affected  by  the  encroachments  of  France  in  the  extension  of 
her  dominion  ;  and  particularly  in  the  great  scheme  of  uniting 
Canada  with  Louisiana.  To  carry  out  this  purpose  the  French 
had  taken  i)OSsession  of  a  tract  of  country  claimed  by  Virginia, 
and  had  commenced  a  line  of  .foi'ts  extending  from  the  lakes  to  the 
Ohio  River.  Virginia  was  not  only  alive  to  her  own  interests,  but 
attentive  to  the  vast  importance  of  an  immediate  and  effectual  re- 
sistance on  the  part  of  all  the  English  colonies  to  the  actual  and 
contemplated  enrochments  of  the  French. 

In  1753,  Governor  Dinwiddle  of  Virginia,  sent  George  Washing- 
ton, then  a  young  man,  just  twenty-one,  to  demand  of  the  French 
commandant  "a  reason  for  invading  British  Dominions  while  a 
solid  peace  subsisted."  Washington  met  the  French  commandant 
Gardcur  de  St.  Pierre,  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Alleghany,  and 
having  communicated  to  him  the  object  of  his  journey,  received 
the  insolent  answer  that  the  French  would  not  discuss  the  matter 
of  right,  but  would  make  prisoners  of  every  Englishman  found 
trading  on  the  Ohio  and  its  waters.  The  country,  he  said,  belong- 
ed to  the  French,  by  virtue  of  the  discoveries  of  LaSalle,  and  they 
would  not  withdraw  from  it. 


14  HISTORY    OF  IOWA. 

In  Jaiuiary,  17r)4,  Washington  returned  to  Virginia,  and  made 
his  report  to  the  Governor  and  Council.  Forces  were  at  once  rais- 
ed, and  Wasliington  as  Lieutenant  Colonel,  was  dispatched  at  the 
head  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  men,  to  the  Forks  of  the  Ohio,  with 
orders  to  "finish  the  fort  already  bagun  there  by  the  Ohio  company, 
and  to  make  prisoners,  kill  or  destroy  all  who  interrupted  the 
English  settlements." 

On  his  march  through  the  forests  of  Western  Pennsylvania, 
Washington,  through  the  aid  of  friendly  Indians,  discovered  the 
French  concealed  among  the  rocks,  and  as  they  ran  to  seize  their 
arms,  ordered  his  men  to  fire  upon  them,  at  the  same  time,  with 
his  own  musket,  setting  the  example.  An  action  lasting  about  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  ensued  ;  teji  of  the  Frenchmen  were  killed, 
among  them  Jumonville,  the  commander  of  the  i)arty,  and  twenty 
one  were  made  prisoners.  The  dead  were  scalped  by  the  Indians, 
and  the  chief,  ])earing  a  tomahawk  and  a  scalp,  visited  all  the  tribes 
of  the  Miamis,  urging  them  to  join  the  Six  Nations  and  the  Eng- 
lish against  the  French.  The  French,  however,  were  soon  re-en- 
forced and  Col.  Washington  was  compelled  to  return  to  Fort  Ne- 
cessity. Here,  on  the  od  day  of  July,  DeVilliers  invested  the  fort 
with  600  French  troops  and  100  Indians.  On  the  4th,  Washing- 
ton accepted  terms  of  capitulation  and  the  French  garrison  with- 
drew from  the  valley  of  tlie  Ohio. 

This  attack  of  Washington  upon  Jumonville  aroused  the  indig- 
nation of  France,  and  war  was  formerly  declared  in  May,  1756, 
and  the  "French  and  Indian  war"  devastated  the  colonies  for  seve- 
ral years.  jNIontreal,  Detroit,  and  all  Canada  were  surrendered  to 
the  English,  aud  on  the  10th  of  February,  1763,  by  the  treaty  of 
Paris — whicli  had  been  signed,  though  not  formerly  ratified  by 
the  respective  governments,  on  the  third  of  November,  1762 — 
France  relinquished  to  Great  Britain  all  that  portion  of  the  prov- 
ince of  Louisiana  lying  on  the  east  side  of  the.  Mississippi,  except 
the  Island  and  town  of  New  Orleans.  On  the  same  day  that  the 
treaty  of  Paris  Avas  signed,  France,  by  a  seg^-et  treaty,  ceded  to 
Spain  all  her  possessions  oh  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi,  includ- 
ing the  whole  country  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Great  River, 
a«id  west  to  the  Rocky  JNIountains,  and  the  jurisdiction  of 
France  in  America,  which  had  lasted  nearly  a  century,  was 
ended. 

At  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  by  the  treaty  of  peace  be- 
tween Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  the  English  govern- 
ment ceded  to  the  latter  all  the  territory  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Mississippi  River,  and  north  of  the  thirty-first  parallel  of  north 
latitude.  At  tlie  same  time  Great  Britain  ceded  to  Spain  all  the 
Floridas,  comprising  all  the  territory  east  of  the  Mississippi  and 
south  of  the  southern  limits  of  the  United  States. 

At  this  time,  therefore,  the  present  State  of  Iowa  was  a  part  ot 
the  Spanish  possessions  in  North  America,  as  all  the  territorv  west 


HJSTORY    OF  IOWA.  15 

of  the  Mississippi  River  was  under  the  dominion  of  Spain.  .  That 
government  also  possessed  all  the  territory  of  the  Floridas  east  of 
the  great  river  and  south  of  the  thirty-first  parallel  of  north  lati- 
tude. The  Mississippi,  therefore,  so  essential  to  the  prosperity  of 
the  western  portion  of  the  United  States,  for  the  last  three  hundred 
miles  of  its  oourse  flowed  wholly  within  the  Spanish  dominions, 
and  that  government  claimed  the  exclusive  right  to  use 
and  control  it  below  the  southern  boundary  of  the  United 
States. 

The  free  navigation  of  the  Mississi])pi  was  a  very  important 
question  during  all  the  time  that  Louisiana  remained  a  dependency 
of  the  Spanish  Crown,  and  as  the  final  settlement  intimately  affect- 
ed the  status  of  the  then  future  state  of  Iowa,  it  will  be  interesting 
to  trace  its  jjrogress. 

The  people  of  the  United  States  occupied  and  exercised  jurisdic- 
tion over  the  entire  eastern  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  embracing  all 
.the  countr}^  drained  by  its  eastern  tril)utaries  ;  they  had  a  natural 
right,  according  to  the  accepted  international  law,  to  follow  these 
rivers  to  the  sea,  and  to  the  use  of  the  Mississippi  River  accord- 
ingly, as  the  great  natural  channel  of  commerce.  The  river  was 
not  only  necessary  but  absolutely  indispensil^le  to  the  prosperity 
and  growth  of  the  western  settlement  then  rapidly  rising  into  com- 
mercial and  political  importance.  The}^  were  situated  in  tlie  heart 
of  the  great  valley,  and  with  wonderful  expansive  energies  and  ac- 
cumulating resources,  it  was  very  evident  that  no  power  on  earth 
could  deprive  them  of  the  free  use  of  the  river  below  them,  only 
whiie  their  numbers  were  insufficient  to  enable  them  to  maintain 
their  rights  ]jy  force.  Inevitably,  therefore,  immediately  after  the 
ratification  of  the  treat}'  in  1785,  the  western  peoi:)le  began  to  de- 
mand the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi — not  as  a  favor,  but  as  a 
right.  In  1786  ])f)th  banks  of  the  river,  below  the  Ohio,  were 
occui)ietl  Ijy  Spain,  and  military  posts  on  the  east  bank  enforced 
her  j:)Ower  to  exact  heavy  duties  on  all  imports  by  way  of  the 
river  for  the  Oliio  region.  Every  boat  descending  the  river  was 
forced  to  land  and  submit  to  the  arbitrary  revenue  exactions  of 
Spanish  authorities.  Under  the  administration  of  Governor  Miro, 
these  rigorous  exactions  were  somewhat  relaxed  from  1787  to  1790; 
but  Spain  held  it  as  her  right  to  make  them.  Taking  advantage 
of  the  claim  of  the  American  jjcople,  that  the  Mississipj)i  should 
be  opened  to  them,  in  1791,  the  Spanish  Government  concocted 
a  scheme  for  the  dismembership  of  the  Union.  The  plan 
was  to  induce  the  Western  ]:)eople  to  separate  from  the 
Eastern  States  by  liberal  land  grants  and  extraordinary  connner- 
cial  privileges. 

Spanish  emissaries,  among  the  people  of  Ohio  and  Kentucky, 
informed  them  that  the  Spanish  Government  would  grant  them 
favorably  commercial  privileges,  provided  they  would  secede  from 
the  Federal  Government  cast  of  the  mountains.      The  Spanish 


16  HISTORY    OJ  IOWA. 

Minister  to  the  United  States  plainly  declared  to  his  confiden- 
tial correspondent  that,  unless  the  Western  people  would  declare 
their  independence  and  refuse  to  remain  in  the  Union,  Spain 
was  determined  never  to  grant  the  free  navigation  of  the  Missis- 
sippi. 

By  the  treaty  of  Madrid,  October  20,  1795,  however,  Spain  for- 
mally stipulated  that  the  Mississippi  River,  from  its  source  to  the 
Gulf  for  its  entire  width,  should  be  free  to  American  trade  and 
commerce  and  that  the  people  of  the  United  States  should  be  per- 
mitted for  three  years  to  use  the  port  of  New  Orleans  as  a  port  of 
deposit  of  their  merchandise  and  produce,  duty  free. 

In  November,  1810,  the  United  States  Government  received, 
through  Rufus  King,  its  Minister  at  the  Court  of  St  James,  a  copy 
copy  of  the  treaty  between  Spain  and  France,  signed  at  Madrid, 
March  21,  1801,  by  which  the  cession  of  Louisiana  to  France 
made  the  previous  autumn,  was  confirmed. 

The  change  offered  a  favorable  opportunity  to  secure  the  just 
rights  of  the  United  States,  in  relaton  to  the  free  navigation  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  ended  the  attempt  to  dismember  the  Union  by  an 
effort  to  secure  an  indendent  government  Avest  of  the  Alleghany 
Mountains.  On  Ttli  day  of  January,  1803,  the  American 
House  of  Representatives  adopted  a  resolution  declaring  their  "un- 
alterable petermination  to  maintain  the  boundaries  and  the  rights 
of  navigation  and  commerce  through  the  River  Mississippi,  as  es- 
tablished by  existing  treaties." 

In  the  same  month  President  Jefferson  nominated  and  the  Sen- 
ate confirmed  Robert  R.  Livingston  and  James  Monroe  as  Envoys 
Plenipotentiary  to  the  Court  of  France,  and  Charles  Pinckney  and 
Jamas  Monroe  to  the  Court  of  Spain,  with  plenty  of  power  to  ne- 
gotiate treaties  to  effect  to  object  the  enunciated  by  the  popular 
branch  of  the  National  Legislature.  These  envoys  were  instructed 
to  secure,  if  possible,  the  cession  of  Florida  and  New  Orleaans  to 
the  United  States,  but  it  does  not  appear  that  Mr.  Jeflfcrson 
had  any  idea  of  purchasing  that  part  of  Louisiana  lying  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Mississippi.  In  fact,  on  the  2d  of  March  following 
the  instructions  were  sent  to  our  Ministers,  containing  a  plan  which 
expressly  left  to  France  "all  her  territory  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Mississippi."  Had  these  instructions  been  followed,  it  might  have 
been  that  there  would  not  have  been  any  State  of  Iowa  or  any  other 
member  of  the  glorious  Union  of  States  west  of  the  Father  of  Waters. 

In  obedience  to  his  instructions,  however,  Mr.  Livingston 
broached  this  plan  to  M.  Talleyrand,  Napoleon's  Prime  Minister, 
when  that  courtly  diplomatist  quietly  suggested  to  the  American 
Minister  that  France  might  be  willing  to  cede  the  whole  French 
dominion  in  North  America  to  the  United  States,  and  asked  how 
much  the  Federal  Government  would  be  willing  to  give  for  it. 
Livingston  intimated  that  twenty  million  francs  might  be  a  fair 


HISTORY   OF  IOWA.  17 

price.  Talleyrand  thought  that  not  enough,  but  asked  the  Ameri- 
can to  "think  of  it."  A  few  days  later,  Napoleon,  in  an  interview 
with  Mr.  Livingston,  in  effect  informed  the  American  Envoy 
that  he  had  secured  Louisiana  in  a  contract  with  Spain  for  the 
purpose  of  turning  it  over  to  tlie  United  States  for  a  mere  nominal 
sum.  He  had  been  compelled  to  provide  for  the  safety  of  that 
province  by  the  treaty,  and  he  was  anxious  to  give  the  United 
States  a  magnificent  bargain  for  a  mere  trifle.  The  price  projDosed 
was  one  hunflred  and  twenty-five  million  francs.  This  was  subse- 
quently modified  to  fifteen  million  dollars,  and  on  this  basis 
a  treaty  was  negotiated,  and  was  signed  on  th9  30th  day  of  April, 
18(a 

This  treaty  was  ratified  by  the  Federal  Government,  and  by  ac- 
of  Congress,  approved  October  31,  1803,  the  President  of  the  Unit- 
ed States  was  authorized  to  take  possession  of  the  territory  and 
provide  for  a  temporary  government.  Accordingly,  on  the  20th 
day  of  September  following,  on  behalf  of  the  President,  Governor 
Clairborne  and  Gen.  Wilkinson  took  possession  of  the  Louisiana 
purchase,  and  raised  the  American  flag  over  the  newly  acquired 
domain  ,  at  New  Orleans.  Spain,  although  it  had  by  treaty  ceded 
the  province  to  France  in  1801,  still  held  quasi  possession  and  at 
first  objected  to  the  transfer,  but  withdrew  her  opposition  early  in 
1804. 

By  this  treaty,  thus  successfully  consummated,  and  the  peace- 
abla  withdrawal  of  Spain,  the  then  infant  nation  of  the  New 
World  extended  its  dominion  west  of  the  Mississij^pi  to  the  Pa- 
cific ocean,  and  north  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  British 
America. 

If  the  original  design  of  Jefferson's  administration  had  been 
accomplished,  the  United  States  would  have  acquired  only  that 
portion  of  the  French  territory  lying  east  of  the  Mississippi  River, 
and  while  the  American  people  would  thus  have  acquired  the  free 
navigation  of  that  great  river,  all  of  the  vast  and  fertile  empire  on 
the  west,  so  rich  in  its  agricultural  and  inexhaustible  mineral  re- 
sources, would  have  remained  under  the  dominion  of  a  foreign 
power.  To  Napoleon's  desire  to  sell  the  whole  of  his  North  Amer- 
ican possessions,  and  Livingston's  act  transcending  hisinstructions 
which  was  acquiesced  in  after  it  was  done,  does  Iowa  owe  her 
position  as  a  part  of  the  United  States  by  the  Louisiana  pur- 
chase. 

By  authority  of  an  act  of  Congress,  approved  March  26,  1804, 
the  newly  acquired  territory  was,  on  the  first  day  of  October  fol- 
lowing, divided:  that  part  lying  south  of  the  thirty-third  parallel 
of  north  latitude  was  called  tha  territory  of  Orleans,  and  all  north 
of  that  parallel  the  District  of  Louisiana,  which  was  placed  under 
the  authority  of  the  officers  of  Indian  Territory,  until  July  4, 1805, 
when  it  was  organized  with  territorial  government  of  its  own, 
g^nd  so  remained  until  1812,  when  the  Territory  of  Orleans  became 


18  ■  HISTOKY   OF  IOWA. 

the  State  of  Louisiana,  and  the  name  of  the  Territory  of  Louisiana 
was  changed  to  Missouri.  On  the  4th  of  Jul}^,  1814,  that  part  of 
the  Missouri  Territor}^  comprising  the  present  State  of  Arkansas, 
and  the  country  to  the  westward  was  organized  into  the  Arkansas 
•Territory. 

On  the  2d  of  March,  1821,  the  State  of  Missouri,  heing  a  part 
of  the  territory  of  that  name,  was  admitted  to  the  Union.  June 
28,  1834,  the  territory  west  of  the  INIississipiji  River  and  north  of 
Missouri,  was  made  a  part  of  the  territory  of  Michigan;  but  two 
years  later  on  the  4th  of  July,  1836,  Wisconstli  Territory  was 
erected,  embracing  Avithin  its  limits  the  present  States  of  Iowa, 
Wisconsin  and  Minnesota. 

By  act  of  Congress,  approved  June  12,  1888,  the 

TERRITORY   OF   IOWA 

was  erected,  comprising,  in  addition  to  the  present  State,  much 
the  larger  part  of  Minnesota,  and  extending  north  to  the  boundary 
of  the  British  possessions. 

THE   ORIGINAL  OWNERS. 

Having  traced  the  early  histor}'^  of  the  great  empire  lying  west 
of  the  Mississippi,  of  which  ihe  State  of  Iowa  constitutes  a  part 
from  the  earliest  discovery  to  the  organization  of  the  Territory  of 
Iowa,  it  becomes  necessary  to  give  some  history  of  the  Indian's  of 
Iowa. 

According  to  the  policy  of  the  European  nations,  possession 
perfected  title  to  any  territory.  We  ha^^e  seen  that  the  country 
west  of  the  Mississippi  was  first  discovered  by  the  Spaniards,  but 
afterwards,  was  visited  and  occupied  by  the  French.  It  was  ceded 
by  Fran(;e  to  Spain,  and  by  Spain  back  to  France  again,  and  then 
was  purchased  and  occupied  by  the  United  States.  During  all  that 
time,  it  does  not  appear  to  have  entered  into  the  heads  or  hearts 
of  the  higli  contracting  partioB  that  the  country  they  bought,  sold 
and  gave  away  was  in  the  possession  of  a  race  of  men,  who,  al- 
though savage,  owned  the  vast  domain  before  Columbus  first 
crossed  the  Atlantic.  Having  purchased  the  territory  the  United 
States  found  it  still  in  ])ossession  of  its  original  owners,  Avho  had 
never  been  dispossesed;  and  it  became  necessary  to  purchase  again  , 
what  had  already  been  bought  before,  or  forcibly  eject  the  occu- 
pants; therefore,  tbe  history  of  the  Indian  nations  who  occupied 
Iowa  i)rior  to  and  during  its  early  settlement  hj  the  whites,  be- 
comes an  important  chapter  in  the  history  of  the  State,  that  can- 
not be  omitted. 

For  more  than  one  hundred  years  after  jNIarquette  and  Joliet 
trod  the  virgin  soil  of  Iowa,  not  a  single  settlement  had  been 
made  or  attempted;  not  even  a  trading  post  had  been  established. 
The  whole  country  remained  in  the  undisputed  possession  of  the 
native  tribes,  who  roamed  at  will  over  her  beautiful  and  fertile 
prairies,  hunted  in  lier  woods,  fished  in  her  streams,  and    often 


HISTORY    OP"   IOWA.  19 

poured  out  their  life-blocxl  in  obstinately  Wiutested  contests  for 
supremacy.  That  this  State  so  aptly  styled  "The  Beautiful 
Land,"  had  been  the  theater  of  numerous  fierce  and  bloody 
struggles  l)etween  rival  nations,  for  possessions  of  the  favored  re- 
gion, long  before  its  settlement  b}^  civilized  man,  there  is  no  room 
for  doubt.  In  these  savage  wars,  the  weaker  party  whether  ag- 
gressive or  defensive,  was  either  exterminated  or  driven  from  their 
ancient  hunting  grounds. 

In  1673,  when  Marquette  discovered  Iowa,  the  Iliini  were  a  very 
jDowerful  people,  occupying  a  large  i)ortion  of  the  State,  but  when 
the  country  was  again  visited  by  the  whites,  not  a  remnant  of  that 
once  powerful  tribe  remained  on  the  west  side  of  the  ^lississippi, 
and  Iowa  was  principally  in  the  possession  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes, 
a  war-like  tribe  which,  originall}^  two  distinct  nations,  residing  in 
New  York  and  on  the  waters  of  the  8t.  Lawi'ence,  had  gradually 
fought  their  way  westward,  and  united,  probal)ly,  after  the  Foxes 
had  been  driven  out  of  the  Fox  River  country,  in  1846,  and  (grossed 
the  Mississippi.  The  death  of  Pontiac,  a  famous  Sac  chieftain, 
was  made  the  jjretext  for  war  against  the  Iliini,  and  a  fierce  and 
bloody  struggle  ensued,  which  continued  until  the  Illinois  were 
nearly  destroyed  and  their  hunting  gnnmds  })ossessed  by  their 
victorious  foes.  The  lowas  also  occupied  a  portion  of  the  State 
for  a  time,  in  common  with  the  Sacs,  but  they,  too,  were  nearly 
destroyed  by  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  and,  in  "The  Beautiful  Land," 
these  natives  met  their  ecpially  war-like  foes,  the  Northern  Sioux, 
with  whom  they  maintained  a  constant  warfare  for  tlie  jjossession 
of  the  country  for  many  years. 

When  the  United  States  came  in  i)ossession  of  tbe  great  valley 
of  the  Mississippi,  by  the  Louisiana  ]jurchase,  the  Sacs  and  Foxes 
and  lowas  possessetl  tiie  entire  territory,  now  comprising  the  State 
of  Iowa.  The  Sacs  and  Foxes,  also  occupied  the  most  of  the 
State  of  Illionois. 

The  Sacs  had  four  jnincipal  villages,  where  most  of  them  re- 
sided, viz.:  'Xheh-  largest  and  most  important  town — if  an  Indian 
village  may  l^e  called  such — and  from  which  emanated  most  of  the 
obstacles  and  difhculties  encountered  by  the  Government  in  the 
extinguishment  of  Indian  titles  to  land  in  this  region,  was  on 
Rock  River,  near  Rock  Island;  another  was  on  the  east  bank  of 
the  Mississippi,  near  the  mouth  of  Henderson  River;  the  third 
was  at  the  head  of  the  Des  JNloines  Ra})ids,  near  the  present  site 
of  Montrose,  and  the  fourth  was  near  the  moutli  of  the  Ujiper- 
Iowa. 

The  Foxes  had  three  jn'incipal  villages,  viz. :  One  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Mississippi,  six  miles  above  the  rapids  of  Rock  River; 
another  about  twelve  miles  from  the  river,  in  the  rear  of  the 
Dubuque  lead  mines,  and  the  third  on  Turkey  River. 

The  lowas,  at  one  time  identified  with  the  Sacs,  of  Rock  River, 
liad  withdrawn  from  them  and  become  a  separate  tribe.     Their 


20  HISTORY    OF    IOWA. 

princijDal  village  was  on  the  Des  Moines  River,  in  Van  Bnren 
County,  on  the  site  where  lowaville  now  stands.  Here  the  last 
great  battle  between  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  and  tlie  lowas  was  fought, 
in  which  Black  Hawk,  then  a  young  man,  commanded  one  division 
of  the  attacking  forces. 

The  Sacs  had  a  iicrce  conflict  with  tlic  Winnebagoes,  suljdued 
them  and  took  possession  of  their  lands.  Their  village  on  Rock 
River,  at  one  time,  contained  upward  of  sixty  lodges,  and  was 
among  the  largest  Indian  villages  on  the  continent.  In  1825,  the 
Secretary  of  War  estimated  the  entire  number  of  the  Sacs  and 
Foxes-  at  4,600  souls.  Their  villages  was  situated  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  up})er  rai)ids  t)f  the  Mississippi,  where  the  beautiful 
and  flourishing  towns  of  Rock  Island  and  Davenport  are  now  situ- 
ated. Tiie  beautiful  scenery  of  the  island,  the  extensive  prairies, 
dotted  over  with  groves;  the  picturesque  bluffs  along  the  river 
banks,  the  rich  and  fertile  soil,  })roducing  large  crops  of  corn, 
squash  and  other  vegetables,  with  little  labor;  the  abundance  of 
Avild  fruit,  game,  fish,  and  almost  everything  calculated  to  make 
it  a  delightful  sfMit  for  an  Indian  village,  which  was  found 
there,  had  made  this  place  a  favorite  home  of  the  Sacs,  and  se- 
cured for  it  the  strong  attachment  and  veneration  of  the  whole 
nation. 

North  of  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  were  those 
of  the  Sioux,  a  fierce  and  warlike  nation,  who  often  disputed  pos- 
session with  their  rivals  in  savage  and  bloody  warfare.  The  pos- 
sessions of  these  tribes  were  mostly  located  in  Minnesota,  but  ex- 
tended over  a  portion  of  Xorthern  and  Western  Iowa  to  the  Mis- 
souri River.  Their  descent  from  the  north  upon  the  hunting 
grounds  of  Iowa  frequently  brought  them  into  collision  with  the 
Sacs  and  Foxes;  and  after  many  a  conflict  and  bloody  struggle,  a 
boundary  line  was  established  between  them  by  the  Government 
of  the  United  States,  in  a  treaty  held  at  Prairie  du  Chien  in  1825. 
But  this,  instead  of  settling  the  difficulties,  caused  them  to  quar- 
rel all  the  more,  in  consequence  of  alleged  trespa'sses  upon  each 
other's  side  of  the  line.  These  contests  were  kept  up  and  became 
so  unrelenting  that,  in  1830,  Government  bought  of  the  respective 
tribes  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  and  the  Sioux,  a  strip  of  land  twenty 
miles  in  width,  on  Ijtith  sides  of  the  line,  and  thus  throwing  them 
forty  miles  a  part  by  creating  between  them  a  "neutral  ground," 
commanded  them  to  cease  their  hostilities.  Both  the  Sacs  and 
Foxes  and  the  Sioux,  however,  were  allowed  to  fish  and  hunt  on 
the  ground  unmolested,  provided  they  did  not  interfere  with  each 
other  on  the  United  States  territory.  The  Sacs  and  Foxes  and  the 
Sioux  were  deadly  enemies,  and  neither  let  an  opportunity  to  pun- 
ish the  other  pass  unimproved. 

In  April,  1852,  a  fight  occurred  between  the  Musquaka  band  of 
Sacs  and  Foxes  and  a  band  of  Sioux,  about  six  miles  above  Al 


HISTORY    OF   IOWA.  21 

gona,   in   Kossuth    County,   on   tlic   west  side  of  the  Des, Moines 
River.     The  Sacs  and  Foxes  were   inider    the   leadership   Ko-ko- 
wah,  a  su])ordinate  eliief,  and  had  gone  up  from  their   home   in 
Tama  C(>unty,  by  way  of  Clear  Lake,  to  what  was  then  the  "neutral 
ground."     At  Clear  Lake,  Ko-ko-wah  was  informed  that  a  party 
of  Sioux  were  encamped  on  the  west  side  of  the  East  Fork  of  the 
Des  Moines,  and  .he  determined  to  attack  them.      With    sixty   of 
his  warriors,  he  started  and  anived  at  a  i)oint  on  the  east  side   of 
the  river,  about  a  mile  above  the  Sioux  encam])ment,  in  the  night, 
and  concealed  themselves  in  a  grove,  where  they  were  able  to  dis- 
cover the  position   and   strength    of  their   hereditary    foes.     The 
next  morning,  after  man}-  of  the  Sioux  braves  had  lelt  their  camp 
on  hunting  tours,  the  vindictive  Sacs  and  Foxes  crossed  the  river 
and  suddenly  attacked  the  camp.     The  conflict  was  desperate  for  a 
short  time,   but   the   advantage  was  with  the  assailants,  and  the 
Sioux  Avere  routed.     Sixteen   of  them,   including   some  of  their 
women  and  children,  were  killed,  and  a  boy  14  years  old  was  cap- 
tured.    One  of  the  Musc[uakas  was  shot  in  the  breast  by  a   squaw 
as  they  were  rushing  into  the  Sioux's  camp.     He  started   to   run 
away,  when  the  same  brave  squaw    S:;hot  him  through  the  body,  at 
a  distance  of  forty  rods,  and  he  fell  dead.     Three  other  Sac  braves 
were  killed.     But  few  of  the  Sioux  escaped.     The  victorious  party 
hurriedly  buried  their  own   dead,  leaving  the  dead  Sioux  above 
ground,    and    made  their  wa}-   home,  with  their  captive,  with  all 
possible  ex]:)edition. 

riKE'S    EXPEDITION. 

Very  soon  after  the  acquisition  of  Louisiana  the  United  States 
Government  adoi)tcd  measures  for  the  exploration  of  the  new  ter- 
ritory, having  in  view  the  concilation  of  the  numerous  tribes  of 
Indians  l)y  whom  it  was  possessed,  and,  also,  the  selection  of 
proper  sites  for  the  esta])lishment  of  military  posts  and  trading 
stations.  Tlie  Army  of  the  West,  (icn.  James  AVilkinson,  com- 
manding, had  its  headquarters  at  St.  Louis.  From  this  post  Cap- 
tains Lewis  Clarke,  with  a  sufficient  force  were  detailed  to  ex- 
plore the  unknown  sources  of  the  I\Iissouri  and  Lieut  Zebulon  M. 
Like  to  ascend  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Mississi})i)i.  Lieut.  Pike, 
with  one  Sergeant,  two  Corporals  and  seventeen  privates,  left  the 
military  camp,  near  St.  Louis,  in  a  keel-bt)at,  with  four  month's 
rations  on  the  9th  day  of  August,  LSOo.  On  the  20th  of  the 
same  month,  the  expetlition  arrived  within  the  present  limit  of 
Iowa,  at  the  foot  of  the  Des  Moines  Rapids,  where  Pike  met  Wil- 
liam Ewing,  who  had  just  been  ap])ointed  Indian  agent  at  thij< 
point,  a  French  interpreter  and  four  chiefs  and  lilteen  Sac  and 
Fox  warriors. 

At  the  head  of  tlie  ra})ids,  where  jNlontrose  is  now  situated, 
Pike  held  a  council  with  the  Indians,  in  which  he  addressed  them 
gubstantially  as  iollows:     "Your   great    Father,   tlie    President   of 


22  HISTORY    OF    IOWA. 

the  United  States,  wished  to  be  more  intimately  acquainted  with 
the  situation  and  wants  of  the  different  nations  of  red  people  in 
our  newly  acquired  territory  of  Louisiana,  and  has  ordered  the 
General  to  send  a  number  of  his  warriors  in  different  direction  to 
take  them  by  the  hand  and  such  inquiries  as  might  aflbrd  the 
satisfaction  required."  At  the  close  of  the  council  he  i)resented 
the  red  men  with  some  knives,  whisky  and  tobacco. 

Pursuing  his  way  up  the  river,  he  arrived,  on  the  23d  of  August, 
at  what  is  supposed,  from  his  description,  to  be  the  site  of  the  pres- 
ent city  of  Burlington,  which  he  selected  as  the  location  of  a  mili- 
tary post.  He  describes  the  place  as  being  "on  a  hill,  about  forty 
miles  above  the  River  de  Moyne  Rapids,  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river,  in  latitude  al)out  41  degress'  21  minutes  north.  The  channel 
of  the  river  runs  on  that  shore;  the  hill  in  front  is  about  sixty  feet 
perpendicular;  nearly  level  on  top;  four  hundred  yards  in  the  rear 
is  a  small  prairie  fit  for  gardening,  and  immediately  under  the  hill 
is  a  limestone  spring,  sufficient  for  the  consumption  of  a  whole 
regiment."  In  addition  to  this  description,  which  corresponds  to 
Burlington,  the  spot  is  laid  down  on  his  map  at  a  bend  in  the  river 
a  short  distance  below  the  mouth  of  the  Henderson,  which  pours 
its  waters  into  the  Mississippi  from  Illinois.  The  fort  was  built  at 
Fort  Madison,  but  from  the  distance,  latitude,  description  and  map 
furnished  by  Pike,  it  could  not  ha-s'e  been  the  place  selected  by 
him  while  all  the  circumstances  corroborate  the  opinion  that  the 
place  he  selected  was  the  spot  where  Burlington  is  now  located, 
called  by  the  early  voyagers  on  the  MississipjDi,  "Flint  Hills." 

On  the  24th  with  one  of  his  men,  he  went  on  shore  on  a  hunt- 
ing expedition,  and  following  a  stream  which  they  supposed  to  be 
a  part  of  the  ^Mississippi,  they  were  led  away  from  their  course. 
Owing  to  the  intense  heat  and  tall  grass,  his  two  favorite  dogs, 
which  he  had  taken  with  him,  became  exhausted  and  he  left  them 
on  the  prairie,  supposing  that  they  would  follow  him  as  soon  as 
they  should  get  rested,  and  went  on  to  overtake  his  boat.  Reach- 
ing the  river,  he  waited  some  time  for  his  canine  friends,  but  they 
did  not  come,  and  as  he  deemed  it  inexpedient  to  detain  the  boat 
longer,  two  of  his  men  volunteered  to  go  in  pursuit  of  them,  and 
he  continued  on  his  way  up  the  river,  expecting  that  the  two  men 
would  soon  overtake  him.  They  lost  their  wa}^,  however,  and  for 
six  days  were  without  food,  excej^t  a  few  morsels  gathered  from 
the  stream  and  might  have  perished  had  they  not  accidentally  met  a 
trader  from  St.  Louis,  who  induced  two  Indians  to  take  them  up, 
the  river  and  they  over  took  the  boat  at  Dubuque. 

At  Dubuque,  Pike  was  cordially  received  by  Julien  Dubuque,  a 
Frenchman,  who  held  a  mining  claim  under  a  grant  from  Spain. 
Dubuque  had  an  old  field  piece  and  fired  a  salute  in  honor  of  the 
advent  of  the  first  Americans  who  had  visited  tliat  part  of  the 
Territory.     Dubuque,  however,   was   not  disposed  to  publish  the 


HISTORY   OF   IOWA.  '  23 

wealth  of  his  mines,  and  the  young  and  apparently  inquisitive 
officer  could  obtain  but  little  information  from  him. 

After  leaving  this  place,  Pike  pursued  his  way  up  the  river,  but 
as  he  passed  beyond  the  limits  of  the  present  State  of  Iowa,  a 
detailed  history  of  his  exploration  on  the  upper  water  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi more  jjroperly  belongs  to  the  history  of  another  State. 

It  is  sufficient  to  say  that  on  the  site  of  Fort  Snelling,  Minne- 
sota, at  the  mouth  of  the  Minnesota  River,  Pike  held  a  council 
with  the  Sioux,  Sei^tember  23,  and  obtained  from  them  a  grant  of 
one  hundred  thousand  acres  of  land.  On  the  8th  of  January,  1806, 
Pike  arrived  at  a  trading  post  belonging  to  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany, on  Lake  De  Sable  in  latitude  47"^.  At  this  time  the  then 
powerful  Northwest  Company  carried  on  their  immense  opera- 
tions from  Hudson's  Bay  to  the  St.  Lawrence;  up  the  river  on 
both  sides,  along  the  Great  Lakes  to  the  head  of  I^ake  Superior, 
thence  to  the  sources  of  the  Red  River  of  the  North,  and  we»t  to 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  embracing  within  the  scope  of  their  opera- 
tions the  entire  Territory  of  Iowa.  After  successfully  accom- 
plishing his  mission,  and  performing  a  valuable  service  to  Iowa 
and  the  whole  Northwest,  Pike  returned  to  St.  Louis,  arriving 
there  on  tha  30th  day  April,  1806. 

INDIAN    WARS. 

The  territory  of  Iowa,  although  it  had  been  purchased  by  the 
United  States,  and  was  ostensibly  in  the  possession  of  the  Gov- 
ernment, was  still  occupied  by  the  Indians,  who  claimed  title  to 
the  soil  by  right  of  "ownership  and  possession.  Before  it  could  be 
open  to  settlement  by  the  whites,  it  was  indispensable  that  the 
Indian  title  should  be  extinguished,  and  the  original  owners  re- 
moved. The  accomplishment  of  this  j)urpose  required  the  expen- 
diture of  large  sums  of  money  and  blood,  and  for  a  long  series  of 
years  the  frontier  was  disturbed  by  Indian  wars,  terminated  re- 
peatedly by  treaty,  only  to  be  renewed  by  some  act  of  oppres- 
sion on  the  part  of  the  whites  or  some  violation  of  treaty  stipula- 
tion, 

As  previously  shown,  at  the  time  when  the  United  States  as- 
sumed the  control  of  the  country  by  virtue  of  the  Louisiana  pur- 
chase nearly  the  whole  state  was  in  possession  of  the  Sacs  and 
Foxes,  a  powerful  and  warlike  nation,  who  were  not  disposed-  to 
submit  without  a  struggle  to  what  they  considered  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  pale  faces. 

Among  the  most  noted  chiefs,  and  one  whose  restlessness  and 
hatred  of  the  Americans  occasioned  more  trouble  to  the  Govern- 
ment than  any  others  of  his  tribe,  was  Black  Hawk,  who  was  born 
at  the  Sac  village,  on  Rock  river,  in  1767.  He  was  simply  the 
chief  of  his  own  band  of  Sac  warriors,  but  by  his  energy  and  am- 
bition he  became  the  leading  spirit  of  the  united  nation  of  Sacs 
and  Foxes,  and  one  of  the  prominent  figures  in  the  history  of  the 


24  HISTORY    OF   IOWA. 

country  from  1803  until  his  death.  In  early  manhood  he  attained 
some  distinction  as  a  fighting  chief,  having  led  camj^aigns  against 
the  Osages  and  other  neighboring  tribes.  About  the  beginning 
of  the  present  century  he  began  to  appear  prominent  in  affairs  on 
the  Mississipi^i.  Some  historians  have  added  to  the  statement 
"it  does  not  appear  that  he  was  ever  a  great  general,  or- possessed 
any  of  the  qualification  of  a  successful  leader."  If  this  was  so 
his  life  was  a  marvel.  How  any  man  who  had  none  of  the  quali- 
fication of  a  leader  became  so  prominent  as  such,  as  he  did,  indi- 
cates either  that  he  had  some  ability,  or  that  his  cotemporaries, 
both  Indian  and  Anglo-Saxon,  had  less  than  he.  He  is  said  to 
have  been  the  victim  of  a  narrow  prejudice  and  bitter  ill-will 
against  the  Americans"  but  the  impartial  historian  must  admit 
that  if  he  was  the  enemy  of  the'  Americans,  it  was  certainly  not 
without  some  reason. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Spain  did  not  give  up  possession  of 
the  country  to  France  on  its  cession  to  the  latter  power,  in  1801, 
but  retained  possession  of  it,  and,  by  the  authority  of  France, 
transferred  it  to  the  United  States,  in  1804.  Black  Hawk  and  his 
band  were  in  St.  Louis  at  the  time,  and  were  invited  to  be  present 
and  witness  the  ceremonies  of  the  transfer,  but  he  refused  the  invi- 
tation, and  it  is  l;)ut  just  to  say  that  this  refusal  was  caused  proba- 
bly more  from  regret  that  the  Indians  were  to  be  transfered  from 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Spanish  authorities  than  from  any  special 
hatred  toward  the  Americans.  In  his  life  he  says:  "I  found  many 
sad  and  gloomy  faces  because, the  United  States  were  about  to  take 
possession  of  the  town  and  country.  Soon  after  the  Americans 
came,  I  took  my  band  and  went  to  take  leave  of  our  Spanish  father. 
The  Americans  came  to  see  him  also.  Seeing  them  approach,  we 
passed  out  of  one  door  as  thfey  entered  another,  and  immediately 
started  in  our  canoes  for  our  village,  on  Rock  River,  not  liking  the 
change  any  more  than  our  friends  appeared  to  at  St.  Louis 
On  arriving  at  our  village,  we  gave  the  news  that  strange  people 
had  arrived  at  St.  Louis,  and  that  we  should  never  see  our 
Spanish  father  again.  The  information  made  all  our  people 
sorry." 

On  the  3d  day  of  November,  1804,  a  treaty  was  concluded  be- 
tween William  Henry  Harrison,  than  Governor  of  Indiana  Terri- 
tory, on  behalf  of  the  United  States,  and  five  chiefs  of  the  Sac  and 
Fox  nation,  by  which  the  latter,  in  consideration,  of  two  thousand 
two  hundred  and  thirty-four  dollars'  worth  of  goods  then  delivered, 
and  a  yearly  annunity  of  one  thousand  dollars  to  be  paid  in  goods  at 
just  cost,  ceded  to  the  United  States  all  that  laud  on  the  east  side 
of  the  Mississippi,  extending  from  a  point  o])posite  the  Jefferson, 
in  Missouri,  to  the  Wisconsin  River,  embracing  an  area  of  over 
fifty-one  millions  of  acres. 

To  this  treaty  Black  Hawk  always  objected  and  always  refused 
to  consider  it  binding  upon  his  people.    He  asserted  that  the  chiefs 


HISTORY  OF    IOWA.  2S 

or  braves  who  made  it  had  no  authority  to  relinquish  the  title  of 
the  nation  to  any  of  the  lands  they  held  or  occupied;  and,  more- 
over, that  they  had  been  sent  to  St.  Louis  on  quite  a  different  er- 
rand, namely,  to  get  one  of  their  people  released,  who  had  been 
imprisoned  at  St.  Louis  for  killing  a  white  man. 

The  year  following  this  treaty  (1805),  Lieutenant  Zebulon  M. 
Pike  came  up  the  river  for  the  purpose  of  holding  friendly  coun- 
cils with  the  Indians  and  selecting  sites  for  forts  within  the  ter- 
ritory recently  acquired  from  France  by  the  United  States.  Lieu- 
tenant Pike  seems  to  have  been  the  tirst  American  whom  Black 
Hawk  ever  met  or  had  a  personal  interview  with;  and  he  was  very 
much  prepossessed  in  Pike's  favor.  He  gives  the  following  ac- 
count of  his  visit   to    Rock  Island: 

"A  boat  came  up  the  river  with  a  young  American  chief  and  a 
small  party  of  soldiers.  We  heard  of  them  soon  after  they  passed 
Salt  River.  Some  of  our  young  braves  watched  them  every  day, 
to  see  what  sort  of  people  he  had  on  board.  The  boat  at  length 
arrived  at  Rock  River,  and  the  young  chief  came  on  shore  with 
his  interpreter,  and  made  a  speech  and  gave  us  some  presents.  We 
in  turn  presented  them  with  meat  and  such  other  provisions  as  we 
had  to  spare.  We  were  well  pleased  with  the  young  chief.  He 
gave  us  good  advice,  and  said  our  American  father  would  treat  us 
well." 

The  events  which  soon  followed  PIkc's  expedition  were  the 
erection  of  Fort  Edwards,  at  what  is  now  Warsaw,  Illinois,  and  Fort 
Madison,  on  the  site  of  the  present  town  oi  that  name,  the  latter 
being  the  first  fort  erected  in  Iowa.  These  movements  occasioned 
great  uneasiness  among  the  Indians.  When  work  was  commenced 
on  Fort  Edwards,  a  delegation  from  their  nation,  headed  by  some 
of  their  chiefs,  went  down  to  see  what  the  Americans  were  doing, 
and  had  an  interview  with  the  commander;  after  which  they  re- 
turned home  apparently  satisfied.  In  like  manner,  when  Fort 
Madison  was  being  erected,  they  sent  down  another  delegation 
from  a  council  of  the  nation  held  at  Rock  River.  According  to 
Black  Hawk's  account,  the  American  chief  told  them  that  he  was 
building  a  house  for  a  trader  who  was  coming  to  sell  them  goods 
cheap,  and  that  the  soldiers  were  coming  to  keep  him  company— 
a  statement  which  Black  Hawk  says  they  distrusted  at  the  time, 
believing  that  the  fort  was  an  encroachment  upon  their  rights,  and 
designed  to  aid  in  getting  their  lands  away  from  them. 

It  has  been  held  by  good  American  authorities,  that  the  erection 
of  Fort  Madison  at  the  point  where  it  was  located  was  a  violation 
of  the  treaty  of  1801.  By  the  eleventh  article  of  the  treaty,  the 
United  States  had  a  right  to  build  a  fort  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Wisconsin  River;  by  article  six  they  had  bound  themselves  "that 
if  ail}'  citizens  of  the  United  States  or  any  otiier  white  persons 
should  form  a  settlement  upon  their  lands,  such  intruders  should 
forthwith    be  removed."     Probably   the  authorities  of  the  United 


26  HISTORY  OF    IOWA. 

•  States  did  not  regard  the  established  of  military  posts  as  coming, 
properly  within  the  meaning  of  the  term  "settlement,"  as  used  in 
the  treaty.  At  all  events,  they  erected  Fort  Madison  within  the 
territory  reserved  to  the  Indians,  who  became  very  indignant.  Not 
long  after  the  fort  was  built,  a  party  led  by  Black  Hawk  attempted 
its  destruction.  They  sent  spies  to  watch  the  movements  of.  the 
garrison,  who  ascertained  that  the  soldiers  were  in  the  habit  of 
marching  out  of  the  fort  every  morning  and  evening  for  parade, 
and  the  plan  of  the  party  was  to  conceal  themselves  near  the  fort, 
and  attack  and  surprise  them  when  they  were  outside.  On  the 
morning  of  the  proposed  day  of  attack,  five  soldiers  came  out  and 
were  fired  upon  by  the  Indians,  two  of  them  being  killed.  The 
Indians  were  too  hasty  in  their  movements,  for  the  regular  drill  had 
not  yet  commenced.  However,  they  kept  up  the  attack  for  sev- 
eral days,  attempting  the  old  Fox  strategy  of  setting  fire  to  the 
fort  with  blazing  arrows;  but  findinng  their  efforts  unavailing  they 
soon  gave  up  and  returned  to  Rock  River. 

When  war  was  declared  between  the  United  States  and  Great 
inBritian,  1812,  Black  Hawk  and  his  band  allied  themselves  with 
the  British,  partly  because  he  was  dazzled  by  their  specious  prom- 
ises, and  more  probably  because  they  had  been  deceived  by  the 
Americans.  Black  Hawk  himself  declared  that  they  were  "forced 
into  the  war  by  being  deceived."  He  narrates  the  circumstances 
as  follows  :  "Several  of  the  chiefs  and  head  men  of  the  Sacs  and 
Foxes  were  called  upon  to  go  to  Washington  to  see  their  Great 
Father.  On  their  return,  they  related  what  iiad  been  said  atid 
done.  They  said  the  Great  Father  wished  them,  in  the  event  of  a 
war  taking  place  with  England,  not  to  interf<n-e  on  either  side,  but 
to  remain  neutral.  He  did  not  want  our  help,  but  wished  us  to 
hunt  and  support  our  families,  and  live  in  peace.  He  said  that 
British  traders  would  not  be  permitted  to  come  on  the  Mississippi 
to  furnish  us  with  goods,  bnt  that  we  should  be  supplied  with  an 
American  trat  ler.  _  Our  chiefs  then  told  him  that  the  British  trad- 
ers always  gave  them  credit  in  the  fall  for  guns,  powder  and  goods, 
to  enable  us  to  hunt  and  clothe  our  families.  He  repeated  that 
the  traders  at  Fort  Madison  would  have  plenty  of  goods;  that  we 
should  go  there  in  the  fall  and  he  would  supply  us  on  credit,  as 
the  British  traders   had  done." 

Black  Hawk  seems  to  have  accepted  this  proposition,  and  he 
and  his  people  were  very  much  pleased.  Acting  in  good  faith, 
they  fitted  out  for  their  winter's  hunt,  and  went  to  Fort  Madison 
in  high  spirits  to  receive  from  the  trader  their  outfit  of  supplies. 
But,  after  waiting  some  time,  they  were  told  by  the  trader  that 
he  would  not  trust  them.  It  was  in  vain  they  pleaded  the  promise 
of  their  Great  Fnther  at  Washington.  The  trader  was  inexorable; 
and,  disapointed  and  crestfallen,  they  turned  sadly  toward  their 
own  villiage.  "Few  of  us,"  says  Black  Hawk,  "slept  that  night; 
aU  was  gloom  and  discontent.     In  the   morning  a   canoe  was  seen 


HISTORR    OF   IOWA.  27" 

ascending  the  river;  it  soon  arrived,  bearing  an  express,  who 
brought  intelligence  that  a  British  trader  had  landed  at  Rock 
Island,  with  two  boats  loaded  with  goods,  and  requested  us  to  come 
up  immediately,  because  he  had  good  news  for  us,  and  a  variety 
of  presents.  The  express  presented  us  with  tobacco,  pipes  and 
wampum.  The  news  ran  through  our  camp  like  fire  on  a  prairie. 
Our  lodges  were  soon  taken  down,  and  all  started  for  Rock  Island. 
Here  ended  all  hopes  of  our  remaining  at  peace,  having  been 
forced  into  the  war  by  being  deceived. 

He  joined  the  British,  who  flattered  him,  styled  him  "Gene  ra 
Black  Hawk,"  decked  him  with  medals,  excited  his  jealousies 
against  the  Americans,  and  armed  his  band;  but  he  met  with  de- 
feat and  disappointment,  and  soon  abandoned  the  service  and 
came  home. 

With  all  his  skill  ann  courage.  Black  Hawk  was  unable  to  lead 
all  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  into  hostilities  to  the  United  States.  A 
portion  of  them,  at  the  head  of  whom  was  Keokuk  ("the  Watch- 
ful Fox"),  were  disposed  to  abide  by  the  treaty  of  1804,  and  to 
cultivate  friendly  relations  with  the  American  people.  Therefore, 
when  Black  Hawk  and  his  band  joined  the  fortunes  of  Great 
Britain,  the  rest  of  the  nation  remained  neutral,  and,  for  protection 
organized,  with  Keokuk  for  their  chief.  This  divided  the  nation 
into  the  "War  and  Peace  Party." 

Black  Hawk  says  he  was  informed,  after  he  had  ganeto  the  war, 
that  the  nation,  which  had  been  reduced  to  so  small  a  body  of 
fighting  men,  were  unable  to  defend  themselves  in  case  the  Amer- 
icans should  attack  them,  and  liaving  all  the  old  men  and  women 
and  children  belonging  to  warriors  who  had  joined  the  British  on 
their  hands  to'  provide  for,  a  council  was  held,  and  it  was  agreed 
that  Quash-qua-me  (the  Lance)  and  other  chiefs,  together  Avith  the 
old  men,  women  and  children,  and  such  others  as  chose  to  accom- 
pany them,  should  go  to  St.  Louis,  and  place  themselves  under 
the  Anjerican  chief  stationed  there.  They  accordingly  went  down 
and  were  received  as  the  "friendly  band"  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes, 
and  were  provided  for  and  sent  up  the  Missouri  river.  On  Black 
Hawk's  return  from  the  Brstish  army,  he  says  Keokuk  was  intro- 
duced to  him  as  the  war  chief  of  the  braves  then  in  the  village. 
He  inquired  how  he  had  become  chief,  and  was  informed  that 
their  S])ies  had  seen  a  large  armed  force  going  toward  Peoria,  and 
fears  were  entertained  of  an  attack  upon  the  village;  whereupon  a 
council  was  held,  which  concluded  to  leave  the  village  and  cross 
over  to  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi. 

Keokuk  had  been  standing  at  the  door  of  the  lodge  where  the 
council  was  held,  not  being  allowed  to  enter  on  account  of  never 
having  killed  an  enemy,  where  he  remained  until  Wa-co-me  came 
out.  Keokuk  asked  permission  to  speak  in  the  council,  which 
Wa-co-me  obtained  for  him.  Keokuk  then  addressed  the  chiefs; 
he  remonstrated  against  the  desertion  of  the   village,  their  own. 


28  HISTORY    OP  IOWA. 

homes  and  the  graves  of  their  fathers,  and  offered  to  defend 
the  village.  The  council  consented  that  he  should  be  their  war 
chief.  He  marshaled  his  braves,  sent  out  spies,  and  advanced  on 
the  trail  leading  to  Peoria,  but  returned  without  seeing  the  enemy. 
The  Americans  did  not  disturb  the  village,  and  all  were  satisfied 
with  the  appointment  of  Keokuk. 

Keokux,  like  Black  Hawk,  was  a  descendant  of  the  Sac  branch 
of  the  nation,  and  Avas  born  on  Rock  river,  in  1780.  He  was  of 
a  pacific  disposition,  but  possessed  the  elements  of  true  courage, 
and  could  fight,  when  occasion  required,  with  a  cool  judgment  and 
heroic  energy.  In  his  first  battle  he  encountered  and  killed  a 
Sioux,  which  placed  him  in  the  rank  of  warriors,  and  he  was 
honored  with  a  public  feast,  by  his  tribe,  in  commemoration  of 
the  event. 

Keokuk  has  been  described  as  an  orator,  entitled  to  rank  with 
the  most  gifted  of  his  race.  In  person  he  was  tall,  and  of  portly 
bearing;  in  his  public  speeches  he  displayed  a  commanding  atti- 
tude and  graceful  gestures;  he  spoke  rapidly,  but  his  enunciation 
was  clear,  distinct  and  forcible;  he  culled  his  figures  from  the 
stores  of  nature,  and  based  his  arguments  on  skillful  logic.  Un- 
fortunately for  the  reputation  of  Keokuk  as  an  orator,  among 
white  people,  he  was  never  able  to  obtain  an  interpreter  who  could 
claim  even  a  slight  acquaintance  with  philosophy.  With  one  ex- 
ception only,  his  interpreters  were  unacquainted  with  the  ele- 
ments of  their  mother  tongue.  Of  this  serious  hindrance  to  hia 
fame,  Keokuk  was  well  aware,  and  retained  Frank  Labershure, 
who  had  received  a  rudiniental  education  in  the  French  and  En- 
glish languages,  until  the  latter  broke  down  by  dissipation  and 
died.  But  during  the  meridian  of  his  career  among  the  white 
people,  he  was  compelled  to  submit  his  speeches  for  translation  to 
uneducated  men,  whose  range  of  thought  fell  below  the  flights  of 
a  gifted  mind,  and  the  fine  imagery  drawn  from  nature  was  be- 
yond their  power  of  re-production.  He  had  sufficient  knowledge 
of  the  English  language  to  make  him  sensible  of  this  bad  render- 
ing of  his  thought,  and  often  a  feeling  of  mortification  at  the  bun- 
gling efforts  was  depicted  on  his  countenance  while  speaking. 
The  proper  place  to  form  a  correct  estimate  of  his  ability  as  an 
orator  was  in  the  Indian  council,  where  he  addressed  himself  ex- 
clusively to  those  who  understonnd  his  language,  and  witness  the 
electrical  effect  of  his  eloquence  upon  his  audience. 

Keokuk  seems  to  have  possessed  a  more  sober  judgment,  and  to 
have  had  a  more  intelligent  view  of  the  great  strength  and  re- 
sources of  the  United  States,  than  his  noted  and  restless  cotem- 
porary.  Black  Hawk.  He  knew  from  the  first  that  the  reckless 
war  which  Black  Hawk  and  his  band  had  determined  to  carry  on 
could  result  in  nothing  but  defeat  and  disaster,  and  used  every  ar- 
gument against  it.  The  large  number  of  warriors  whom  he  had 
dissuaded  from  following  Black   Hawk  became,  however,  greatly 


HISTORY    OF  IOWA.  29 

excited  with  the  war  spirit  after  Stillman's  defeat,  and  but  for  the 
signal  tact  displayed  by  Keokuk  on  that  occasion,  would  have 
forced  him  to  submit  to  their  wishes  in  joining  the  rest  of  the  war- 
riors in  the  field.  A  war-dance  was  held,  and  Keokuk  took  part 
in  it,  seeming  to  be  moved  with  the  current  of  the  rising  storm. 
When  the  dance  was  over,  he  called  the  council  to  prepare  for 
war.  He  made  a  speech,  in  which  he  admitted  the  justice  of  their 
complaints  against  the  Americans.  To  seek  redress  was  a  noble 
aspiration  of  their  nature.  The  blood  of  their  brethern  had  been 
shed  by  the  white  man,  and  the  spirits  of  their  braves,  slain  in 
battle,  called  loudly  for  vengeance.  "I  am  your  chief,"  he  said, 
"and  it  is  my  duty  to  lead  you  to  battle,  if,  after  fully  considering 
the  matter,  you  are  determined  to  go.  But  before  you  decide  on 
taking  this  important  step,  it  is  wise  to  inquire  into  the  chances 
of  success.  He  then  portrayed  to  them  the  great  power  of  the 
United  States,  against  whom  they  would  have  to  contend,  that 
their  chances  of  success  was  utterly  hopeless.  "But,"  said  he, 
"if  you  do  determine  to  go  upon  the  war-path,  I  will  agree  to 
lead  you,  on  one  condition,  viz. :  that  before  we  go,  we  will  kill 
all  our  old  men  and  our  wives  and  children,  to  save  them  from  a 
lingering  death  of  starvation,  and  that  every  one  of  us  determine 
to  leave  our  homes  on  the  other  side  of  the  Mississippi." 

This  was  a  strong  but  truthful  picture  of  the  prospect  before 
them,  and  was  presented  in  such  a  forcible  light  as  to  cool  their 
ardor,  and  cause  them  to  abandon  the  rash   undertaking. 

But,  during  the  war  of  1832,  it  is  now  considered  certain  that 
small  bands  of  Indians,  from  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi, 
made  incursions  into  the  white  settlements,  in  the  lead  mining 
region,  and  committed  .:ome  murders   and   depredations. 

When  peace  was  declared  between  the  United  States  and  Eng- 
land, Black  Hawk  was  required  to  make  peace  with  the  former, 
and  entered  into  a  treaty  at  Portage  des  Sioux,  September  14^ 
1815,  but  did  not  "  touch  the  goose-quill  to  it  until  May  13,  1816, 
when  he  smoked  the  pipe  of  peace  with  the  great  white  chief,"  at 
St.  Louis.  This  treaty  was  a  renewal  of  the  treaty  of  1804,  but 
Black  Hawk  declared  he  had  been  deceived;  that  he  did  not  know 
that  by  singing  the  treaty  he  was  giving  away  his  villiage.  This 
weighed  upon  his  mind,  already  soured  by  previous  disappointment 
and  the  irresistible  encroachments  ol  the  whites;  and  when  a  few 
years  later,  he  and  his  people  were  driven  from  their  possessions 
by  the  military,  he  determined  to  return  to  the  home  of  his  fathers. 

It  is  also  to  be  remarked  that  in  1816,  by  treaty  with  various 
tribes,  the  United  States,  relinquished  to  the  Indians  all  the  lands 
lying  north  of  a  line  drawn  from  the  southermost  point  of  Lake 
Michigan  west  to  the  Mississippi,  except  a  reservation  five  leagues 
square,  on  the  Mississippi  Kiver,  supposed  then  to  be  sufficient  to 
include  all  the  mineral  lands  on  an  adjacent  to  Fever  River,  and 
one  league  square  at  the  mouth  of  the  Wisconsin  River. 


30  HISTORY  OF  IOWA. 

THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR. 

The  immedinte  cause  of  the  Indian  outbreak  in  1830  was  the 
occupation  of  Black  Hawk's  villiage,  on  the  Rock  River,  by  the 
whites,  during  the  absence  of  the  chief  and  his  braves  on  a  hunt- 
ing expedition,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi.  When  they 
returned  they  found  their  wigwams  occupied  by  white  families, 
and  their  own  women  and  children  were  shelterless  on  the  banks 
of  the  river.  The  Indians  were  indignant,  and  determined  to  re- 
possess their  villiage  at  all  hazards,  and  early  in  the  spring  of  1831 
recrossed  the  Missisiippi  and  menacingly  took  possession  of  their 
own  cornfields  and  cabins.  It  may  be  well  to  remark  here  that  it 
was  expressly  stipulated  in  the  treaty  of  1804,  to  which  they  at- 
tributed all  their  troubles,  that  the  Indians  should  not  be  obliged 
to  leave  their  lands  until  they  were  sold  by  the  United  States,  and 
it  does  not  appear  that  they  occupied  any  lands  other  than  those 
owned  by  the  Government.  If  this  was  true,  the  Indians  had  good 
cause  for  indignation  and  complaint.  But  the  whites,  driven  out 
in  turn  by  the  returning  Indians,  became  so  clamorous  against 
what  they  termed  the  encroachments  of  the  natives,  that  Gov. 
Reynolds,  of  Illinoise,  ordered  Gen.  Gaines  to  Rock  Island  with  a 
militay  force  to  drive  the  Indians  again  from  their  homes  to  the 
west  side  of  the  Mississippi.  Black  Hawk  says  he  did  not  intend 
to  be  provoked  into  Avar  by  anything  less  than  the  blood  of  some 
of  his  own  people;  in  other  words,  that  there  would  be  no  war 
unless  it  should  be  commenced  by  the  pale  faces.  But  it  was  said 
and  probably  thought  by  the  military  commanders  along  the  fron- 
tier, that  the"  Indians  intended  to  unite  in  a  general  war  against 
the  whites,  from  Rock  River  to  the  Mexican  borders.  But  it  does 
not  appear  that  the  hardy  frontiersmen  themselves  had  any  fears, 
for  their  experience  had  been  that,  when  well  treated,  their  Indian 
neighbors  were  not  dangerous.  Black  Hawk  and  his  band  had  done 
no  more  than  to  attempt  to  repossess  the  old  homes  of  which  they  had 
been  deprived  in  their  absence.  No  blood  had  been  shed.  Black 
Hawk  had  his  chiefs  sent  a  flag  of  truce,  and  a  new  treaty  was 
made,  by  which  Black  Hawk  and  hss  band  agreed  to  remain  for- 
ever on  the  Iowa  side. 

On  the  6th  day  of  April,  1832,  Black  Hawk,  and  his  en- 
tire band,  with  their  women  and  children,  again  recrossed 
the  Mississippi  River  in  plain  view  of  the  garrison  of  Fort 
Armstrong,  and  went  up  the  Rock  River.  Although  this  act 
was  construed  into  an  act  of  hostility  by  the  military  authorities, 
who  declared  that  Black  Hawk  intended  to  recover  his  village,  or 
the  site  where  it  stood,  by  force;  yet  it  does  not  appear  that  he 
made  any  such  attemi)t,  nor  did  liis  appearance  create  any  special 
alarm  among  the  settlers.  They  knew  that  the  Indians  never 
went  on  the  war-path  encumbered  with  the  old  men,  their  women 
and  their  children. 

The  Galenian,  printed  in   Galena,  of  May   2,   1832,  says  that 


HISTORY    OF   IOWA.  31 

Black  Hawk  was  invited  by  the  Prophet,  and  had  taken  possession 
of  a  tract  about  forty  miles  up  Rock  river;  but  that  he  did  not  re- 
main there  long,  but  commenced  his  search  up  Rock  river.  Capt. 
W.  B.  Green,  who  served  in  Captain  Stevenson's  company  of 
mounted  rangers,  says  that  "Black  Hawk  and  his  band  crossed 
the  river  with  no  hostile  intention,  but  that  his  band  had  had  bad 
luck  in  hunting  during  the  previous  winter,  were  actually  in  a 
starving  condition,  and  had  come  over  to  spend  the  summer  with  a 
friendly  tribe  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Rock  and  Illinois  rivers  by 
invitation  from  their  chief."  Other  old  settlers,  who  all  agree  that 
Black  Hawk  had  no  idea  of  fighting,  say  that  he  came. back  to  the 
west  side  expecting  to  negotiate  another  treaty,  and  get  a  new 
supply  of  provisions.  The  most  reasonable  explanation  of  this 
movement,  which  resulted  so  disastrously  to  Black  Hawk  and  his 
starving  people,  is  that,  during  the  fall  and  winter  ot  1831-32,  his 
people  became  greatly  indebted  to  their  favorite  trader  at  Fort 
Armstrong  (Rock  Island),  they  had  not  been  fortunate  in  hunting, 
and  he  was  likely  to  lose  heavily,  as  an  Indian  debt  was  outlawed 
in  one  year.  If,  therefore,  the  Indians  c :)uld  be  induced  to  come 
over,  and  the  fears  of  the  military  could  be  sufficiently  aroused  to 
pursue  them,  another  treaty  could  be  negotiated,  and  from  the 
payments  from  the  government  the  shrewd  trader  could  get  his 
pay.  Just  a  week  after  Black  Hawk  crossed  the  river,  on  the  13th 
ol  April,  1832,  George  Davenport  wrote  to  Gen.  Atkinson:  "I  am 
informed  that  the  British  band  of  Sac  Indians  are  determined  to 
make  war  on  the  frontier  settlements.  *  *  * 

From  every  information  that  I  have  received,  I  am  of  the  opinion 
that  the  intention  of  the  British  band  of  Sac  Indians  is  to  commit 
depredations  on  the  inhabitants  of  the  frontier."  And  yet,  from 
the  6th  day  of  April,  until  after  Stillinan's  men  commenced  war 
by  firing  on  the  flag  of  truce  from  Black  Hawk,  no  murders  nor 
depredations  were  committed  by  the  British  band  of  Sac  Indians. 
It  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  sketch  to  detail  the  incidents  of  the 
Black  Hawk  war  of  1832,  as  it  pertains  rather  to  the  history  of  the 
State  of  Illinois.  It  is  sufficient  to  say  that,  after  the  disgraceful 
affair  at  Stillman's  Run,  Black  Hawk  concluded  that  the  whites 
retusing  to  treat  with  him,  were  determined  to  exterminate  his 
people,  determined  to  return  to  the  Iowa  side  of  the  Mississippi. 
He  could  not  return  l)y  the  way  he  came,  for  the  army  was  behind 
him,  an  army,  too,  that  would  sternly  reluse  to  recognize  the  white 
flag  of  peace.  His  only  course  was  to  make  his  way  northward  and 
reach  the  Mississippi,  if  possible,  before  the  troops  could  overtake 
him,  and  this  he  did;  but,  before  he  could  get  his  women  and 
children  across  the  Wisconsin,  he  was  overtaken,  and  a  battle  en- 
sued. Here,  again,  he  sued  for  peace,  and,  through  his  trusty 
lieutenant,  "the  Prophet,"  the  whites  were  plainly  informed  that 
the  starving  Indians  did  not  wish  to  fight,  but  would  return  to 
the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi,  peaceably,  if  they  could   be   per- 


32  HISTORY    OF   IOWA. 

niitterl  to  do  so.  No  attention  was  paid  to  this  second  effort  to  ne 
gotiate  peace,  and,  as  soon  as  the  supplies  could  be  obtained  the 
pursuit  was  resumed,  the  Hying  Indians  were  overtaken  again 
ei^lit  miles  before  they  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Bad  Axe,  and 
the  slaugnter  (it  should  not  be  dignified  by  the  name  of  battle) 
connnenced.  Here,  overcome  by  starvation  and  the  victorious 
whites,  his  band  was  scattered,  on  the  2d  day  of  August,  1832. 
Black  HaAvk  escaped,  but  was  brought  into  camp  at  Prairie  du 
Chien  by  tliree  Winnebagoes.  He  was  confined  in  Jefferson  bar- 
racks until  the  spring  of  1833,  when  he  was  sent  to  Washington, 
arriving  tliefo  April  22.  On  the  26tli  of  April  they  were  takisn  to 
Fortress  Monroe,  where  they  remained  till  the  4th  of  June,  1833, 
when  orders  were  given  for  theui  to  be  liberated  and  returned  to 
their  own  country.  By  orders  of  the  president  he  was  brought 
back  through  tlio  principal  eastern  cities.  Cro\yds  Hocked  to  see 
him  all  along  the  route,  and  he  was  very  much  flattered  by  the  at- 
tention he  received.  He  lived  among  his  people  on  the  Iowa 
river  till  that  reservation  was  sold,  in  183(3,  when,  with  the  rest  of 
the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  he  removed  to  the  Des  Moines  reservation, 
where  he  remained  till  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  3d  of  Oc- 
tober, 1838. 

INDJAN    PURCHASES,    RESERVES    AND   TREATIES. 

At  the  close  of  the  Black  Hawk  War,  in  1832,  a  treaty  was 
made,  at  a  council  held  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  where 
now  stands  the  thriving  city  of  Davenport,  on  grounds  no.v  occu- 
pied by  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  and  Pacific,  railroad  company 
on  the  21st  day  of  September,  1832.  At  this  council,  the  United 
States  were  represented  by  Gen.  Wintield  Scott  and  Gov.  Rey- 
nolds, of  Illinois.  Keokuk,  Pash-a-pa-ho  and  some  thirty  other 
chiefs  and  warriors  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  nation  were  present.  By 
this  treaty,  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  ceded  to  the  United  States  a  strip 
of  land  on  the  eastern  border  of  Iowa,  fifty  miles  wide,  from  the 
northern  boundary  of  Missiouri  to  the  mouth  of  the  Upper  Iowa 
River,  containing  about  six  million  acres.  The  western  line  of  the 
purchase  was  parallel  with  the  Mississippi.  In  consideration  of 
this  cession,  the  United  States  Government  stipulated  to  pay  an- 
nually to  the  confederated  tribes,  for  thirty  consecutive  years, 
twenty  thousand  dollar  in  specie,  and  to  pay  the  debts  of  the  In- 
dians at  Rock  Island,  which  had  been  accumulating  for  seventeen 
years,  and  amounted  to  tifty  thousand  dollars,  due  to  Davenport  & 
Farnham,  Indian  traders.  Tiu  Government  also  generously  do- 
nated to  the  Sac  and  Fox  women  and  children,whose  husbands  and 
fathers  had  fallen  in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  thirty-tive  beef  cattle, 
twelve  bushels  of  salt,  thirty  barrels  of  pork,  fifty  barrels  of  Hour 
and  six  thousand  bushels  of  corn. 

This  territory  is  known  as  the  "Black  Hawk  Purchase."  Al- 
though it  was  not  the  first  portion  of  Iowa   ceded   to  the   United 


HISTOIIY  OP    IOWA.  33 

States  by  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  it  was  the  first  opened  to  actual 
settlement  by  the  tide  of  emigration  that  flowed  across  the  Mis- 
sissippi as  soon  as  the  Indian  title  was  extinguislied.  The  treaty 
was  ratified  February  13, 188H,  and  took  ellect  on  the  1st  of  June 
ollowing,  when  the  Indians  quietly  removed  from  the  ceded  ter- 
ritory, and  this  fertile  and  beautiful  regi(^n  was  opened  to  white 
settlers. 

iiy  the  terms  of  the  treaty,  out  of  the  lUack  Hawk  Purchase 
was  reserved  for  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  400  sijuare  miles  of  land 
situated  on  the  Iowa  Kiver,  and  ii\cluding  within  its  limits  Keo- 
kuk's village,  on  the  right  bank  of  tliat  river.  This  tract  was 
known  as  "Keokuk's  Reserve,"  and  was  occupied  by  the  Indians 
until  1836,  when,  by  a  treaty  made  in  Septendjer  between  them 
and  Gov.  Dotlge,  of  Wisconsin  Territory,  it  was  ceded  to  the 
United  States.  The  council  was  held  on  the  banks  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, above  Davenport,  and  was  the  largest  assemblage  of  the 
kind  ever  held  by  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  to  treat  for  the  sale  of  lands. 
About  one  thousand  of  their  cliiefs  and  braves  were  present,  and 
Keokuk  was  their  leading  spirit  and  principal  speaker  on  the 
occasion.  By  the  terms  of  the  treaty,  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  were  re- 
moved to  another  reservation  on  the  Des  Moines  River,  where  an 
agency  was  established  for  them  at  what  is  now  the  town  of 
Agency  City. 

Besides  the  Keokuk  Reserve  the  government  gave  out  of  the 
Black  Hawk  Purchase  to  Antoine  Le  Clair,  interp(!ter,  in  fee  sim- 
ple, one  section  of  land  opposite  Rock  island,  and  another  at  the 
head  of  the  first  rapids  above  the  island,  on  the  Iowa  side.  This 
was  the  first  land  title  granted  by  the  United  States  to  an  individ- 
ual in  Iowa. 

Soon  after  the  removal  of  Sacs  and  Foxes  to  their  Jievv  reserva- 
tion on  the  Des  Moines  River,  Gen.  Joseph  M.  Street  was  transfered 
from  the  agency  of  the  Winnebagoes,  at  Prairie  du  Chein,  to  estab- 
lish an  agency  among  them.  A  farm  was  selected,  on  which, 
the  necessary  buildings  erected,  includmg  a  comfortable  larm 
house  for  the  agent  and  his  family,  at  tlie  expense  iA'  the 
Indian  Fund.  A  salaried  agent  was  employed  to  superintend 
the  farm  and  dispose  of  the  crops.  Two  mills  were  erected,  one 
on  Soap  Creek,  and  ttie  other  on  Sugar  Creek.  The  latter  was 
soon  swept  away  by  a  Hood,  but  the  former  remained  and  did 
good  service  for  many  years.  Connected  with  tlie  agency  were 
Joseph  Smart  and  Juhn  Goodell,  interpreters.  The  latter  was  in- 
terperter  for  Plard  Fish's  band.  Three  of  the  Indian  chiefs'  Keo- 
kuk, W^apello  and  Appanoose,  had  each  a  large  field  improved, 
the  two  former  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Des  Moines,  back  from 
the  river,  in  what  is  now  Keokuk's  Prairie,  and  the  latter  on  the 
present  site  of  the  city  of  Ottumwa.  A.nung  the  traders  connected 
with  tile  agency  were  tlie  Messrs.    iiiwing,  fioiu   Ohio,  and    Phelps 


34  HISTORY  OF   IOWA. 

&  Co.,  from  Illinois,  and  al^o  Mr.  J.  P.  Eddy,  who  established  his 
post  at  what  is  now  the  site  of  Eddy  ville. 

The  Indians  at  this  agency  became  idle  and  listless  in  the 
absence  of  their  natural  and  wonted  excitements,  and  many  of 
them  plunged  into  dissipation.  Keokuk  himself  bacame  dis- 
sipated in  the  latter  years  of  his  life,  and  it  has  been  reported  that 
he  died  of  delirium  tremens  after  his  removal  with  his  tribe  to 
Kansas. 

In  May,  1848,  most  of  the  Indians  were  removed  up  the  Des 
Moines  River,  aljove  the  temporary  line  of  Red  Rock,  having  ceded 
the  remnant  of  their  lands  in  Iowa  to  the  United  States  on  the 
21st  of  September,  1837,  and  on  the  11th  of  October  1842.  By 
the  terms  of  the  latter  treaty,  they  lield  possessisn  of  the  "New 
Purchase"  till  the  Autum  of  184-5,  when  the  most  of  them  wore 
removed  to  their  reservation  in  Kansas,  the  balance  being  removed 
in  the  Spring  of  184G. 

1.  Treaty  with  the  Sioux.— Made  July  19,  1815:  ratified  De- 
cember 16,  1815.  This  treaty  was  made  at  Portage  des  Sioux,  be- 
tween the  Sioux  of  Minnesota  and  Upper  Iowa  and  the  Uniied 
States,  by  William  Clark  and  Ninian  Edwards,  Commissioners, 
and  was  merely  a  treaty  of  peace  and  triendship  on  the  part  of 
those  Indians  toward  the  United  States  at  the  close  of  the  war  of 
1812. 

2.  Treaty  with  the  Sacs. — A  similar  treaty  of  peace  was  made 
at  Portage  des  Sioux,  between  the  United  States  and  the  Sacs,  by 
William  Clark,  Ninian  Edwards  and  Auguste  Choteau,  on  the  loth 
of  September,  1815,  ami  ratitied  at  the  same  date  as  the  above.  In. 
this,  the  treaty  of  1804  was  re-affirmed,  and  the  Sacs  here  repre- 
sented promised  for  themselves  and  their  bands  to  keep  entirely 
seporate  from  the  Sacs  of  Rock  River,  who,  under  Black  Hawk,  had 
joined  the  Britisli  in  the  war  just  then  closed. 

3.  Treaty  with  the  Foxes. — A  separate  treaty  of  peace  was 
made  with  Koxes  at  Portage  des  Sioux  by  the  same  Commissioners 
on  the  14th  of  Septembr,  1815,  and  ratitied  the  same  as  the  above, 
wherein  the  Foxes  re-affirmed  the  treaty  at  St.  Louis,  of  Novem- 
ber 3,  1804,  and  agreed  to  deliver  up  all  tlieir  prisoners  to  the 
oliicer  in  command  at  Fort  Clark  now  Peoria,  Illinois. 

4.  Treaty  with  the  lowas. — A  treaty  of  peace  and  mutual  good 
will  was  made  between  th'-;  United  States  and  the  Iowa  tribe  of 
Indians,  at  Portage  des  Sioux,  by  the  same  Commissioners  as 
above,  on  the  Kith  of  September  1815,  at  the  close  of  the  war 
withCireat  Britain,  and  ratified  at  tlie  same  date  as  the  othars. 

5.  Treaty  witli  the  Sacs  at  Rock  River. — Made  at  St.  Louis  on 
the  13th  of  May,  1816,  between  the  Unitad  States  and  the  Sacs  of 
Rock  River,  by  tiie  Commissioners,  William  Clark,  Ninian  Ed- 
wards and  Auguste  Choteau,  and  ratified  December  30,  1816.  In 
this  treaty,  that  of  1804  was  re-established  and  confirmed  by 
twenty-two  chiefs  and  head  men  of  the  Sacs  of  Rock   River,  and 


HISTORY  OF   IOWA.  35 

Black  Hawk  himself  attached  to  it  his  signature,   or,  ^as   he  said, 
"touched  the  goose  quill." 

6.  treaty  of  1824.— On  the  4th  of  August,  1824,  a  treaty  was 
made  between  the  United  States  and  the  Sacs  and  Foxes, 
in  the  city  of  Washington,  by  William  Clark,  Commissioner, 
wherein  the  Sac  and  Fox  nation  relinquished  their  title  to  all  lands 
in  Missouri,  and  that  portion  of  the  southeast  corner  of  Iowa 
know  as  the  "Hal-Breed  Tract"  was  set  off  and  reserved  for  the  use 
of  the  half-breeds  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  they  holding  title  in  the 
same  manner  as  Indians.     Ratified  January  18,  1825. 

7.  Treaty  oi  August  19,  1825. — At  this  date  a  treaty  was  made 
by  William  Clark  and  Lewis  Cass,  at  Prairie  du  Cliien,  betwen 
the  United  States  and  the  Chippewas,  Sacs  and  Foxes,  Menom- 
onees,  Winnebagoes  and  a  ])ortion  of  the  Ottawas  and  Pottawatom- 
ies.  In  this  treat}^  in  order  to  make  peace  between  the  contend- 
ing tribes  as  to  the  limits  of  their  respective  hunting  grounds  in 
Iowa,  it  was  agreed  that  the  United  States  Government  should 
run  a  boundary  line  between  the  Sioux,  on  the  north,  and  the 
Sacs  and  Foxes,  on  south,  as  follows: 

Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  the  Upper  Iowa  River,  on,  the 
west  bank  of  the  Mississii)pi,  and  ascending  said  Iowa  River  to 
its  west  fork;  thence  up  to  the  fork  to  its  source;  thence  crossing 
the  fork  of  Red  Cedar  River  in  a  direct  line  to  the  second  or  upper 
fork  of  the  Des  Moines  River;  thence  in  a  direct  line  to  the  lower 
fork  of  the  Calumet  River,  and  down  that  river  to  its  junction  with 
the  Missouri  Rivo-r. 

8.  Treaty  of  1830.— On  the  15th  of  July,  1830,  the  confederate 
tribes  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  ceded  to  the  United  States  a  strip  of 
country  lying  south  of  the  above  line,  twenty  miles  in  width  and 
extending  along  the  line  a  forosaid  from  the  Mississippi  to  the 
Des  Moines  River.  The  Sioux  also,  whose  possessions  were  north 
of  the  line,  ceded  to  the  Government,  in  the  same  treaty,  a  like 
strip  on  the  north  side  of  the  boundary.  Thus  the  United  States, 
at  the  ratification  of  this  treaty,  February  24,  1831,  came  into  pos- 
session of  a  portion  of  Iowa  fort}'  miles  wide,  extending  along  the 
Clark  and  Cass  line  of  1825,  from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Des 
Moines  River.  This  territory  was  known  as  the  "Neutral  Ground" 
and  the  tribes  on  either  side  of  the  line  were  allowed  to  fish  and 
hunt  on  it  unmolested  till  it  was  made  a  Winnebago  reservation, 
and  the  Winnebagoes  were  removed  to  it  in  1841. 

9.  Treaty  with  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  and  other  Tribes. — At  the 
same  time  of  the  above  treaty  respecting  the  "Neutral  Ground" 
(July  15,  1830),  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  Western  Sioux,  Omalias, 
lowas  and  Missouris  ceded  to  the  United  States  a  portion  of  the 
western  slope  of  Iowa,  the  boundaries  of  which  were  defined  as 
follows : 

Beginning  at  the  upper  fork  of  the  Des  Moines  River,  and 
|)assing  the  sources  of  the  little  Sioux  and  Floyd    Rivers,  to  the 


36  HISTOEY  OF  IOWA. 

fork  of  the  first  creek  that  falls  into  the  Big  Sioux,  or  Calument, 
on  the  east  side;  thence  down  said  creek  and  the  Calumet  River 
to  the  Missouri  River;  thence  down  said  Missouri  River  to  the 
Missouri  State  line  above  the  Kansas;  thence  along  said  line  to 
the  northwest  corner  of  said  State;  thence  to  the  high  lands  be- 
tween the  waters  falling  into  the  Missouri  and  Des  Moines,  pass- 
ing to  said  high  lands  along  the  dividing  ridge  between  the  forks 
of  the  Grand  River;  thence  along  said  high  lands  or  ridge  separat- 
ing the  waters  of  the  Missouri  from  those  of  the  Des  Moines,  to  a 
point  opposite  the  source  of  the  Boyer  River,  and  thence  in  a 
direct  line  to  the  upper  fork  of  the  Des  Moines,  the  place  of  begin- 
ning. 

It  was  understood  that  the  land,s  ceded  and  relinquished  by  this 
treaty  were  to  be  assigned  and  allotted,  under  the  direction  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  to  the  tribes  then  living  thereon, 
or  to  such  other  tribes  as  the  President  might  locate  thereon,  for 
hunting  and  other  purposes.  In  consideration  of  three  tracts  of 
land  ceded  in  this  treaty,  the  United  States  agreed  to  pay  to  the 
Sacs  three  thousand  dollars;  to  the  Foxes,  three  thousand  dol- 
lars; to  the  Sioux  two  thousand  dollars;  to  the  Yankton  and  San- 
tee  bands  of  Sioux,  three  thousands  dollars;  to  the  Omahas,  two 
thousand  five  hundred  dollars;  and  to  the  Otoes  and  Missouris, 
two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars — to  be  paid  annually  lor  ten 
successive  years.  In  addition  to  these  annuities,  the  Government 
agreed  to  furnish  some  of  the  tribes  with  blacksmiths  and  agricul- 
tural implements  to  the  amount  of  two  hundred  dollars,  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  United  States,  and  to  set  apart  three  thousand  dollars 
annually  for  the  education  of  the  children  of  these  tribes.  It  does 
not  appear  that  any  tort  was  erected  in  this  territory  prior  to  the 
erection  of  Fort  Atkinson  on  the  Neutral  Ground,  in  1840-1. 

This  treaty  was  made  by  William  Clark,  Superintendent  of  In- 
dian affairs,  and  Col.  Willoughby  Mor  an,  of  the  United  States 
First  Infantry,  and  came  into  effect  bv  proclamation,  February  24, 
1881. 

SPANISH  GRANTS. 

While  the  territory  now  embraced  in  the  State  of  Iowa  was  un- 
der Spanish  rule  as  a  part  of  its  province  of  Louisiana,  certain 
claims  to  and  grants  of  land  were  made  by  the  Spanish  authori- 
ties, with  which,  in  addition  to  the  extinguishment  of  Indian 
titles,  the  United  States,  had  to  deal.  It  is  proper  that  these 
should  be  briefly  reviewed: 

Dubuque. — On  the  22d  day  of  September,  1788,  Julien  Dubuque, 
a  Frenchman,  from  Prairie  du  Chien,  obtained  from  tlie  Foxes  a 
cession  or  lease  of  lands  on  the  Mississippi  River  for  mining  pur- 
poses, on  the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Dubuque.  Lead  had  been 
discovered  here  eight  years  before,  in  1780,    by  the  wife  of   Peosta 


HISTORY  OF   IOWA,  37 

Fox,  a  warrior,  and  Dubuque's  claim  embraced  nearly  all  tHe  lead 
bearing  lands  in  that  vicinity.  He  inmiediately  took  possession 
of  his  claim  and  commenced  mining,  at  the  same  time  making  a 
settlement.  The  place  became  known  as  the  "Spanish  Miners," 
or,  more  commonly,  "Dubuque's  Lead  Mines." 

In  1796,  Dubuque  filed  a  petition  with  Baron  de  Carondelet, 
the  Spanish  Goveruor  of  Louisiana,  asking  that  the  tract  ceded  to 
him  by  the  Indians  might  be  granted  to  him  by  patent  from  the 
Spanish  Government.  In  this  petition  Dubuque  rather  indefin- 
itely set  forth  the  boundaries  of  his  claim  as  "about  seven  leagues 
along  the  Mississippi  River,  and  three  leagues  in  width  from 
the  river,"  intending  to  include,  as  is  supposed,  the  river 
front  between  the  Little  Maquoketa  and  the  Tete  des  Mertz 
Rivers,  embracing  more  than  twenty  thousand  acres.  Caron- 
delet granted  the  prayer  of  the  petition,  and  the  grant  was  subse- 
quently confirmed  by  the  Board  of  Land  Commissioners  of  Louis- 
iana. 

In  October,  1804,  Dubuque  transfered  the  larger  part  of  his 
claim  to  Auguste  Choteau,  of  St.  Louis,  and  on  the  17th  of  May, 
1805,  he  and  Choteau  jointly  filed  their  claims  with  the  Board  of 
Commissioners.  On  the  20th  of  September,  1806,  the  Board  de- 
cided in  their  favor,  pronouncing  the  claim  to  be  a  regular  Span- 
ish grant,  made  and  compeleted  prior  to  the  1st  day  of  October, 
1800,  only  one  member,  J.  B.  C.  Lucas,  dissenting. 

Dubuque  died  March  24,  1810.  The  Indians,  understanding  that 
the  claim  of  Dubuque  under  their  former  act  of  cession  was  only 
a  permit  to  occupy  the  tract  and  work  the  mines  during  his  life, 
and  that  at  his  death  they  reverted  to  them  took  possession  and 
continued  mining  operations,  and  were  sustained  by  the  military 
authority  of  the  United  States,  notwithstanding  the  decision  of 
the  Commissioners.  When  the  Black  Hawk  purcdase  was  con- 
summated, the  Dubuque  claim  thus  held  by  the  Indians  was  ab- 
sorbed by  the  United  States,  as  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  made  no  reser- 
vation of  it  in  the  treaty  of  1832. 

The  heirs  of  Choteau,  however,  were  not  disposed  to  relinquish 
their  claim  without  a  struggle.  Late  in  1832,  they  employed  an 
agent  to  look  ofter  their  interests,  and  authorized  him  to  lease  the 
right  to  dig  lead  on  the  lands.  The  miners  who  commenced  work 
under  this  agent  were  compelled  by  the  military  to  abandon  their 
operations,  and  one  of  the  claimants,  went  to  Galena  to  institute 
legal  proceedings,  but  found  no  court  of  competent  jurisdiction, 
although  he  did  bring  an  action  for  the  recovery  of  a  quantity  of 
lead  dug  at  Dupuque,  for  the  purpose  of  testing  the  title.  Being 
unable  to  identify  the  lead,  however,  he  was  non-suited. 

By  act  of  Congress,  approved  July  2,  1836,  the  town  of  Dubuque 
was  surveyed  and  platted.  After  lots  had  been  sold  and  occupied 
by  the  purchasers,  Henry  Choteau  brought  an  action  of  ejectment 


38  HISTORY  OF   IOWA. 

against  Patrick  Malony,  who  held  land  in  Dubuque  under  a  patent 
from  the  United  States,  for  the  recovery  of  seven  undivided  eighth 
parts  of  the  Dubuque  claim,  as  purchased  by  Auguste  Choteau  in 
1804.  The  case  was  tried  in  the  District  Court  of  the  United 
States  for  the  District  of  Iowa,  and  was  decided  adversely  to  the 
plaintiff.  The  case  was  carried  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States  on  a  writ  of  error,  when  it  was  heard  at  tho  December 
term,  1853,  and  the  decision  of  the  lower  court  was  affirmed,  the 
court  holding  that  the  permit  from  Carondelet  was  merely  a  lease, 
or  permit  to  work  tlie  mines;  that  Dubuque  asked,  and  the  Gover- 
nor of  Louisiana  granted,  nothing  more  than  the  "peaceable  pos- 
session of  certain  lands  obtained  from  the  Indians;  that  Caron- 
dolet  had  no  legal  authority  to  make  such  a  grant  as  claimed,  and 
that,  even  if  he  had,  this  was  but  an  "in  choate  and  imperfected 
title." 

Girard. — In  1795,  the  Lietenant  Governor  of  Upper  Louisiana 
granted  to  Basil  Giard  five  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land,  in  what  is  now  Clayton  County,  known  as  the  "Girard 
Tract."  He  occupiad  the  land  during  the  time  that  Iowa  passed 
from  Spain  to  France,  and  from  France  to  the  United  States,  in 
consideration  of  which  the  Federal  Government  granted  a  patent 
of  the  same  to  Girrad  in  his  own  right.  His  heirs  sold  the  whole 
tract  to  James  H.  Lockwood  and  Thomas  P.  Burnett,  of  Prairie  du 
Chien,  for  three  hundred  dollars. 

Honori. — March  30,  1799,  Zenon  Trudeau,  acting  Lieutenant 
Governor  of  Upper  Liousiana,  granted  to  Louis  Honori  a  tract  of 
land  on  the  site  of  the  present  town  of  Montrose,  as  follows:  "It  is 
permitted  to  Mr.  Louis  (Fesson)  Honori,  or  Louis  Honore  Fes- 
Bon,  to  establish  himself  at  the  head  of  the  rapids  of  the  River 
Des  Moines,  and  his  establishment  once  funned,  notice  of  it  shall 
be  given  to  the  Governor  General,  i.i  order  to  obtain  for 
him  a  commission  of  a  space  sufficient  to  give  value  to  such 
establishment,  and  at  the  same  time  to  render  it  useful  to  the 
commerce  of  the  peltries  of  this  country,  to  watch  the  Indians 
and  keep  them  in  tiie  lldelity  which  they  owe  to  His  Majesty." 

Honori  took  immediate  possession  of  his  claim,  which  he  re- 
tained until  1805.  While  trading  with  the  natives  he  became  in- 
debted to  Joseph  Pu)bedoux,  who  obtained  an  execution  on  which 
the  property  was  sold  i.\lay  13, 1803,  and  was  purchased  by  the  cred- 
itor. In  these  proceedings  tlie  pro])erty  was  described  as  being 
"ahout  six  leaugues  above  the  River  Des  Moines."  Robedoux  died 
soon  after  he  purchased  the  proi)erty.  Auguste  Choteau,  his  ex- 
ecutor, disposed  of  the  Honori  Tract  to  Thomas  F.  Ueddeck,  in 
April,  1805,  up  to  which  time  Honori  confined  to  occupy  it.  The 
grant,  as  made  by  the  Spanish  Government,  was  a  league  square, 
but  only  one  mile  square  was  confirmed  by  the  United  States. 
After  the  half-breeds  sold  their  lands  in  which  the   Honori   grant 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.  41 

Court  for  the  Territory  of  Iowa,  on  the  8th  of  May,  1841,  and 
certified  to  by  the  Clerk  on  the  2d  day  of  June  of  that  year.  Ed- 
ward Johnstone  and  Hugh  T.  lieid,  then  law  partners  at  Fort 
Madison,  filed  the  petition  for  the  decree  in  behalf  of  the  St.  Louis 
claimants  of  half-breed  lands.  Francis  S.  Key,  author  of  the  Star 
Spangled  Banner,  who  was  then  attorney  for  the  New  York  Land 
Company,  which  held  heavy  interest  in  these  lands,  took  a  leading 
part  in  the  measure,  and  drew  up  the  document  in  which  it  was 
presented  to  the  court.  Judge  Charles  Mason,  of  Burlington,  pre- 
sided. The  plan  of  partition  divided  the  tract  into  one  hundred 
and  one  shares,  and  arranged  that  each  claimant  should  draw  his 
proportion  by  lot,  and  should  abide  the  result,  whatever  it  might 
be.  The  arrangement  was  entered  into,  the  lots  drawn,  and  the 
plat  of  the  same  filed  in  the  Recorder's  office,  October  6,  1841. 
Upon  this  basis  the  titles  to  land  in  the  Half-Breed  Tract  are  now 
held. 

EARLY  SETTLEMENTS. 

The  first  perraament  settlement  by  the  whites  within  the  limits 
of  Iowa  was  made  by  Julien  Dubuque,  in  1788,  when,  with  a  small 
party  of  miners,  he  settled  on  the  site  of  the  city  that  now  bears 
his  name,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  in  1810.  Louis  Honori 
settled  on  the  site  of  the  present  town  of  Montrose,  probably  in 
1799,  and  resided  there  until  1805,  when  his  property  passed  into 
other  hands.  Of  the  Girard  settlement,  opposite  Prairie  du  Chien, 
little  is  known,  except  that  it  was  occupied  by  some  parties  prior 
to  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  and  contained  three 
cabins  in  1805.  Indian  traders,  although  not  strictly  to  be  con- 
sidered settlers,  had  established  themselves  at  various  points  at  an 
an  early  date.  A  Mr.  Johnson,  Agent  of  the  American  Fur  Com- 
pany, had  a  trading  post  below  Burlington,  where  he  carried  on 
traffic  with  the  Indians  some  time  before  the  United  States  pos- 
sessed the  country.  In  1820,  Le  Moliese,  a  French  trader,  had  a 
station  at  what  is  now  Sandusky  six  miles  above  Keokuk,  in  Lee 
County.  In  1829.  Dr.  Isaac  Gallaud  made  a  settlement  on  the 
Lower  Rapids,  at  what  is  now  Nashville. 

The  first  settlement  in  Lee  county  was  made  in  1820,  by  Dr. 
Samuel  C.  Muir,  a  surgeon  in  the  United  States  army,  who  had 
been  stationed  at  Fort  Edwards,  now  Warsaw,  111.,  and  who  built 
a  cabin  where  the  city  of  Keokuk  now  stands. 

Messrs.  Reynolds  &  Culver,  who  had  leased  Dr.  Muir's  claim  at 
Keokuk,  subsequently  employed  as  their  agent  Mr,  Moses  Still- 
well,  who  arrived  with  his  family  in  1828,  and  took  possession  of 
Muir's  cabin.  His  brothers-in-law,  Amos  and  Valencourt  Van 
Ansdal  came  with  him  and  settled  near. 

His  daughter,  Margaret  Stillwell  (afterward  Mrs.  Ford),  was 
born  in  1831,  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  called  by  the  Indians  Puch- 
a-she-tuck,  where  Keokuk  now  stands.  She  was  probably  the  first 
white  American  child  born  in  Iowa. 


42  HISTORY    OF   IOWA. 

In  1831,  Mr.  Johnson,  agent  of  the  American  Fur  Company, 
who  had  a  station  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  removed  to  another  lo- 
cation, and  Dr.  Muir  having  returned  from  Galena,  he  and  Isaac 
R.  Campbell  took  the  place  and  buildings  vacated  by  the  Company, 
and  carried  on  trade  with  the  Indians  and  half-breeds,  Campbell, 
who  had  first  visited  and  traveled  through  the  southern  part  of 
Iowa,  in  1821,  was  an  enterprising  settler,  and  besides  trading  with 
the  natives,  carried  on  a  farm  and  kept  a  tavern. 

Dr.  Muir  died  of  cholera  in  1832. 

In  1830,  James  L.  and  Lucius  H.  Langworthy,  brothers  and  na- 
tives of  Vermont,  visited  the  Territory  for  the  purpose  of  working 
the  lead  mines  at  Dubuque.  They  had  been  engaged  in  lead  min- 
ing at  Galena,  Illinois,  the  former  as  early  as  1824.  The  lead 
mines  in  the  Dubuque  region  were  an  object  of  great  interest  to 
the  miners  about  Galena,  ibr  they  were  known  to  be  rich  in  lead 
ore.  To  explore  these  mines  and  to  obtain  permission  to  work 
them  was  therefore  eminently  desirable. 

In  1829,  James  L.  Langworthy  resolved  to  visit  the  Dubuque 
mines.  Crossing  the  Mississippi  at  a  point  now  known  as  Dun- 
leith  in  a  canoe,  and  swimming  his  horse  by  his  side,  he  landed  on 
the  spot  now  known  as  Jones  Street  Levee.  Before  him  spread 
out  a  beautiful  prairie,  on  which  the  city  of  Dubuque  now  stands. 
Two  miles  south,  at  the  mouth  of  Catfish  Creek,  was  a  village  of 
Sacs  and  Foxes.  Thither  Mr.  Langworthy  proceeded,  and  was 
well  received  by  the  natives.  He -endeavored  to  obtain  permission 
from  them  to  mine  in  their  hills,  but  this  they  refused.  He,  how- 
ever, succeeded  in  gaining  the  confidence  of  the  chief  to  such  an 
extent  as  to  be  allowed  to  travel  in  the  interior  for  three  weeks  and 
explore  the  country.  He  employed  two  young  Indians  as  guides, 
and  traversed  in  different  directions  the  whole  region  lying  between 
the  Maquoketa  and  Turkey  Kivers.  He  returned  to  the  village, 
secured  the  good  will  of  the  Indians,  and  returning  to  Galena, 
formed  plans  for  future  operations,  to  be  executed  as  soon  as  cir- 
cumstances would  permit. 

In  1830,  with  his  brother,  Lucius  H.,  and  others,  having  ob- 
tained the  consent  of  the  Indians,  Mr.  Langworthy  crossed  the 
Mississippi  and  commenced  mining  in  the  vicinity  around  Du- 
buque. 

At  this  time,  the  lands  were  not  in  the  actual  possession  of  the 
United  States.  Although  they  had  been  purchased  from  France, 
the  Indian  title  had  not  been  extinguished,  and  these  adventurous 
persons  were  beyond  the  limits  of  auy  State  or  Territorial  govern- 
ment. The  first  settlers  were  therefore  obliged  to  be  their  own 
law-makers,  and  to  agree  to  such  regulations  as  the  exigencies  of 
the  case  demanded.  The  first  act  resembling  civil  legislation 
within  the  limits  of  the  present  State  of  Iowa  was  done  hy  the 
miners  at  this  point.,  in  June,  1830.  They  met  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  by  the  side  of  an  old  cotton  wood  drift  log,  at  what  is  now 


HISTORY    OF   IOWA.  43 

the  Jones  Street  Levee,  Dubuque,  and  elected  u  committee,  con- 
sisting of  J.  L.  Langworthy,  H.  F.  Lander,  James  McPhetres, 
Samuel  Scales,  and  E.  M.  Wren.  This  may  be  called  the  first 
Legislature  in  Iowa,  the  members  of  which  gathered  around  that 
old  Cottonwood  log,  and  agreed  to  and  reported  the  following, 
written  by  Mr.  Langworthy,  on  a  half-sheet  of  coarse,  unruled  paper, 
the  old  log  being  the  writing  desk: 

We,  a  Committe3,  having  been  chosen  to  draft  certain  rules  and  regulations 
(laws)  by  which  we,  as  miners,  wdl  be  governed,  and  having  duly  considered 
the  subject,  do  unanimously  agree  that  we  will  be  governed  by  the  regula-: 
tions  on  th^  east  side  of  the  JMississippi  Kiver,*  with  the  following  exceptions, 
to  wit: 

Article  I.  That  each  and  every  man  shall  hold  200  yards  square  of  ground 
by  working  said  ground  one  day  in  six. 

Article  II.  We  further  agree  that  there  shall  be  chosen,  by  the  majority 
of  the  miners  present,  a  person  who  shall  hold  this  article,  and  who  shall  gi-ant 
letters  of  arbitration  on  application  having  been  made,  and  that  said  letters  of 
arbitration  shall  hi  obligatory  on  the  parties  so  applying. 

The  report  was  accepted  by  the  miners  present,  who  elected  Dr. 
Jarote,  in  accordance  with  Article  2.  Here,  then,  we  have  in  1830, 
a  primitive  Legislature  elected  by  the  people,  the  law  drafted  by  it 
being  submitted  to  the  people  for  approval,  and  under  it  Dr.  Jarote 
was  elected  first  Governor  within  the  limits  of  the  present  State  of 
Iowa.  And  it  is  to  be  said  that  the  laws  thus  enacted  were 
as  promptly  obeyed,  and  the  acts  of  the  executive  officer  thus 
elected  as  duly  respected,  as  any  have  been  since. 

The  miners  who  had  thus  erected  an  independent  government 
of  their  own  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi  River,  continued 
to  work  successfully  for  a  long  time,  and  the  new  settlement  at- 
tracted considerable  attention.  But  the  west  side  of  the  Mississ- 
ippi belonged  to  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians,  and  the  Government  in 
order  to  preserve  peace  on  the  frontier,  as  well  as  to  protect  the 
Indians  in  their  rights  under  the  treaty,  ordered  the  settlers  not 
only  to  stop  mining,  but  to  remove  from  the  Indian  territory. 
They  were  simply  intruders.  The  execution  of  this  order  was  en- 
trusted to  .Col.  Zachary  Taylor,  then  in  command  of  the  military 
post  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  who,  early  in  July,  sent  an  officer  to  the 
miners  with  orders  to  forbid  settlement,  and  to  command  the 
miners  to  remove  within  ten  days  to  the  east  side  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, or  they  would  be  driven  off  by  armed  force.  The  miners, 
however;  were  reluctant  about  leaving  the  rich  "  leads"  they  had 
already  discovered  and  opened,  and  were  not  disposed  to  obey  the 
order  to  remove  with  any  considerable  degree  of  alacrity.  In  due 
time.  Col.  Taylor  dispatched  a  detachment  of  troops  to  enforce  his 
order.  The  miners,  anticipating  their  arrival,  had,  excepting 
three,  recrossed  the  river,  and  from  the  east  bank  saw  the  troops 
land  on  the  western  shore.      The  three  who  had  linijered  a  little 


*Established  by  the  Superintendent  of  U.  S.  Lead  Mines  at  Fever  River. 


44  HISTORY   OF    IOWA. 

too  long  were,  however,  permitted  to  make  their  escape  unmolest- 
ed. From  this  time  a  military  force  was  stationed  at  Uubuque  to 
prevent  the  settlers  from  returning,  until  June,  1832.  The  In- 
dians returned,  and  were  encouraged  to  operate  the  rich  mines 
opened  by  the  late  white  occupants. 

In  June  1832,  the  troops  were  ordered  to  the  east  side  to  assist 
in  the  annihilation  of  the  very  Indians  whose  rights  they  had  been 
protecting  on  the  west  side.  Immediately  after  the  close  of  the 
Black  Hawk  war,  and  the  negotiations  of  the  treaty  in  September, 
1832,  by  which  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  ceded  to  the  United  States  the 
tract  known  as  the  ''Black  Hawk  Purchase,"  the  settlers,  suppos- 
ing that  now  they  had  a  right  to  re-enter  the  Territory,  returned 
and  took  possession  of  their  claims,  built  cabins,  erected  furnaces, 
and  prepared  large  quantities  of  lead  for  market.  Dubuque  was 
becoming  a  noted  place  on  the  river-,  but  the  prospects  of  the  hardy 
and  enterprising  settlers  and  miners  were  again  ruthlessly  inter- 
fered with  by  the  government,  on  the  ground  that  the  treaty  with 
the  Indians  would  not  go  into  force  until  June  1,  1833,  although 
they  had  withdrawn  from  the  vicinity  of  the  settlement.  Col. 
Taylor  was  again  ordered  by  the  War  Department  to  remove  the 
miners,  and  in  January,  1833,  troops  were  again  sent  from  Prairie 
du  Chien  to  Dubuque  for  that  purpose.  This  was  a  serious  and 
perhaps  unnecessary  hardship  imposed  upon  the  settlers.  They 
were  compelled  to  abandon  their  cabins  and  homes  in  midwinter. 
It  must  be  now  said,  simply  that  "red  tape"  should  be  respected. 
The  purchase  had  been  made,  the  treaty  ratified,  or  was  sure  to  be; 
the  Indians  had  retired,  and,  after  the  lapse  of  nearly  fifty  years, 
no  very  satisfactory  reason  for  this  rigorous  action  of  the  Govern- 
ment can  be  given. 

But  the  orders  had  been  given,  and  there  was  no  alternative  but 
to  obey.  Many  of  the  settlers  recrossed  the  river  and  did  not  re- 
turn ;  a  few,  however,  removed  to  an  island  near  the  east  bank  of 
the  river,  built  rude  cabins  of  poles,  in  which  to  store  their  lead 
until  spring,  when  they  could  float  the  fruits  of  their  labor  to  St. 
Louis  for  sale,  and  where  they  could  remain  until  the  treaty  went 
into  force,  when  they  could  return.  Among  these  were  James  L. 
Langworthy,  and  his  brother  Lucius,  who  had  on  hand  about  three 
hundred  thousand  pounds  of  lead. 

Lieut.  Covington,  who  had  been  placed  in  command  at  Dubuque 
by  Col.  Taylor,  ordered  some  of  the  cabins  of  the  settlers  to  be 
torn  down,  and  wagons  and  other  property  to  be  destroyed.  This 
wanton  and  inexcusable  action  on  the  part  of  a  subordinate  clothed 
with  a  little  brief  authority  was  sternly  rebuked  by  Col.  Taylor, 
and  Covington  was  superseded  by  Lieut.  Geo.  Wilson,  who  pursued 
a  just  and  friendly  course  with  the  pioneers,  who  were  only  waiting 
for  the  time  when  they  could  repossess  their  claims. 

June  1,  1833,  the  treaty  formally  went  into  effect,  the  troops 
were  withdrawn,  nnd  the  Langworthy  brothers  and  a  few  others  at 


HISTORY    OF   IOWA.  45 

once  returned  and  resumed  possession  o£  their  home  claims  and 
mineral  prospects,  and  from  this  time  the  first  permament  settle- 
ment of  this  portion  of  Iowa  must  date.  Mr.  John  P.  Sheldon 
was  appointed  Superintendent  of  the  mines  by  the  Government, 
and  a  system  of  permits  to  miners  and  licenses  to  smelters  was 
adopted,  similar  to  that  which  had  been  in  operation  at  Galena, 
since  1825,  under  Lieut.  Martin  Thomas  and  Capt,  Thomas  C.  Le- 
gate. Substantially  the  primitive  law  enacted  by  the  miners  as- 
sembled around  that  old  cottonwood  drift  log  in  1830  was  adopted 
and  enforced  by  the  United  States  Government,  except  that  miners 
were  required  to  sell  their  mineral  to  licensed  smelters,  and  the 
smelter  was  required  to  give  bonds  for  the  payment  of  six  per 
cent,  of  all  lead  manufactured  to  the  Government.  This  was 
the  same  rule  adopted  in  the  United  States  mines  on  Fever  River 
in  Illinois,  except  that,  until  1830,  the  Illinois  miners  were  com- 
pelled to  pay  ten  per  cent  tax.  This  tax  upon  the  miners  created 
much  dissatisfaction  among  the  miners  on  the  west  side  as  it  had 
on  the  east  side  of-  the  Mississippi.  They  thought  they  had  suf- 
fered hardships  and  privations  enough  in  opening  the  way  for 
civilization  without  being  subjected  to  the  imposition  of  an  odious 
government  tax  upon  their  means  of  subsistence,  when  the  Fed- 
eral Government  could  better  aiford  to  aid  than  to  extort  from 
them.  The  measure  soon  became  unpopular.  It  was  difficult  to 
collect  the  taxes,  and  the  whole  system  was  abolished  in  about  ten 
years. 

During  1883,  after  the  Indian  title  was  fully  extinguished,  about 
five  hundred  people  arrived  at  the  mining  district,  about  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  of  them  from  Galena. 

In  the  same  year  Mr.  Langworthy  assisted  in  building  the  first 
school  house  in  Iowa,  and  thus  was  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  now 
populous  and  thriving  city  of  Dubuque.  Mr.  Langworthy  lived  to 
see  the  naked  prairie  on  which  he  first  landed  become  the  site  of  a 
city  of  fifteen  thousand  inhabitants,  the  small  school  house  which 
he  aided  in  constructing  replaced  by  three  substantial  edifices, 
wherein  two  thousand  children  were  being  trained,  churches 
erected  in  every  part  of  the  city,  and  railroads  connecting  the 
wilderness  which  he  first  explored  with  all  the  eastern  world.  He 
died  suddenly  on  the  13th  of  March,  1865,  while  on  atrip  over  the 
Dubuque  &  Southwestern  Railroad,  at  Monticello,  and  the  evening 
train  brought  news  of  his  death  and  his  remains. 

Lucius  H.  Langworthy,  his  brother,  was  one  of  the  most  worthy, 
gifted  and  influential  of  the  old  settlers  of  this  section  of  Iowa. 
He  died,  greatly  lamented  by  many  friends,  in  June,  1865. 

The  name  Dubuque  was  given  to  the  settlement  by  miners  at  a 
meeting  held  in  1834. 

In  1832,  Captain  James  "White  made  a  claim  on  the  present  site 
of  Montrose.     In  1834  a  military  post  was  established  at  this  point 


46  HISTORY   OF    IOWA. 

and  a  garrison  of  cavalry  was  stationed  here,  under  the  command 
of  Col.  Stephen  W.  Kearney,  The  soldiers  were  removed  from 
this  post  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  in  1837. 

During  the  same  year,  1832,  soon  after  the  close  of  the  Black 
Hawk  war,  Zachariah  Hawkins,  Benjamin  Jennings,  Aaron 
White,  Augustiue  Horton,  Samuel  Gooch,  Daniel  Thompson  and 
Peter  Williams  made  claims  at  Fort  Madison.  In  1883,  these 
claims  were  purchased  by  John  and  Nathaniel  Knapp,  upon  which, 
in  1835,  they  laid  out  the  town.  The  next  summer,  lots  were 
sold.  The  town  was  subsequently  re-surveyed  and  platted  by  the 
United  States  Government. 

At  the  close  of  the  Black  Hawk  War,  parties  who  had  been  im- 
patiently looking  across  upon  ''Flint  Hills,^'  row  Burlington,  came 
over  from  Illinois  and  made  claims.  The  first  was  Samuel  S. 
White,  in  the  fall  of  1832,  who  erected  a  cabin  on  the  site  of  the 
city  of  Burlington.  About  the  same  time,  David  Tothero  made 
a  claim  on  the  prairie  about  three  miles  back  from  from  the  river, 
at  a  place  since  known  as  the  farm  of  Judge  Morgan.  In  the 
winter  of  that  year,  they  were  driven  off  by  the  military  from 
Rock  Island,  as  intruders  upon  the  rights  of  the  Indians,  and 
White's  cabin  was  burnt  by  the  soldiers.  He  retired  to  Illinois, 
where  he  spent  the  winter,  and  in  the  summer,  as  soon  as  the  In- 
dicin  title  was  extinguished,  returned  and  rebuilt  his  cabin. 
White  was  joined  by  his  brother-in-law,  Doolitle,  and  they  laid  out 
the  original  town  of  Burlington,  in  1834. 

All  along  the  river  borders  of  the  Black  Hawk  Purchase  settlers 
were  flocking  into  Iowa.  Immediately  after  the  treaty  with  the 
Sacs  and  Foxes,  in  September,  1832,  Col.  George  Davenport  made 
the  first  claim  on  the  spot  where  the  thriving  city  of  Davenport 
now  stands.  As  early  as  1827,  Col.  Davenport  had  established  a 
flatboat  ferry,  which  ran  between  the  island  and  the  main  shore  of 
Iowa,  by  which  he  carried  on  a  trade  with  the  Indians  Avest  of  the 
Mississippi.  In  1833,  Capt.  Benjamin  W.  Clark  moved  across  from 
Illinois,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  the  town  of  Buffalo,  in  Scott 
county,  which  was  the  first  actual  settlement  within  the  limits  of 
that  county.  Among  other  early  settlers  in  this  part  of  the  Ter- 
ritory Avere  Adrian  H.  Davenport,  Col.  John  Sullivan,  Mulligan 
and  Franklin  Easly,  Capt.  John  Coleman,  J.  M.  Camp,  William 
White,  H.  W.  Higgins,  Cornelius  Harrold,  Richard  Harrison,  E. 
H.  Shepherd  and  Dr.  E.  S.  Barrows. 

The  first  settlers  of  Davenport  were  Antoine  LeClaire,  Col. 
George  Davenport,  Major  Thomas  Smith,  Major  William  Gordon, 
Philip  Hambaugh,  Alexander  W.  McGregor,  Levi.  S.  Colton,  Capt. 
James  May  and  others.  Of  Antoine  LeClaire,  as  the  representa- 
tive of  the  two  races  of  men  who,  at  this  time  occupied  Iowa,  Hon. 
C.  C.  Nourse,  in  his  admirable  Centennial  address,  says:  "Antoine 
LeClaire  was  born  in  St.  Joseph,  Michigan,  1797.  His  father 
was  French,  his  mother  a  granddaughter  of  a  Pottawattamie  chief. 


HISTORY    OF   IOWA.  47 

111  1818  he  acted  as  official  interpreter  to  Col.  Davenport,  at  Fort 
Armstrong  (now  Rock  Island).  He  was  well  acquainted  with  a 
dozen  Indian  dialects,  and  was  a  man  of  strict  integrity  and  great 
energy.  In  1820  he  married  the  granddaughter  of  a  Sac  chief. 
The  Sac  and  Fox  Indians  reserved  for  him  and  his  wife  two  sec- 
tions of  land  in  the  treaty  of  1833,  one  at  the  town  of  LeClaire 
and  one  at  Davenport.  The  Pottawattamies,  in  the  treaty  at 
Prairie  du  Chien,  also  reserved  for  him  two  sections  of  land,  at  the 
present  site  of  Moline,  III.  He  received  the  appointment  of  Post- 
master and  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  the  Black  Hawk  Purchase,  at 
an  early  day.  In  1833  he  bought  for  $100  a  claim  on  the  land 
upon  which  the  original  town  of  Davenpoit  was  surveyed  and 
platted  in  1836.  In  1836  LeClaire  built  the  hotel,  known  since, 
with  its  valuable  addition,  as  the  LeClaire  House.  He  died  Sep- 
tember 25,  1861." 

In  Clayton  county  the  first  settlement  was  made  in  the  Spring  of 
1832,  on  Turkey  River,  by  Robert  Hatfield  and  William  W.  Way- 
man.  No  further  settlements  were  made  in  this  part  of  the  State 
till  the  beginning  of  1836. 

In  that  portion  now  known  as  Muscatine  county,  settlements 
were  made  in  1831,  by  Benjamin  Nye,  John  Vanater  and  G.  W. 
Kasey,  who  were  the  first  settlers.  E.  E.  Fay,  William  St.  John, 
N.  Fullington,  H.  Reece,  Jona.  Pettibone,  R.  P.  Lowe,  Stephen 
Whicher,  Abijah  Whiting,  J.  E.  Fletcher,  W.  D.  Abernethy  and 
Alexis  Smith  were  early  settlers  of  Muscatine. 

During  the  summer  of  1835,  William  Bennett  and  his  family, 
from  Galena,  built  the  first  cabin  within  the  present  limits  of 
Delaware  county,  in  some  timber  since  known  as  Eads'  Grove. 

The  first  postoffice  in  Iowa  was  established  at  Dubuque  in  1833. 
Milo  H,  Prentice  was  appointed  postmaster. 

The  fi;rst  Justice  of  the  Peace  was  Antoine  LeClaire,  appointed 
in  1833,  as  "a  very  suitable  person  to  adjust  the  difficulties  be- 
tween the  white  settlers  and  the  Indians  still  remaining  there." 

The  first  Methodist  Society  in  the  Territory  was  formed  at  Du- 
buque on  the  18th  of  May,  1831,  and  the  first  class  meeting  was 
held  June  1st  of  that  year. 

The  first  church  bell  brought  into  Iowa  was  in  March,  1834. 

The  first  mass  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  the  Territory 
was  celebrated  at  Dubuque,  in  the  house  of  Patrick  Quigley,  in 
ihe  fall  of  1833. 

The  first  school-house  in  the  Territory  was  erected  by  the  Du- 
buque miners  in  1833. 

The  first  Sabbath  school  was  organized  at  Dubuque  early  in  the 
Summer  of  1834. 

The  first  woman  who  came  to  this  part  of  the  Territory  with  a 
Tiew  to  permanent  residence,  was  Mrs.  Noble  F.  Dean,  in  the  Fall 
of  1832. 


48  HISTORY    OF   IOWA. 

The  iirst  family  that  lived  in  this  part  of  Jowa  was  that  of 
Hosea  T.  Camp,  iu  1832. 

The  iirst  meeting  house  was  built  by  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  at  Dubuque,  iu  1834. 

The  first  newspa})er  in  Iowa  was  the  Dubuque  Visitor,  issued 
May  11th,  1836.  John  King,  afterward  Judge  King,  was  editor, 
and  William  C.  Jones,  printer. 

The  pioneers  of  lowa^  as  a  class,  where  brave,  hardy,  intelligent 
and  enterprising  people. 

As  early  as  1824,  a  French  trader  named  Hart  had  established  a 
trading  post,  and  built  a  cabin  on  the  bluffs  above  the  large  spring 
now  known  as  "Mynster  Spring,"  within  the  limits  of  the  pres- 
ent city  of  Council  Bluffs,  and  had  probably  been  there  some  time, 
as  the  post  was  known  to  the  employes  of  the  American  Fur 
Company  as  Lacofc  de  Hart,  or  "Hart's  Bluff."  In  1827  an 
agent  of  the  American  Fur  Company,  Francis  Guittar,  with  others, 
encamped  in  the  timber  at  the  foot  of  the  bluffs,  about  on  the 
present  location  of  Broadway,  and  afterward  settled  there.  In 
1839  a  block  house  was  built  on  the  bluff  in  the  east  part  of  the 
city.  The  Pottawattamie  Indians  occupied  this  part  of  the  State 
until  1846-7,  when  they  relinquished  the  territory  and  removed  to 
Kansas.  Billy  Caldwell  was  then  principal  chief.  There  were  no 
white  settlers  in  that  part  of  the  State,  except  Indian  traders, 
until  the  arrival  of  the  Mormons  under  the  lead  of  Brigham 
Young.  These  people,  on  their  way  westward,  halted  for  the 
Winter  of  184G  7  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Missouri  River,  about 
five  miles  above  Omaha,  at  a  place  now  called  Florence.  Some  of 
them  had  reached  the  eastern  bank  of  the  river  the  Spring  before, 
in  season  to  plant  a  crop.  In  the  Spring  of  1847,  Young  and  a 
portion  of  the  colony  pursued  their  journey  to  Salt  Lake,  but  a 
large  portion  of  them  returned  to  the  Iowa  side  and  settled  mainly 
within  the  limits  of  Pottawattamie  County.  The  principal  settle- 
ment of  this  strange  community  was  at  a  place  called  "Miller's 
Hollow,"  on  Indian  Creek,  and  afterward  named  Kanesville,  in 
honor  of  Col.  Kane,  of  Pennsylvania,  who  visited  them  soon  after- 
ward. The  Mormon  settlement  extended  over  the  county  and  into 
neighboring  counties,  wherever  timber  and  water  furnished 
desirable  locations.  Orson  Hyde,  priest,  lawyer  and  editor,  was 
installed  as  President  of  the  (Juorum  of  Twelve,  and  all  that  part 
of  the  State  remained  under  Mormon  control  for  several  years. 
In  1840,  they  raised  a  battalion,  numbering  some  five  hundred 
men,  for  the  Mexican  war.  In  1848  Hyde  started  a  paper  called 
the  Frontier  Guardian,  at  Kanesville.  In  1849,  after  many  of 
the  faithful  had  left  to  join  Brigham  Young  at  Salt  Lake,  the 
Mormons  in  this  section  of  Iowa  numbered  6,552,  and  in  1850, 
7,828,  but  they  were  not  all  within  the  limits  of  Pottawattamie 
County.     This  county  was  organized  in  1848,  all  the  first  officials 


HISTOKY   OF   IOWA,  49 

being  Mormons.  In  1852  the  order  was  pronmlgated  that  all  the 
true  believers  should  gather  together  at  Salt  Lake.  Gentiles 
flocked  in,  and  in  a  lew  years  nearly  all  the  settlers  were  gone. 

May  9,  1843,  Captain  James  Allen,  with  a  small  detachment  of 
troops  on  board  the  steamer  lone,  arrived  at  the  present  site  of  the 
capital  of  the  Htate,  Des  Moines.  The  lone  was  the  first  steamer 
to  ascend  the  Des  Moines  Uiver  to  this  point.  The  troops  and 
stores  were  landed  at  what  is  now  the  foot  of  Court  avenue,  Des 
Moines,  and  Capt.  Allen  returned  in  the  steamer  to  Fort  Sanford 
to  arrange  for  bringing  up  more  soldiers  and  supplies.  In  due 
time,  they,  too,  arrived,  and  a  fort  was  built  near  the  mouth  of 
Raccoon  Fork,  at  i(s  confluence  with  the  Des  Moines,  and  named 
Fort  Des  Moines.  Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  troops,  n  trading 
post  was  established  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  by  two  noted 
Indian  traders  named  Ewing,  from  Ohio. 

Among  the  first  settlers  in  this  part  of  Iowa  were  Benjamin 
Bryant,  J.  B.  Scott,  James  Drake  (gunsmith),  John  Sturtevant, 
Robert  Kinzi*e,  Alexander  Turner,  Peter  Newcomer,  and  others. 

The  Western  States  have  been  settled  by  many  of  the  best  and 
most  enterprising  men  of  the  older  States,  and  a  large  immigra- 
tion of  the  best  blood  of  the  Old  World,  who,  removing  to  an 
arena  of  larger  opportunies,  in  a  more  fertile  soil  and  congenial 
climate,  have  developed  a  spirit  and  energy  peculiarly  Western. 
In  no  country  on  the  globe  have  enterprises  of  all  kinds  been 
pushed  forward  with  such  rapidity,  or  has  there  been  such  indepen- 
dence and  freedom  of  competition.  Among  those  who  have  pio- 
neered the  civilization  of  the  West,  and  been  the  founders  of  great 
States,  none  have  ranked  higher  in  the  scale  of  intelligence  and 
moral  worth  than  the  pioneers  of  Iowa,  who  came  to  the  territoiy 
when  it  was  an  Indian  country,  and  through  hardship,  privation 
and  suffering,  laid  the  foundation  of  the  populous  and  prosperous 
commonwealth  which  to-day  dispenses  its  blessings  to  a  million, 
and  a  half  of  people.  From  her  first  settlement  and  from  the 
first  organization  as  a  territory  to  the  present  day,  Iowa  has  had 
able  men  to  manage  her  affairs,  wise  statemen  to  shape  her  destiny 
.ind  frame  her  laws,  and  intelligent  and  impartial  jurists  to  admin- 
ister justice  to  her  citizens;  her  bar,  pulpit  and  press  have  been 
able  and  widely  influential;  and  in  all  the  professions,  arts,  enter- 
prises and  industries  which  go  to  make  up  a  great  and  prosperous 
commonwealth,  she  has  taken  and  holds  a  front  rank  among  her 
sister  States  of  the  West, 

TERRITORIAL  HISTORY. 

By  act  of  Congress,  approved  October  31,  1803,  the  President  of 
the  United  States  was  autliorized  to  take  possession  of  the  terri- 
tory included  in  the  Lousiana  purchase,  and  provided  for  a  tem- 
porary government.  By  another  act  of  the  same  session,  approved 
March  20,  1804,  the  newly  acquired  country  was  divided,  October 


50  HISTORY    OF   IOWA. 

1st,  1804,  into  the  territory  of  Orleans,  south  of  the  thirty-third 
parallel  of  north  latitude,  and  the  district  of  Louisiana,  which  lat- 
ter was  placed  under  the  authority  of  the  officers  of  Indian  Territory, 

In  1802  the  district  of  Louisiana  was  organized  as  a  Territory, 
with  a  government  of  its  own.  In  1807  Iowa  was  included  in  the 
Territory  of  Illinois,  and  in  1812  in  the  Territory  of  Missouri. 
When  Missouri  was  admitted  as  a  State,  March  2,  1821,  ''Iowa," 
says  Hon.  C.  C.  Nourse,  "was  left  a  political  orphan,"  until  by 
act  of  Congress,  approved  June  28,  1834,  the  Black  Hawk  pur- 
chase having  been  made,  all  the  territory  west  of  the  Mississippi 
and  north  of  the  northern  boundary  of  Missouri,  was  made  a  part  of 
Michigan  Territory.  Up  to  this  time  there  had  been  no  county 
or  other  organization  in  what  is  now  the  State  of  Iowa,  althougli 
one  or  two  Justices  of  the  Peace  had  been  appointed  and  a  post- 
office  was  established  at  Dubuque  in  1833.  In  September,  1834, 
however,  the  Territorial  Legislature  of  Michigan  created  two  coun- 
ties on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi  River,  viz.:  Dubuque  and 
Des  Moines,  separated  by  a  line  drawn  westward  from  the  foot  of 
Rock  Island.  These  counties  were  partially  organized.  John 
King  was  appointed  Chief  Justice  of  Dubuque  County,  and  Isaac 
Leffler  of  Burlington,  of  Des  Moines  County.  Two  Associate 
Justices  in  each  county  were  appointed  by  the  Governor. 

On  the  first  Monday  in  October,  1825,  Gen.  Geo.  W.  Jones,  now 
a  citizen  of  Dubuque,  was  elected  a  Delegate  to  Congress  from  this 
part  of  Michigan  Territory.  On  the  20th  of  April,  1836,  through 
the  efforts  of  Gen.  Jones,  Congress  passed  a  bill  creating  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Wisconsin,  which  went  into  operation  July  4,  1836,  and 
Iowa  was  then  included  in 

THE   TERRITORY    OF    WISCONSIN, 

of  which  Gen.  Henry  Dodge  was  appointed  Governor;  John  S. 
Horner,  Secretary  of  the  Territory;  Charles  Dunn,  Chief  Justice; 
David  Irwin  and  Wm.  C.  Frazt-r,  Associate  Justices. 

September  9,  1836,  Gov.  Dodge  ordered  the  census  of  the  new 
territory  to  be  taken.  This  census  resulted  in  showing  a  popula- 
tion of  10,531  in  the  counties  of  Dubuque  and  Des  Moines.  Un- 
der the  apportionment,  these  two  counties  were  entitled  to  six 
members  of  the  Council  and  thirteen  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives. The  Governor  issued  his  proclamation  for  an  election  to  be 
held  on  the  first  Monday  of  October,  1836,  on  which  day  the  fol- 
lowing members  of  the  First  Territorial  Legislature  of  Wisconsin 
were  elected  from  the  two  counties  in  the  Black  Hawk  purchase: 

Dubuque  County. — Council:  John  Fally,  Thomas  McKnight, 
Thomas  McCarney.  House:  Loring  Wheeler,  Hardin  Nowlan, 
Peter  Hill  Engle,  Patrick  Quigley,  Hosea  T.  Camp. 

Des  Moines  Counti/. — Council:  Jeremiah  Smith,  Jr.,  Joseph  R. 
Teas,  Arthur  B.  Inghram.  House:  Isaac  Leffler,  Thomas  Blair, 
Warren  L.  Jenkins,  John  Box,  George  VV.  Teas,  Eli  Reynolds, 
David  R.  Chance. 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.  51 

The  first  Legislature  assembled  at  Belmont,  in  the  present  State 
of  Wisconsin,  on  the  25th  day  of  October,  1836,  and  was  organized 
by  electing  Henry  T.  Baird  President  of  the  Council,  and  Peter 
Hill  Engle,  of  Dubuque,  Speaker  of  the  House.  It  adjourned 
December  9,  1836. 

The  second  Legislature  assembled  at  Burlington,  November  10, 
1837.  Adjourned  January  20,  1838.  The  third  session  was  at 
Burlington;  commenced  June  1st,  and  adjourned  June  12,  1838. 

During  the  first  session  of  Wisconsin  Territorial  Legislature, 
in  1836,  the  County  of  Des  Moines  was  divided  in  Des  Moines, 
Lee,  Van  Buren,  Henry,  Muscatine  and  Cook  (the  latter  being  sub- 
sequently changed  to  Scott)  and  defined  their  boundaries.  During 
the  second  session,  out  of  the  territory  embraced  in  Dubuque 
County,  were  created  the  counties  of  Dubuque,  Clayton,  Fayette, 
Delaware,  Buchanan,  Jackson,  Jones,  Linn,  Clinton  and  Cedar, 
and  their  boundaries  defined,  but  the  most  of  them  were  not  or- 
ganized until  several  years  afterward,  under  the  authority  of  the 
Territorial  Legislature  of  Iowa. 

The  question  of  a  separate  territorial  organization  for  Iowa, 
which  was  then  a  part  of  Wisconsin  Territory,  began  to  be  agitated 
early  in  the  autumn  of  1837.  The  wishes  of  the  people  found  ex- 
pression in  a  convention  held  at  Burlington  on  the  1st  of  Novem- 
ber, which  memorialized  Congress  to  organize  a  Territory  west  of 
the  Mississippi,  and  to  settle  the  boundary  line  between  Wiscon- 
sin Territory  and  Missouri.  The  Territorial  Legislature  of  Wiscon- 
sin, then  in  session  at  Burlington,  joined  in  the  petition.  Gen. 
Geo.  W.  Jones,  of  Dubuque,  then  residing  at  Sinsinawa  Mound, 
in  what  is  now  Wisconsin,  was  Delegate  to  Congress  from  Wis- 
consin Territory,  and  labored  so  earnestly  and  successfully,  that 
"An  act  to  divide  the  Territory  of  AVisconsin,  and  to  establish  the 
Territorial  Government  of  Iowa,''  was  approved  June  12,  1838,  to 
take  effect  and  be  in  force  on  and  after  July  3,  1838.  The  new 
Territory  embraced  "all  that  part  of  the  present  Territory  of  Wis- 
consin which  lies  west  of  the  Mississippi  River,  and  west  of  a  line 
drawn  due  north  from  the  headwaters  or  sources  of  the  Mississippi 
to  the  territorial  line."  The  organic  act  provided  for  a  Governor, 
whose  term  of  office  should  be  three  years,  and  for  a  Secretary, 
Chief  Justice,  two  Associate  Justices,  and  Attorney  and  Marshal, 
who  should  serve  four  years,  to  be  appointed  by  the  President,  by 
and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate.  The  act  also  pro- 
vided for  the  election,  by  the  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens  of 
the  United  States,  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  of  a  House  of 
Representatives,  consisting  of  twenty-six  members,  and  a  Coun- 
cil, to  consist  of  thirteen  members.  It  also  appropriated  $5,000 
for  a  public  library,  and  $20,000  for  the  erection  of  public  build- 
ings. 

President  Van  Buren  appointed  ex-Governor  Robert   Lucas,  of 
Ohio,  to  be  the  first  Governor  of  the  new  Territory.     W^illiam  B. 


52  HISTORY    OF   lOAVA. 

Conway,  of  Pittsburgh,  was  appointed  Secretary  of  the  Territory^ 
Charles  Mason,  of  Burlington,  Chief  Justice,  and  Thomas  S.  Wil- 
son, of  Dubuque,  and  Joseph  Williams,  of  Pennsylvania,  Asso- 
ciate Judges  of  the  Supreme  and  District  Courts;  Mr.  Van  Allen, 
of  New  York,  Attorney;  Francis  Gehon,  of  Dubuque,  Marshal; 
Augustus  C.  Dodge,  Register  of  the  Land  Office  at  Burlington, 
'  and  Thomas  McKnight,  Receiver  of  the  Land  Office  at  Dubuque, 
Mr.  Van  Allen,  the  District  Attorney,  died  at  Rockingham,  soon 
after  his  appointment,  and  Col.  Charles  Weston  was  appointed  to 
till  his  vacancy.  Mr.  Conway,  the  Secretary,  also  died  at  Burling- 
ton, during  the  second  session  of  the  Legislature,  and  James 
Clarke,  editor  of  the  (hizeite,  was  appointed  to  succetd  him. 

Immediately  after  his  arrival,  Governor  Lucas  issued  a  proclama- 
tion for  the  election  of  members  of  the  first  Territorial  Legisla- 
ture, to  be  held  on  the  10th  of  September,  dividing  the  Territory 
into  election  districts  for  that  purpose,  and  appointing  the  ll2th  day 
of  November  for  meeting  of  the  Legislature  to  be  elected,  at 
Burlington, 

The  first  Territorial  Legislature  was  elected  in  September,  and 
assembled  at  Burlington  on  the  r2th  of  November,  and  consisted 
of  the  following  members: 

Council. — Jesse  B.  Brown,  J.  Keith,  E.  A.  M.  Swazy,  Arthur  In- 
gram, Robert  Ralston,  George  Hepner,  Jesse  J.  Payne,  D,  B. 
Hughes,  James  M,  Clark,  Charles  Whittlesey,  Jonathan  W,  Par- 
ker, Warner  Lewis,  Stephen  Hempstead, 

Hotise.—AN iWiam  Patterson,  Hawkins  Taylor,  Calvin  J.  Price^ 
James  Brierly,  James  Hall,  Gideon  S.  Bailey,  Samuel  Parker, 
James  AV,  Grimes,  George  Temple,  Van  B.  Delashmutt,  Thomas 
Blair,  George  H.  Beeler,*  William  G.  Coop,  William  H.  Wallace, 
Asbury  B.  Porter,  John  Frierson,  William  L.  Toole,  Levi  Thorn- 
ton, S.  C.  Hastings,  Robert  G.  Roberts,  Laurel  Summers,!  Jabez 
A.  Burchard,  Jr.,  Chauncey  Swan,  Andrew  Bankson,  Thomas 
Cox  and  Hardin  Nowlin. 

Notwithstanding  a  large  majority  of  the  members  of  both 
branches  of  the  Legislature  were  Democrats,  yet  Gen.  Jesse  B. 
Browne  (Whii?),  of  Lee  County,  was  elected  President  of  the 
Council,  and  Hon.  William  H.  Wallace  (Whig),  of  Henry  County, 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives — the  former  unani- 
mously and  the  latter  with  but  little  opposition.  At  that  time 
national  politics  were  little  heeded  by  the  people  of  the  new  Ter- 
ritory, but  in  1840,  during  the  Presidential  campaign,  party  lines 
were  strongly  drawn. 


*Cyrus  S.  Jacobs,  who  was  elected  for  Des  Moines  County,  was  killed  in  an 
unfortunate  encounter  at  Burlington  before  the  meeting  of  the  Legislature,  and 
Mr.  Beeler  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy. 

fSamuel  R.  Nurray  was  returned  as  elected  from  Clinton  County,  but  his  seat 
was  successfully  contested  by  Burchard. 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.  53 

At  the  election  iu  September,  1838,  for  members  of  the  Legis- 
lature, a  Congressional  Delegate  was  also  elected.  There  were 
four  candidates,  viz.:  William  W.  Chapman  and  David  Kohrer, 
of  Des  Moines  County;  B.  F.  Wallace,  of  Henry  County,  and  P. 
H.  Engle,  of  Dubuque  County.  Chapman  was  elected,  receiving 
a  majority  of  thirty-six  over  Engle. 

The  first  session  of  the  Iowa  Territorial  Legislature  was  a  stormy 
and  exciting  one.  By  the  organic  law,  the  Governor  was  clothed 
with  almost  unlimited  veto  power.  Governor  Lucas  seemed  dis- 
posed to  make  free  use  of  it,  and  the  independent  Hawkeyes  could 
not  quietly  submit  t(?  arbitrary  and  absolute  rule,  and  the  result 
was  an  unpleasant  controversy  between  the  Executive  and  Legisla- 
tive departments.  Congress,  however,  by  act  approved  March 
3,  1839,  amended  the  organic  law  by  restricting  the  veto  power  of 
the  Governor  to  the  two-thirds  rule,  and  took  from  him  the  power 
to  appoint  sheriffs  and  Magistrates.  ' 

Among  the  first  important  matters  demanding  attention  was  the 
location  of  the  seat  of  government  and  provision  for  the  erection 
of  public  buildings,  for  which  Congress  had  appropriated  $20,000. 
Governor  Lucas,  in  his  message,  had  recommended  the  appoint- 
ment of  Commissioners,  with  a  view  to  making  a  central  location. 
The  extent  of  the  future  State  of  Iowa  was  not  known  or  thought 
of.  Only  on  a  strip  of  land  fifty  miles  wide,  bordering  on  the 
Mississippi  River,  was  the  Indian  title  extinguished,  and  a  central 
location  meant  some  central  point  in  the  Black  Hawk  Purchase. 
The  friends  of  a  central  location  supported  the  Governor's  sug- 
gestion. The  southern  members  were  divided  between  Burlington 
and  Mount  Pleasant,  but  finally  united  on  the  latter  as  the  proper 
location  for  the  seat  of  government.  The  central  and  southern 
parties  were  very  nearly  equal,  and,  in  consequence,  much  excite- 
ment prevailed.  The  central  party  at  last  triumphed,  and  on  the 
21st  day  of  January,  1839,  an  act  was  passed,  appointing  Chaun- 
cey  Swan,  of  Dubuque  County;  John  Ronalds,  of  Louisa  County, 
and  Robert  Ralston,  of  Des  Moines  County,  Commissioners,  to  se- 
lect a  site  for  a  permament  seat  of  Government  within  the  limits 
of  Johnson  County. 

Johnson  County  had  been  created  by  act  of  the  Territorial  Leg- 
islature of  Wisconsin,  approved  December  21,  1837,  and  organized 
by  act  passed  at  the  special  session  at  Burlington  in  June,  1838, 
the  organization  to  date  from  July  4th,  following.  Napoleon,  on 
the  Iowa  River,  a  few  miles  below  the  future  Iowa  City,  was  des- 
ignated as  the  county  seat,  temporarily. 

Then  there  existed  good  reason  for  locating  the  capital  in  the 
county.  The  Territory  of  Iowa  was  bounded  on  the  north  by  the 
British  Possessions;  east,  by  the  Mississippi  River  to  its  source; 
thence  by  a  line  drawn  due  north  to  the  northern  boundary  of  the 
United  States;  south,  by  the  State  of  Missouri,  and  west,  by  the 
Missouri  and  White  Earth   Rivers.      But  this  immense  territory 


54  HISTORY   OF   IOWA. 

was  ill  undisputed  possession  of  the  Indiars,  except  ii  strip  on  the 
Mississippi  known  as  the  Black  Hawk  Purchase.  Johnson  County 
was,  from  north  to  south,  in  the  geographical  center  of  this  pur- 
chase, and  as  near  the  east  and  west  geographical  center  of  the 
future  State  of  Iowa  as  could  then  be  made,  as  the  boundar}"^  line 
between  the  lands  of  the  United  States  and  the  Indians,  estab- 
lished by  the  treaty  of  October  21,  1837,  was  immediately  west  of 
tho  county  limits. 

The  Commissioners,  after  selecting  the  site,  were  directed  to  lay 
out  640  acres  into  a  town,  to  be  called  Iowa  City,  and  to  proceed  to 
sell  lots  and  erect  public  buildings  thereon,  Congress  having 
granted  a  section  of  land  to  be  selected  by  the  Territory  for  this 
purpose.  The  Commissioners,  met  at  Napoleon,  Johnson  County, 
May  1, 1839,  selected  for  a  site  Section  10,  in  Township  79  North 
of  Range  6,  West  of  the  Fifth  Principal  Meridian,  and  immedi- 
ately surveyed  it  and  laid  off  the  town.  The  first  sale  of  lots  took 
place  August  16,  1339.  The  site  selected  for  the  public  buildings 
was  a  little  west  of  the  geographical  center  of  the  section,  where 
a  square  of  ten  acres  on  the  elevated  grounds  overlooking  the  river 
was  reserved  for  the  purpose.  The  capitol  was  located  in  the  center 
of  this  square.  The  second  Territorial  Legislature,  which  assem- 
bled in  November,  1839,  passed  an  act  requiriing  the  Commission- 
ers to  adopt  such  plan  for  the  building  that  the  aggregate  cost 
when  complete,  should  not  exceed  |51,000;  and  if  they  had  already 
adopted  apian  involving  a  greater  expenditure,  they  were  directed 
to  abandon  it.  Plans  for  the  building  were  designed  and  drawn 
by  Mr.  John  F.  Rague,  of  Springfield,  111.,  and  on  the  4th  day  of 
July,  1840,  the  corner  stone  of  the  edifice  was  laid  with  appropri- 
ate ceremonies.  Samuel  C.  Trowbridge  was  Marshal  of  the  day, 
and  Gov.  Lucas  delivered  the  address  on  that  occasion. 

When  the  Legislature  assembled  at  Burlington  in  special  session, 
July  13,  1840,  Gov.  Lucas  announced  that  on  the  4th  of  that 
month  lie  had  visited  Iowa  City,  and  found  the  basement  of  the 
capitol  nearly  completed.  A  bill  authorizing  a  loan  of  ^20,000 
for  the  building  was  passed,  January  15,  1841,  the  unsold  lots  of 
Iowa  City  being  the  security  offered,  but  only  $5,500  was  obtained 
under  the  act. 

THE  BOUNDARY  QUESTION. 

The  boundary  line  between  the  Territory  of  Iowa  and  the  State 
of  Missouri  was  a  difficult  question  to  settle  in  1838,  in  conse- 
quence of  claims  arising  from  taxes  and  titles,  and  at  one  time 
civil  war  was  imminent.  In  defining  the  boundaries  of  the  coun- 
ties bordering  on  Missouri,  the  Iowa  authorities  had  fixed  a  line 
that  has  since  been  established  as  the  boundary  between  Iowa  and 
Missouri.  The  Constitution  of  Missouri  defines  her  northern 
boundary  to  be  the   parallel  of  the  latitude  which  passes  through 


HISTORY    OF   IOWA.  55 

the  rapids  o£  the  Des  Moines  River.  The  lower  rapids  of  the 
Mississippi  immediately  above  the  mouth  of  the  Des  Moines  River 
had  always  been  known  as  the  Des  Moines  Ra])ids,  or  "the  rapids 
of  the  Des  Moines  River."  The  Missourians  (evidently  not  well 
versed  in  history  or  geography)  insisted  on  running  the  northern 
boundary  line  from  the  rapids  in  the  Des  Moines  River,  just  below 
Keosauqua,  thus  taking  from  Iowa  a  strip  of  territory  eight  or  ten 
miles  wide.  Assuming  this  as  her  northern  boundary  line,  Mis- 
souri attempted  to  exercise  jurisdiction  over  the  disputed  territory 
by  assessing  taxes,  and  sending  her  Sheriffs  to  collect  them  by  dis- 
training the  personal  property  of  the  settlers.  The  lowans,  how- 
ever, were  not  disposed  to  submit,  and  the  Missouri  ofiicials  were 
arrested  by  the  Sheriffs  of  Davis  and  Van  Buren  Counties  and 
confined  in  jail.  Gov.  Boggs,  of  Missouri,  called  out  his  militia  to 
enforce  the  claim  and  sustain  the  officers  of  Missouri.  Gov.  Lucas 
called  out  the  militia  of  Iowa,  and  both  parties  made  active  prep- 
arations for  war.  In  Iowa,  about  1,200  men  were  enlisted,  and 
500  were  actually  armed  and  encamped  in  Van  Buren  County, 
ready  to  defend  the  integrity  of  the  Territory.  Subsequently, 
Gen.  A.  C.  Dodge,  of  Burlington,  Gen.  Churchman,  of  Dubuque, 
and  Dr.  Clark,  of  Fort  Madison,  were  sent  to  Missouri  as  envoys 
plenipotentiary,  to  effect,  if  possible,  a  peacable  adjustment  or  the 
difficulty.  Upon  their  arrival,  they  found  that  the  County  Com- 
missioners of  Clarke  County,  Missouri,  had  rescinded  their  order 
for  the  collection  of  the  taxes,  and  that  Gov.  Boggs  had  dispatched 
messengers  to  the  Governor  of  Iowa  proposing  to  submit  an 
agreed  case  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
final  settlement  of  the  boundary  question.  This  proposition  was 
declined,  but  afterward  Congress  authorized  a  suit  to  settle  the 
controversy,  which  was  instituted,  and  which  resulted  in  a  judg- 
ment for  Iowa.  Under  this  decision,  William  G.  Miner,  of  Mis- 
soui-i,  and  Henry  B.  Hendershott  were  appointed  Commissioners 
to  survey  and  establish  the  boundary.  Mr.  Nourse  remarks  that 
"the  expenses  of  the  war  on  the  jiart  of  loAva  were  never  paid, 
either  by  the  United  States  or  the  Territorial  Government.  The 
patriots  who  furnished  supplies  to  the  troops  had  to  bear  the  cost 
and  charges  of  the  struggle." 

The  first  legislative  assembly  laid  the  broad  foundation  of  civil 
equality,  on  which  has  been  constructed  one  of  the  most  liberal 
governments  in  in  the  Union.  Its  first  act  was  to  recognize  the 
equality  of  woman  with  man  before  the  law,  by  providing  that 
"no  action  commenced  by  a  single  woman,  who  intermarries 
during  the  pendency  thereof,  shall  abate  on  account  of  such  mar- 
riage. '  This  principle  has  been  adopted  by  all  subsequent  legisla- 
tion in  Iowa,  and  to-day  woman  has  full  and  equal  civil  rights  with 
man,  except  only  the  right  of  the  ballot. 

Religious  toleration  was  also  secured  to  all,  personal  liberty 
strictly  guarded,  the  rights  and  privileges  of  citizenship  extended 


56  HISTORY    OF    IOWA. 

to  all  white  persons,  and  the  purity  of  elections  secured  by  heavy 
penalties  against  bribery  and  corruption.  The  judiciary  power  was 
vested  in  a  Supreme  Court,  District  Court  Probate  Court,  and 
Justices  of  the  Peace.  Real  estate  was  made  divisible  by  will,  and 
intestate  property  divided  equitably  among  heirs.  Murder  was 
made  punishable  by  death,  and  proportionate  penalties  fixed  for 
lesser  crimes.  A  system  of  free  schools,  open  for  every  class  of 
white  citizens,  was  established.  Provision  was  made  for  a  system 
of  roads  and  highways.  Thus,  under  the  territonal  organization, 
the  country  began  to  emerge  from  a  savage  wilderness,  and  take 
on  the  forms  of  civil  government. 

By  act  of  Congress  of  June  12.  1838,  the  lands  which  had  been 
purchased  of  the  Indians  were  brought  into  market,  and  land 
offices  opened  in  Dubuque  and  Burlington.  Congress  provided  for 
military  roads  and  bridges,  which  greatly  aided  the  settlers,  who 
were  now  coming  in  by  thousands,  to  make  their  homes  on  the 
fertile  prairies  of  Iowa — "The  Beautiful  Land."  The  fame  of 
the  country  had  spread  far  and  wide;  even  before  the  Indian  title 
was  extinguished,  many  were  crowding  the  borders,  impatient  to 
cross  over  and  stake  out  their  claims  on  the  choicest  spots  they 
cou^  find  in  the  new  Territory.  As  soon  as  the  country  was  open 
for  settlement,  the  borders,  the  Black  Hawk  Purchase,  all  along  the 
Mississippi,  and  up  the  principal  rivers  and  streams,  and  out  over 
the  broad  rolling  prairies,  began  to  be  thronged  with  eager  land 
hunters  and  immigrants,  seeking  homes  in  Iowa.  It  was  a  sight 
to  delight  the  eyes  of  all  comers  from  every  land — its  noble 
streams,  beautiful  and  picturesque  hills  and  valleys,  broad  and  fer- 
tile prairies  extending  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  with  a  soil 
surpassing  in  richness  anything  which  they  had  ever  seen.  It  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at  that  immigration  into  Iowa  was  rapid,  and 
that  within  less  than  a  decade  from  the  organization  of  the  Ter- 
ritory it  contained  a  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  people. 

As  rapidly  as  the  Indian  titles  were  extinguished  and  the  origi- 
nal owners  removed,  the  resistless  tide  of  emigration  flowed  west- 
ward. The  following  extract  from  Judge  Nourse's  Centennial 
Address  shows  how  the  emigrants  gathered  on  the  Indian  bound- 
ary, ready  for  the  removal  of  the  barrier: 

In  obedience  to  our  progressive  and  aggressive  spirit,  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  made  another  treaty  with  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians,  on  the  11th 
day  of  August,  1842,  for  the  remaining  portion  of  their  land  in  Iowa.  The 
treaty  provided  that  the  Indians  should  retain  possession  of  all  the  lands  thus 
ceded  until  May  1,  1843,  and  should  occupy  that  portion  of  the  ceded  territory 
west  of  a  line  running  north  and  south  through  Redrock,  until  October  11, 
1845.  These  tribes,  at  this  time,  had  their  principal  village  at  Ot-tum-wa-no: 
now  called  Ottumwa.  As  soon  as  it  became  known  that  the  treaty  had  been  con- 
cluded, there  was  a  rush  of  immigration  to  Iowa,  and  a  great  number  of  tem- 
porary settlements  were  made  near  the  Indian  boundary,  waiting  for  the  1st  day 
of  May.  As  the  day  approached,  hundreds  of  families  encamped  along  the  line, 
and  their  tents  and  wagons  ga^e  the  scene  the  appearance  of  a  military  expe- 


HISTORY    OF   IOWA.  57 

dition.  Th3  country  beyond  had  been  tliorouglily  explored,  but  the  United 
States  niihtary  authorities  had  prevented  any  settlement,  or  even  the  making 
out  of  claims  by  any  monuments  whatever. 

To  aid  tliem  in  making  out  their  claims  when  the  hour  should  arrive,  the  set- 
tlers had  placed  piles  of  dry  wood  on  the  rising  ground,  at  convenient  distances, 
and  a  short  time  before  twelve  o'clock  on  the  night  of  the  30th  of  April,  these 
were  lighted,  and  when  the  midnight  hour  an-ived  it  was  anounced  by  the  dis- 
charge of  firearms.  The  night  was  dark,  but  this  army  of  occupation  pressed 
forward,  torch  in  hand,  with  axe  and  hatchet,  blazing  lines  with  all  manner  of 
curves  and  angles.  When  daylight  came  and  revealed  the  confusion  of  these 
wonderful  surveys,  numerous  disputes  arose,  settled  generally  by  compromise, 
but  sometimes  by  violence.  Between  midnight  of  the  30th  of  Apiil  and  sun- 
down of  the  1st  of  May,  over  one  thousand  families  had  settled  on  their  new 
purchase. 

While  this  seen 3  was  transpiring,  the  retreating  Indians  were  enacting  one 
more  impressive  and  melancholy.  The  winter  of  1842-43  was  one  of  unusual 
severity,  and  the  Indian  prophet,  who  had  disapproved  of  the  treaty,  attributed 
the  severity  of  the  winter  to  the  anger  of  the  Great  Spirit,  because  they  had  sold 
their  country.  Many  religious  rites  were  performed  to  atone  for  the  crime. 
When  the  time  for  leaving  Ot-tum-wa-no  arrived,  a  solemn  silence  pervaded  the 
Indian  camp,  and  the  faces  of  their  stoutest  men  were  bathed  in  tears;  and  when 
their  cavalcade  was  put  in  motion,  toward  the  setting  sun ,  there  wa  s  a  sponta- 
neous outburst  of  frantic  grief  from  the  entire  procession. 

The  Indians  remained  the  appointed  time  beyond  the  line  running  north  and 
south  through  Redrock.  The  Government  established  a  trading  post  and  mili- 
tary encampment  at  the  Raccoon  Fork  of  the  Des  Moines  River,  then  and  for 
many  years  known  as  Fort  Des  Moines.  Here  the  red  men  lingered  until  the 
11th  of  October,  1845,  when  the  same  scene  that  we  have  before  described  was 
re-enacted,  and  the  wave  of  immigration  swept  over  the  remainder  of  the  "New 
Purchase."  The  lands  thus  occupied  andclaimsd  1  y  the  settlers  still  belonged 
in  fee  to  the  General  Government.  The  surveys  were  not  completed  until  some 
time  after  the  Indian  title  was  extinguished.  After  their  survey,  the  lands 
were  publicly  proclaimed  or  advertised  for  sale  at  public  auction.  Under  the 
laws  of  the  United  States,  a  pre-emption  or  exclusive  right  to  purchase  pubUc 
lands  could  not  be  acquired  until  after  the  lands  had  thus  been  publicly  offered 
and  not  sold  for  want  of  bidders.  Then,  and  not  until  then,  an  occupant  mak- 
ing improvements  in  good  faith  might  acquire  a  right  over  others  to  enter  the 
land  at  the  minimum  price  of  $1.25  per  acre.  The  "claim  laws"  were  un- 
known to  the  United  States  statutes.  They  originated  in  the  "eternal  fitness 
of  things,"  and  were  enforced,  probably,  as  belonging  to  that  class  of  natural 
rights  not  enumerated  in  the  constitution,  and  not  impaired  or  disparaged  by 
its  enumeration. 

The  settlers  organized  in  every  settlement  prior  to  the  public  land  sales,  ap- 
pointed officers,  and  adopted  their  own  rules  and  regulations.  Each  man's 
claim  was  duly  ascertained  and  recorded  by  the  Secretary.  It  was  the  duty  of 
all  to  attend  the  sales.  The  Secretary  bid  oft'  the  lands  of  each  settler  at  $1.25 
per  acre.  The  others  were  there  to  see,  first,  that  he  did  his  duty  and  bid  in  the 
land,  and,  secondly,  to  see  that  no  one  else  bid.  This,  of  courss,  sometimes  led 
to  trouble,  but  it  saved  the  excitement  of  competition,  and  gave  a  formality  and 
degree  of  order  and  regularity  to  the  proceedings  they  would  not  othei-wise  have 
attained.  As  far  as  practicable,  the  Territorial  Legislature  recognized  the 
vahdity  of  these  "claims"  upon  the  publiclands,  and  in  1839  passed  an  act 
legalizing  their  sale  and  malang  their  transfer  a  valid  consideration  to  support  a 
promise  to  pay  for  the  same.  (Acts  of  1843,  p.  456.)  The  Supreme  Territorial 
Court  held  this  law  to  be  valid.  (See  Hill  v.  Smith,  1st  Morris  Rep,  70.)  The 
opinion  not  only  contains  a  decision  of  the  question  involved,  but  also  contains 
much  valuable  erudition  upon  that  "spirit  of  Anglo-Saxon  liberty"  which  the 
Iowa  settlers  unquestionably  inherited  in  a  direct  line  of  descent  from  the  said 
"Anglo-Saxons."  But  the  early  settler  was  not  always  able  to  pay  even  this 
doUar  and  twenty-five  cents  per  acre  for  his  land. 


58  HISTOKY    OF    IOWA. 

Mauy  of  the  settlers  had  nothing  to  begin  with,  save  their 
hands,  health  and  courage  and  their  family  jewels,  ''the  pledges 
of  love,"  and  the  "consumers  of  bread."  It  was  not  so  easy  to 
accummulate  money  in  the  early  days  of  the  State,  and  the  "beau- 
tiful prairies,"  the  "noble  streams,"  and  all  that  sort  of  poetic 
imagery,  did  not  prevent  the  early  settlers  from  becoming  dis- 
couraged. 

An  old  settler,  in  speaking  of  the  privations  and  trials  of  those 
early  days,  says: 

Well  do  the  "old  settlers"  of  Iowa  remember  the  days  from  the  first  settle- 
ment to  1840.  Those  were  days  of  sadness  and  distress.  The  endearments'  of 
home  in  another  land  had  baen  broken  up;  and  all  that  was  hallowed  on  earth, 
the  home  of  childhood,  and  the  scenas  of  youth,  were  severed;  and  we  sat  by 
the  gentle  waters  of  our  noble  river,'  and,  often  "hung  our  harps  on  the  wil- 
lows." 

Another,  from  another  part  of  the  State,  testifies: 
There  was  no  such  thing  a.s  getting  money  for  any  kind  of  labo) .  I  laid  brick 
at  $3.00  per  thousand,  and  took  my  pay  in  anything  I  could  eat  or  wear.  I 
built  the  first  Methodist  Church  at  Keokuk,  42x60  feet,  of  brick,  for  $600,  and 
took  my  pay  in  a  subscription  paper,  part  of  which  I  never  collected,  and  upon 
which  I  only  received  $50  00  in  money.  Wheat  was  hauled  100  miles  from  the 
interior,  and  sold  for  '61%  cents  per  bushel. 

Another  old  settler,  in  speaking  of  a  later  period,  1843,  says: 
Land  and  everything  had  gone  down  in  value  to  almost  nominal  prices.  Con« 
and  oats  could  be  bought  for  six  or  ten  cents  a  bushel;  pork,  $1.00  per  hundred, 
and  the  best  horse  a  man  could  raise  sold  for  $50.00.  Nearly  all  were  in  debt, 
and  the  SheritF  and  Constable,  with  legal  processes,  were  common  visitors  at 
almost  every  man's  door.  These  were  indeed  "the  times  that  tried  men's 
souls." 

"A  few,"  says  Mr.  Nourse,  "who  were  not  equal  to  the  trial,  re- 
turned to  their  old  Iiomes,  but  such  as  had  courage  and  faith  to  be 
the  worthy  founders  of  a  great  State  remained,  to  more  than 
realize  the  fruition  of  their  hopes,  and  the  reward  of  their  self- 
denial." 

Oe  Monday,  December  0,  1841,  the  fourth  Legislative  Assembly 
met,  at  the  new  capital,  Iowa  City,  but  the  capitol  building  could 
not  be  used,  and  the  Legislature  occupied  a  temporary  frame  house, 
that  had  been  erected  for  that  purpose,  during  the  session  of 
1841-2.  At  this  session,  the  Superintendent  of  Public  Buildings 
(who,  with  the  Territorial  Agent,  had  superseded  the  Commis- 
sioners first  appointed),  estimated  the  expense  of  completing  the 
building  at  $33,330,  and  that  rooms  for  the  use  of  the  Legislature 
could  be  completed  for  $15,600. 

During  1842,  the  Superintendent  commenced  obtaining  stone 
from  a  new  quarry,  about  ten  miles  northeast  of  the  city.  This  is 
now  known  as  the  "Old  Captain  Quarry,"  and  contains,  it  is 
thought,  an  immense  quantity  of  exellent  building  stone.  Here  all 
the  stone  for  completing  the  building  was  obtained,  and  it  was  so 
far  completed  that  on  the  5th  day  of  December,  1842,  the  Legis- 
lature assembled  in  the  new  capitol.  At  this  session,  the  Super- 
intendent estimated  that  it  would  cost  $39,143  to  finish  the  build- 


HISTOKY   OF    IOWA.  59 

ing.  This  was  nearly  $6,000  higher  than  the  estimate  of  the  pre- 
vious year,  notwithstanding  a  large  sum  had  been  expended  in 
the  meantime.  This  rather  discouraging  discrepancy  was  ac- 
counted for  by  the  fact  that  the  officers  in  charge  of  the  work  were 
constantly  short  of  funds.  Except  the  Congressional  appropria- 
tion of  120,000  and  the  loan  of  $5,500,  obtained  from  the  Miners' 
Bank,  of  Dubuque,  all  the  funds  for  the  prosecution  of  the  work 
were  derived  from  the  sale  of  the  city  lots  (which  did  not  sell 
very  rapidly),  from  the  certificates  of  indebtedness,  and  from  scrip, 
based  upon  unsold  lots,  which  was  to  be  received  in  payment  for 
such  when  they  were  sold.  At  one  time  the  Superintendent 
made  a  requisition  for  bills  of  iron  and  glass,  which  could  not  be 
obtained  nearer  than  St.  Louis.  To  meet  this,  the  Agent  sold 
some  lots  for  a  draft,  payable  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  for  which  he  was 
compelled  to  pay  twenty-five  per  cent,  exchange.  This  draft, 
amounting  to  $507,  that  officer  reported  to  be  more  than  one-half 
the  cash  actually  handled  by  him  during  the  entire  season,  when 
the  disbursement  amounted  to  very  nearly  $24,000. 

With  such  uncertainty  it  could  not  be  expected  that  estimates 
could  be  very  accurate.  With  all  these  disadvantages,  however, 
the  work  appears  to  have  been  prudently  prosecuted,  and  as  rapid- 
ly as  circumstances  would  permit. 

Iowa  remained  a  territory  from  1838  to  1846,  during  which  the 
office  of  Governor  was  held  by  Robert  Lucas,  John  Chambers  and 
James  Clark. 

STATE  ORGANIZATION. 

By  an  act  of  the  Territorial  Legislature  of  Iowa,  approved  Feb- 
ruary 12,  1844,  the  question  of  the  formation  of  a  State  Constitu- 
tion and  providing  for  the  election  of  delegates  to  a  convention  to 
he  convened  for  that  purpose  was  submitted  to  the  people,  to  be 
voted  upon  at  their  township  elections  in  April  following.  The 
vote  was  largely  in  favor  of  the  measure,  and  the  delegates  elected 
assembled  in  convention  at  Iowa  city  on  the  7th  of  October,  1844. 
On  the  first  day  of  November  following  the  convention  completed 
its  work  and  adopted  the  first  State  constitution. 

The  President  of  the  convention,  Hon.  Shepherd  Leffler,  was  in- 
structed to  transmit  a  certified  copy  of  this  constitution  to  the 
delegate  in  Congress,  to  be  by  him  submitted  to  that  body  at  the 
earliest  practicable  day.  It  was  also  provided  that  it  should  be 
submitted,  together  with  any  conditions  or  changes  that  might  be 
made  by  Congress,  to  the  people  of  the  Territory  for  their  approval 
or  rejection,  at  the  township  election  in  April,  1845. 

The  boundaries  of  the  State,  as  defined  by  the  constitution, 
were  as  follows: 

Beginning  in  the  middle  of  the  channel  of  the  Mississippi  river,  opposite 
mouth  of  the  Des  Moines  river,  thence  up  the  said  river  Des  Moines,  in  the 
middle  of  the  main  channel  thereot,  to  a  point  where  it  is  intersected  by  the 


60  HISTORY    OF   IOWA. 

old  Indian  boundary  line,  or  line  run  by  John  C.  Sullivan  in  the  year  1816; 
thence  westwardly  along  said  line  to  the  "old"  northwest  corner  of  Missouri; 
thence  due  west  to  the  middle  of  the  main  channel  of  the  Missouri  river; 
thence  up  in  the  middle  of  the  main  channel  of  the  river  last  mentioned  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Sioux  or  Calumet  river;  thence  m  a  direct  line  to  the  middle  of 
the  main  channel  of  tne  St.  Peters  river,  where  the  Watonwan  river — according 
to  Nicollet's  map — enters  the  same;  thence  down  the  middle  of  the  main  chan- 
nel of  said  river  to  the  middle  of  the  main  channel  of  the  Mississippi  river; 
thence  doAvn  the  middle  of  the  main  channel  of  said  river  to  the  place  of  be- 
ginning. 

These  boundaries  were  rejected  by  Congress,  but  by  act  approved 
March  3,  1845,  a  State  called  Iowa  was  admitted  into  the  Union, 
provided  the  people  adopted  the  act,  bounded  as  follows: 

Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  the  Des  Moines  river,  at  the  middle  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi ,  thence  by  the  middle  of  the  channel  of  that  river  to  a  parallel  of  lati- 
tude passing  through  the  mouth  of  the  Mankato  or  Blue  Earth  river;  thence 
west,  along  said  parallel  of  latitude  to  a  point  where  it  is  intersected  by  a  me- 
ridian line  seventeen  degrees  and  thirty  minutes  west  of  the  meridian  of  Wash- 
ington City;  thence  due  south  to  the  northern  boundary  line  of  the  State  of 
Missouri;  thence  easterly  following  that  boundary  line  to  the  point  at  which 
the  same  intersects  the  Des  Moines  river;  thence  by  the  middle  of  the  channel 
of  that  river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

These  boundaries,  had  they  been  accepted,  would  have  placed 
the  northern  boundary  of  the  State  about  thirty  miles  north  of  its 
present  location,  and  would  have  deprived  it  of  the  Missouri 
slope  and  the  boundary  of  that  river.  The  western  boundary 
would  have  been  near  the  west  line  of  what  is  now  Kossuth 
county.  But  it  was  not  so  to  be.  In  consequence  of  this  radical 
and  unwelcome  change  in  the  boundaries,  the  people  refused  to 
accept  the  act  of  Congress  and  rejected  the  constitution  at  the 
election,  held  August  4,  1845,  by  a  vote  of  7,f)56  to  7,235, 

A  second  constitutional  convention  assembled  at  Iowa  Ciiy  on 
the  4th  day  of  May,  1846,  and  on  the  18th  of  the  same  month  an- 
other Constitution  for  the  new  State  with  the  present  boundaries- 
was  adopted  and  submitted  to  the  people  for  ratification  on  the  3d 
day  of  August  following,  when  it  was  accepted;  9,492  votes  were 
cast  "for  the  Constitution,"  and  9,036  ''against  the  Consti  ution." 

The  Constitution  was  approved  by  Congress,  and  by  act  of  Con- 
gress approved  December  28.  1846,  Iowa  was  admitted  as  a  sover- 
eign State  in  the  American  Union. 

Prior  to  this  action  of  Congress,  however,  the  people  of  the 
new  State  held  an  election  under  the  new  Constitution  on  the  •26th 
day  of  October,  and  elected  Oresel  Briggs,  Governor;  ElishaCutler^ 
Jr.,  Secretary  of  State;  Joseph  T.  Fales,  Auditor;  Morgan  Reno, 
Treasurer,  and  members  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Represent- 
atives. 

At  this  time  there  were  twenty-seven  organized  counties  in  the 
State,  with  a  population  of  nearly  100,000,  and  the  frontier 
settlements  were  rapidly  pushing  toward  the  Missouri  river.  The 
Mormons  had  already  reached  there. 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.  61 

The  first  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Iowa  was  composed 
of  nineteen  Senators  and  forty  Representatives.  It  assembled  at 
Iowa  City  November  30,  1840,  about  a  monihbefore  the  State  was 
admitted  into  the  Union. 

At  the  first  session  of  the  State  Legislature,  the  Treasurer  of 
State  reported  that  the  eapitol  building  was  in  a  very  exposed  con- 
dition, liable  to  injury  from  storms,  and  expressed  the  hope  that 
some  provision  would  be  made  to  complete  it,  at  least  sufficiently 
to  protect  it  from  the  weather.  The  General  Assembly  responded 
by  appropriating  $2,500  for  the  completion  of  the  public  buildings. 
At  the  first  session  also  arose  the  question  of  the  re-location  of 
the  capital.  The  western  boundary  of  the  State,  as  now  deter- 
mined, left  Iowa  City  too  far  toward  the  eastern  and  southern 
boundary  of  the  State;  this  was  conceded.  Congress  had  appro- 
priated five  sections  of  land  for  the  erection  of  public  buildings, 
and  toward  the  close  of  the  session  a  bill  was  introduced  provid- 
ing for  the  re-location  of  the  seat  of  government,  involving  to 
some  extent  the  location  of  the  State  IJniversity,  which  had  al- 
ready been  discussed.  This  bill  gave  rise  to  a  deal  of  discussion 
and  parliamentary  maneuvering,  almost  purely  sectional  in  its 
character.  It  provided  for  the  appointment  of  three  Commis- 
sioners, who  were  authorized  to  make  a  location  as  near  the  geo- 
graphical center  of  the  State  as  a  healthy  and  eligible  site  could  be 
obtained;  to  select  the  five  sections  of  laud  donated  by  Congress; 
to  survey  and  plat  into  town  lots  not  exceeding  one  section  of  the 
land  so  selected;  to  sell  lots  at  public  sale,  not  to  exceed  two  in 
each  block.  Having  done  this,  they  were  then  required  to  sus- 
pend further  operations,  and  make  a  report  of  their  proceedings 
to  the  Governor.  The  bill  passed  both  Houses  by  decisive  votes, 
received  the  signature  of  the  Governor  and  became  a  law.  Soon 
after,  by  ''An  act  to  locate  and  establish  a  State  University,"  ap- 
proved February  25th,  1847,  the  unfinished  public  buildings  at 
Iowa  City,  together  with  the  ten  acres  of  land  on  which  they  were 
situated,  were  granted  for  the  use  of  the  University,  reserving 
their  use,  however,  by  the  General  assembly  and  the  State  officers, 
until  other  provisions  were  made  by  law. 

The  commissioners  forthwith  entered  upon  their  duties,  and  se- 
lected four  sections  and  two  half  sections  in  Jasper  county.  Two 
of  these  sections  are  in  what  is  now  Des  Moines  Township,  and 
the  others  in  Fairview  township,  in  the  southern  part  of  that 
county.  These  lands  are  situated  between  Prairie  City  and  Mon- 
roe, on  the  Keokuk  &  Des  Moines  Railroad,  which  runs  diagonally 
through  them.  Here  a  town  was  platted,  called  Monroe  City,  and 
a  sale  of  lots  took  place.  Four  hundred  and  fifteen  lots  were  sold 
at  prices  that  were  not  considered  remarkably  remunerative.  The 
cash  payments  (one-fourth)  amounted  to  $1,797.43,  while  the  ex- 
penses of  the  sale  and  the  claims  of  the  Commissioners   for   ser- 


62  HISTOKY   OF    IOWA. 

vices  amounted  to  82,206.57.  The  Commissioners  made  a  report 
of  their  proceedings  to  the  Governor,  as  required  by  law,  but  the. 
location  was  generally  condemned. 

When  the  report  of  the  Commissioners,  showing  this  brilliant 
financial  operation,  had  been  read  in  the  House  of  Representatives 
at  the  next  session,  and  while  it  was  under  consideration,  an  indig- 
nant member,  afterward  known  as  the  eccentric  Judge  McFar- 
land,  moved  to  refer  the  report  to  a  select  committee  of  five,  with 
instructions  to  report  "how  much  of  said  city  of  Monroe  was  under 
water  and  how  much  was  burned."  The  report  was  referred, 
without  the  instructions,  however,  but  Monroe  City  never  be- 
came the  seat  of  government.  -  By  an  act  approved  January  15, 
1849,  the  law  by  which  the  location  had  been  made  was  repealed 
and  the  new  town  was  vacated,  the  money  paid  by  purchasers  of 
lots  being  refunded  to  them.  This,  of  course,  retained  the  seat  of 
government  at  Iowa  City,  and  precluded  for  the  time,  the  occupa- 
tion of  the  building  and  grounds  by  the  University. 

At  the  same  session  ^3,000  more  were  appropriated  for  complet- 
ing the  State  building  at  Iowa  City.  In  1852  the  further  sum  of 
$5,000,  and  in  1854  $4,000  more  were  appropriated  for  the  same 
purpose,  making  the  whole  cost  $123,000,  paid  partly  by  the  Gen- 
eral Government  and  partly  by  the  State,  but  principally  from  the 
proceeds  of  the  sale  of  lots  in  Iowa  City. 

But  the  question  of  the  permanent  location  of  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment Wcis  not  settled;  and  in  1851  bills  were  introduced  for  the 
removal  of  the  capital  to  Bella  and  to  FortDes  Moines.  The  lat- 
ter appeared  to  have  the  support  of  the  majority,  but  was  finally 
lost  in  the  House  on  the  question  of  ordering  it  to  its  third  read- 
ing- 

At  the  next  session,  in  1853,  a  bill  was  introduced  in  the  Sen- 
ate for  the  removal  of  the  seat  of  government  to  Fort  Des  Moines, 
and,  on  final  vote,  was  just  barely  defeated.  At  the  next  session, 
however,  the  efibrt  was  more  successful,  and  on  the  15th  day  of 
January,  1855,  a  bill  re-locating  the  capital  within  two  miles  of 
the  Racoon  Fork  of  the  Des  Moines,  and  for  the  appointment  of 
Commissioners,  was  approved  by  Gov.  Grimes.  The  site  was  se- 
lected in  1856,  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  this  act,  the 
land  being  donated  to  the  State  by  citizens  and  property-holders 
of  Des  Moines.  An  association  of  citizens  erected  a  building  for 
a  temporary  capitol,and  leased  it  to  the  State  at  a  nominal   rent. 

The  third  constitutional  convention  to  revise  the  Constitution 
of  the  State  assembled  at  Iowa  City,  January  19,  1857.  The  new 
constitution  framed  by  this  convention  was  submitted  to  the  peo- 
ple at  an  election  held  August  3,  1857,  when  it  was  approved  and 
adopted  by  a  vote  of  40,311  "for"  to  38,681  "against,"  and  on  the 
3rd  day  of  September  following  was  declared  by  a  proclamation  of 
the  Governor  to  be  the  supreme  law  of  the  State  of  Iowa. 


HLSTORY    OF   IOWA.  63 

Advised  of  the  completioii  of  the  temporary  State  House  at  Des 
Moines,  on  the  19th  of  October  following,  Governor  Grimes  issued 
another  proclamation,  declaring  the  city  of  Des  Moines  to  be  the 
capital  of  the  State  of  Iowa. 

The  removal  of  the  archives  and  offices  was  commenced  at  once 
and  continued  through  the  fall,  tt  was  an  undertaking  of  no 
small  magnitude;  there  was  not  a  mile  of  railroad  to  facilitate  the 
work,  and  the  season  was  unusually  disagreeable.  Rain,  snow, 
and  other  accompaniments  increased  the  difficulties,  and  it  was 
not  until  December  that  the  last  of  the  effects — the  safe  of  the 
State  Treasurer,  loaded  on  two  large  ''bob-sleds"^drawn  by  ten 
yoke  of  oxen,  was  deposited  in  the  new  capitol.  It  is  not  impru- 
dent now  to  remark  that,  during  this  passage  over  hills  and 
prairies,  across  rivers,  through  bottom  lands  and  timber,  the  safes 
belonging  to  the  several  departments  contained  large  sums  of 
money,  mostly  individual  funds,  however.  Thus,  Iowa  City 
ceased  to  be  the  capital  of  the  State,  after  four  Territorial  Legisla- 
tures, six  State  Legislatures  and  three  Constitutional  Conventions 
had  held  their  sessions  there.  By  the  exchange,  the  old  capitol  at 
Iowa  City  became  the  seat  of  the  University,  and  except  the  rooms 
occupied  by  the  United  States  District  Court,  passed  under  the  im- 
mediate and  direct  control  of  the  trustees  of  that  institution. 

Des  Moines  Avas  now  the  permanent  seat  of  government,  made 
so  by  the  fundamental  law  of  the  State,  and  on  the  11th  day  of 
January,  1858,  the  seventh  General  Assembly  convened  at  the 
new  capital.  The  building  used  for  governmental  purposes  was 
purchased  in  1864.  It  soon  became  inadequate  for  the  purposes 
for  which  it  WaS  designed,  and  it  became  apparent  that  a  new, 
large  and  permanent  State  House  must  be  erected.  In  1870,  the 
General  Assembly  made  an  appropriation,  and  provided  for  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  Board  of  Commissioner?  to  commence  the  work. 
The  board  consisted  of  Gov,  Samuel  Merrill,  ex-officio  President; 
Grenville  M.  Dodge,  Council  Bluffs;  James  P.  Wilson,  Fairfield; 
James  Dawson,  Washington;  Simon  G.  Stein,  Muscatine;  James 
0.  Crosby,  Gaiusville;  Charles  Dudley,  Agency  City;  John  N. 
Dewey,  Des  Moines;  William  L.  Joy,  Sioux  City;  Alexander  R. 
Fulton,  Des  Moines,  Secretary. 

The  act  of  1870  provided  that  the  building  should  be  constructed 
of  the  best  material  and  should  be  fire  proof,  to  be  heated  and  ven- 
tilated in  the  most  approved  manner;  should  contain  suitable  leg- 
islative halls,  rooms  for  State  officers,  the  judiciary,  library,  com- 
mittees, archives  and  the  collections  of  the  State  Agricultural 
Society,  and  for  all  purposes  of  State  Government,  and  should  be 
erected  on  grounds  held  by  the  State  for  that  purpose.  The  sum 
first  appropriated  was  $150,000;  and  the  law  provided  that  no 
contract  should  be  made,  either  for  constructing  or  furnishing  the 
building,  which  should  bind  the  State  for  larger  sums  than  those 
at  the  time  appropriated.     A   design  was  drawn   and   plans  and 


64  HISTORY   OF   IOWA. 

specifications  furnished  by  Cochrane  &  Piqueuard,  architects,  which 
were  accepted  by  the  board,  and  on  the  23d  of  November,  1871, 
the  corner  stone  was  laid  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  The 
estimated  cost  and  present  value  of  the  capitol  is  fixed  at  $2,000,- 
000. 

From  1858  to  18G0,  the  Sioux  became  troublesome  in  the  north- 
western part  of  the  State.  These  warlike  Indians  made  frequent 
plundering  raids  upon  the  settlers,  and  murdered  several  families. 
in  18G1,  several  companies  of  militia  were  ordered  to  that  portion 
of  the  State  to  hunt  down  and  punish  the  murderous  thieves.  No 
battles  were  fought,  however,  for  the  Indians  fled  when  they  as- 
certained that  systematic  and  adequate  measures  had  been  adopted 
to  protect  the  settlers. 

"The  year  1856  marked  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  Iowa.  In 
1854,  the  Chicago  &  Kock  Island  Railroad  had  been  completed  to 
the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  River,  opposite  Davenport.  In 
1854,  the  corner  stone  of  a  railroad  bridge,  that  was  to  be  the  first 
to  span  the  "Father  of  Waters,"  was  laid  with  appropriate  cere- 
monies at  this  point.  St.  Louis  had  resolved  that  the  enterprise 
was  unconstitutional,  and  by  writs  of  injunction  made  an  unsuc- 
cessful effort  to  prevent  its  completion.  Twenty  years  later  in  her 
history,  St.  Louis  repented  her  folly,  and  made  atonement  for  her 
sin  by  imitating  our  example.  On  the  first  day  of  January,  1856, 
this  railroad  was  completed  to  Iowa  City.  In  the  meantime,  two 
other  railroads  had  reached  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi — one 
opposite  Burlington,  and  one  opposite  Dubuque — and  these  were 
being  extended  into  the  interior  of  the  State.  Indeed,  four  lines 
of  railroad  had  been  projected  across  the  State  from  the  Mississippi 
to  the  Missouri,  having  eastern  connections.  On  the  15tli  of  May, 
1856,  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  passed  an  act  granting  to 
the  State,  to  aid  in  the  construction  of  railroads,  the  public  lands 
in  alternate  sections,  six  miles  on  either  side  of  the  proposed  line. 
An  extra  session  of  the  General  Assembly  was  called  in  July  of 
this  year,  that  disposed  of  the  grant  to  the  several  companies  that 
proposed  to  complete  these  enterprises.  The  population  of  our 
State  at  this  time  had  increased  to  500,000.  Public  attention  had 
been  called  to  the  necessity  of  a  railroad  across  the  continent.  The 
position  of  Iowa,  in  the  very  heart  and  center  of  the  Republic,on 
the  route  of  this  great  highway  across  the  continent,  began  to  at- 
tract attention.  Cities  and  towns  sprang  up  through  the  State  as 
if  by  magic.  Capital  began  to  pour  into  the  State,  and  had  it  been 
employed  in  developing  our  vast  coal  measures  and  establishing 
manufactories  among  us,  or  if  it  had  been  expended  in  improving 
our  lands,  and  building  houses  and  barns,  it  would  have  been  well. 
But  all  were  in  haste  to  get  rich,  and  the  spirit  of  speculation 
ruled  the  hour. 

In  the  meantime  every  effort  was  made  to  help  the  speedy 
completion  of  the  railroads.     Nearly  every  county  and  city  on  the 


HISTORY    OF   IOWA. 


65 


Mississippi,  and  many  in  the  interior,  voted  lar»e  corporate  sub- 
scriptions to  the  stock  of  the  railroad  companies,  and  issued  their 
negotiable  bonds  for  the  amount.  Thus  enormous  county  and 
city  debts  were  incurred,  the  payment  of  which  these  municipalities 
tried  to  avoid  upon  the  plea  that  they  had  exceeded  the  constitu- 
tional limitation  of  their  powers.  The  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States  held  these  bonds  to  be  valid,  and  the  courts  by  man- 
damus compelled  the  city  and  county  authorities  to  levy  taxes  to 
pay  the  judgments.  These  debts  are  not  all  paid  even  yet,  but 
the  worst  is  over  and  ultimately  the  burden  will  be  entirely  re- 
moved. 

The  first  railroad  across  the  State  was  completed  to  Council 
Bluffs  in  January,  1871.  The  others  were  completed  soon  after. 
[n  1854  there  was  not  a  mile  of  railroad  in  the  State.  In  1874, 
twenty  years  after,  there  were  3,765  miles  in  successful  opera- 
tion, 

GROWTH    AND    PROGRESS. 

When  Wisconsin  Territory  was  organized,  in  1836,  the  entire 
population  of  that  portion  of  the  Territory  now  embraced  in  the 
State  of  Iowa  was  10,531.  The  Territory  then  embraced  two 
counties;  Dubuque  and  Des  Moines,  erected  by  the  Territory  of 
Michigan,  in  1834.  From  1836  to  1838,  the  territorial  Legisla- 
lature  of  Wisconsin  increased  the  number  of  counties  to  sixteen, 
and  the  population  had  increased  to  22,859.  Since  then  the  coun- 
ties have  increased  to  ninety-nine,  and  the  population,  in  1875, 
was  1,366,000.  The  following  table  will  show  the  population  at 
different  periods  since  the  erection  of  Iowa  Territory: 

Year.  Poj)ulat\on. 

183S 22,589 

1840 43,115 

1844 75,152 

1846 ." 97,588 

1847 116,651 

1849 152,988 

1850 191,9S2 

1851 204,774 

1852 230,713 

1853 326,013 

1856 519,055 

The  most  populous  county  in  the  State  is  Dubuque.  Not  only 
in  population,  but  in  everything  contributing  to  the  growth  and 
greatness  of  a  State  has  Iowa  made  rapid  progress.  In  a  little 
more  than  thirty  years,  its  wild  but  beautiful  prairies  have  ad- 
vanced from  the  home  of  the  savage  to  a  highly  civilized  common- 
wealth, embracing  all  the  elements  of  progress  which  character- 
ize the  older  States. 

Thriving  cities  and  towns  dot  its  fair  surface;  an  iron  net- work 
of  thousands  of  miles  of  railroads  is  woven  over  its  broad  acres; 
ten  thousand  school  houses,  in  which  more  than  five  hundred 


Year.  Population. 

1859 638,775 

1860 674,913 

1863 701,732 

1865 754,699 

1867 902,040 

1869 1,040,819 

1870 1,191,727 


1873. 


1,251,? 


1875 1,366,000 

1880 1.624,463 


C6  HISTOKY    OF   IOWA. 

thousaud  children  are  being  taught  the  rudiments  of  education, 
testify  to  the  culture  and  liberality  of  the  people;  high  schools, 
colleges  and  universities  are  generously  endowed  by  the  State; 
manufactories  spring  up  on  all  her  water  courses,  and  in  most  of 
her  cities  and  towns. 

Whether  measured  from  the  date  of  her  first  settlement,  her 
organization  as  a  Territory,  or  admission  as  a  State,  Iowa  has  thus 
far  shown  a  growth  unsurpassed,  in  a  similar  period,  by  any  com- 
monwealth on  the  face  of  the  earth;  and,  with  her  vast  extent  of 
fertile  soil,  with  her  inexhaustible  treasures  of  mineral  wealth, 
with  a  healthful,  invigorating  climate;  an  intelligent,  liberty-loving 
people;  with  equal,  just  and  liberal  laws,  and  her  free  schools, 
the  future  of  Iowa  may  be  expected  to  surpass  the  most  hopeful 
anticipations  of  her  present  citizens. 

Looking  upon  Iowa  as  she  is  to-day — populous,  prosperous  and 
happy — it  is  hard  to  realize  the  wonderful  changes  that  have  oc- 
curred since  the  first  white  settlements  were  made  within  her  bor- 
ders. When  the  number  of  States  was  only  twenty-six,  and  their 
total  population  about  twenty  millions,  our  republican  form  of  gov- 
ernment was  hardly  more  than  an  experiment,  just  fairly  put  upon 
trial.  The  development  of  our  agricultural  resources  and  inex- 
haustible mineral  wealth  had  hardly  commenced.  Westward  the 
"Star  of  Empire"  had  scarcely  started  on  its  way.  West  of  the 
great  Mississippi  was  a  mighty  empire,  but  almost  unknown,  and 
marked  on  the  maps  of  the  period  as  ''The  Great  American  Des- 
ert." 

Now,  thirty-eight  stars  glitter  on  our  national  escutcheon,  and 
fifty  millions  of  people^  who  know  their  rights  and  dare 
maintain  them,  tread  American  soil,  and  the  grand  sisterhood  of 
States  extends  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  Canadian  border, 
and  from  the  rocky  coast  of  the  Atlantic  to  the  golden  shores  of 
the  Pacific. 

THE  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE  AND  FARM. 

Ames,  Stori/  County. 

The  Iowa  State  Agricultural  College  and  Farm  were  established 
by  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  approved  March  22d,  1858. 
A  Board  of  Trustees  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Governor  R.  P. 
Lowe,  John  D.  Wright,  William  Duane  Wilson,  M.  W.  Robinson. 
Timothy  Day,  Richard  Gaines,  John  Pattee,  G.  W.  F.  Sherwin, 
Suel  Foster,  S.  W.  Henderson,  Clement  Coffin,  and  E.  G.  Day;  the 
Governor  of  the  State  and  President  of  the  College  being  ex-officio 
members.  Subsequently  the  number  of  Trustees  was  reduced  to 
five.  The  Board  met  in  June,  ISoO,  and  received  propositions  for 
the  location  of  the  College  and  Farm  from  Hardin,  Polk,  Story  and 
Boone,  Marshall,  Jefferson  and  Tama  counties.  In  July,  the 
proposition  of  Story  County  and  some  of  its  citizens  and  by  the 


HISTORY    OF   IOWA.  67 

citizens  of  Boone  Couuty  was  accepted,  and  the  farm  and  the 
site  for  the  buildings  were  located.  In  1860-61,  the  farm  house 
and  barn  were  erected.  In  1862  Congress  granted  to  the  State 
240,000  acres  of  land  for  the  endowment  of  schools  of  agriculture 
and  the  mechanical  arts,  and  195,000  acres  were  located  by  Peter 
Melendy,  Commissioner,  in  1862-63,  In  1864  the  General  As- 
sembly appropriated  $20,000  for  the  erection  of  the  college  build- 

In  June  of  that  year  the  Building  Committee  proceeded  to  let 
the  contract.  The  $20,000  appropriated  by  the  General  Assembly 
were  expended  in  putting  in  the  foundations  and  makinsc  the 
brick  for  the  structure.  An  additional  appropriation  of  $91,000 
was  made  in  1866,  and  the  building  was  completed  in  1868. 

Tuition  in  this  college  is  made  by  law  forever  free  to  pupils 
from  the  State  over  sixteen  years  of  age,  who  have  been  resident 
of  the  State  six  months  previuous  to  their  admission.  Each  county 
in  the  State  has  a  previous  right  of  tuition  for  three  scholars  from 
each  county;  the  remainder,  equal  to  the  capacity  of  the  college, 
are  by  the  trustees  distributed  among  the  counties  in  proportion 
to  the  population,  and  subject  to  the  above  rule.  All  sale  of  ar- 
dent spirits,  wine  or  beer,  is  prohibited  by  law  within  a  distance 
of  three  miles  from  the  college,  except  for  sacramental,  mechani- 
cal or  medical  purposes. 

The  course  of  instruction  in  the  Agricultural  College  embraces 
the  following  branches:  Natural  Philosophy,  Chemistry,  Botany, 
Horticulture,  Fruit  Growing,  Forestry,  Animal  and  Vegetable 
Anatomy,  Geology,  Mineralogy,  Meteorology,  Entomology, 
Zoology,  the  Veterinary  Art,  Plain  Mensuration,  Leveling,  Sur- 
veying, Bookkeeping,  and  such  Mechanical  Arts  as  are  directly 
connected  with  agriculture;  also  such  other  studies  as  the  Trus- 
tees may,  from  time  to  time,  prescribe,  not  inconsistent  with  the 
purposes  of  the  institution.  The  funds  arising  from  the  lease  and 
sale  of  lands,  and  interest  on  investments,  are  sufficient  for  the 
support  of  the  institution. 

The  Board  of  Trustees,  in  1881.  was  composed  of  Charles  W. 
Tenney,  Plymouth;  George  H.  Wright,  Sioux  City;  Henry  G. 
Little,  Grinnell;  William  McClintock,  West  Union;  John  N. 
Dixon,  Oskaloosa.  A.  S.  Welch,  President  of  the  Faculty,  W.  D. 
Lucas,  Treasurer;  E.  W.  Stanton,  Secretary. 

The  Trustees  are  elected  by  the  General  Assembly,  in  joint 
convention,  for  four  years,  three  being  elected  at  one  session  and 
two  the  next. 

THE  STATE  UNIVERSITY. 

loiva  City,  Johnson  Comity. 

In  the  famous  Ordinance  of  1787,  enacted  by  Congress  before 
the  Territory  of  the  United  States  extended  beyond  the  Missis- 
sippi River,  it  was  declared  that  in  all  the  territory  northwest  of 


68  HISTOIiY   OF   IOWA. 

the  Ohio  River,  "Schools  and  the  means  of  education  shall  for- 
ever be  encouraged,"  By  act  of  Congress,  approved  July  20, 1840, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  was  authorized  "to  set  apart  and  re- 
serve from  sale,  out  of  any  of  the  public  lands  within  the  Terri- 
tory of  Iowa,  to  which  the  Indian  title  has  been  or  may  be  ex- 
tinguished, and  not  otherwise  appropriated,  a  quantity  of  land,  not 
exceeding  the  entire  townships,  for  the  use  and  support  of  a  uni- 
versity within  said  Territory  when  it  becomes  a  State,  and  for  no 
other  use  or  purpose  whateverr;  to  be  located  in  tracts  of  not  less 
than  an  entire  section,  corresponding  with  any  of  the  large  divis- 
ions into  which  the  public  lands  are  authorized  to  be  surveyed." 

William  W.  Dodge,  of  Scott  County,  was  appointed  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  make  the  selections.  He  selected 
Section  5,  in  Township  78,  north  of  Range  3,  east  of  the  Fifth 
Principal  Meridian,  and  then  removed  from  the  Territory.  No 
more  land  were  selected  until  1846,  when,  at  the  request  of  the 
Assembly,  John  M.  Whitaker,  of  Van  Buren  County,  was  ap- 
pointed, who  selected  the  remainder  of  the  grant  except  about  122 
acres. 

In  the  first  Constitution,  under  which  Iowa  was  admitted  to  the 
Union,  the  people  directed  the  disposition  of  the  proceeds  of  this 
munificent  grant  in  accordance  with  its  terms,  and  instructed  the 
General  Assembly  to  provide,  as  soon  as  may  be,  effectual  means 
for  the  improvement  and  permanent  security  of  the  funds  of  the 
University  derived  from  the  lands. 

The  first  General  Assembly,  by  act  approved  February  25,  1847, 
established  the  "State  University  of  Iowa"  at  lowa'City,  then 
the  Capital  of  the  State,  "with  such  other  branches  as  public  con- 
venience may  hereafter  require."  The  "public  buildings  at  Iowa 
City,  together  with  the  ten  acres  of  land  in  which  they  are  sit- 
uated, were  granted  for  the  use  of  said  University,  j^ror/fW.  how- 
ever, that  the  sessions  of  the  Legislature  and  State  offices  should 
be  held  in  the  capitol  until  otherwise  provided  by  law.  The  con- 
trol and  management  of  the  University  were  committed  to  a 
Board  of  fifteen  Trustees,  to  be  appointed  by  the  Legislature,  five 
of  whom  were  to  be  chosen  biennially.  The  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction  was  made  president  of  this  Board.  Provisions 
were  made  for  the  disposal  of  the  two  townships  of  land,  and  for 
the  investment  of  the  funds  arising  therefrom.  The  act  further 
provides  that  the  University  shall  never  be  under  the  exclusive 
control  of  any  religious  denomination  whatever,  and  as  soon  as 
the  revenue  for  the  grant  and  donations  amounts  to  $2,000  a  year, 
the  University  should  commence  and  continue  the  instruction, 
free  of  charge,  of  fifty  students  annually.  The  General  Assem- 
bly retained  full  supervision  over  the  Universiy,  it  officers  and 
the  grants  and  donations  made  and  to  be  made  to  it  by  the  State. 

The  organization  of  the  University  at  Iowa  City  was  impractica- 
ble, however,  so  long  as  the  seat  of  government  was  retained  there. 


HISTORY    OF   IOWA.  69 

In  January,  1849,  two  branches  of  the  University  and  three 
Normal  Schools  were  established.  The  branches  were  located — • 
one  at  Fairfield,  and  the  other  at  Dubuque,  and  were  placed  upon 
an  equal  footing,  in  respect  to  funds  and  all  other  matters,  with 
the  University  established  at  Iowa  City.  "This  act,"  says  Col. 
Benton,  "created  three  State  Universities,  with  equal  rights  and 
powers,  instead  of  a  'University  with  such  branches  as  public  con- 
venience may  hereafter  de?nand^^  as  provided  by  the  Constitu- 
tion." 

The  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Fairfield  Branch  consisted  of 
Barnet  Ristine,  Christian  W.  Slagle,  Daniel  Rider,  Horace  Gay- 
lord,  Bernhart  Henn  and  Samuel  S.  Bayard.  At  the  first  meeting 
of  the  Board  Mr.  Henn  was  elected  President,  Mr.  Slagle  Secre- 
tary, and  Mr.  Gaylord  Treasurer.  Twenty  acres  of  land  were 
purchased,  and  a  building  erected  thereon,  costing  $2,500.  This 
building  was  nearly  destroyed  by  a  hurricane,  in  1850,  but  was  re- 
built more  substantially,  all  by  contributions  of  the  citizens  of 
Fairfield.  This  branch  never  received  any  aid  from  the  State  or 
from  the  University  Fund,  and  by  act  approved  January  24,  1853, 
at  the  request  of  the  Board,  the  General  Assembly  terminated  its 
relation  to  the  State. 

The  branch  at  Dubuque  was  placed  under  the  control  of  the 
Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction.  The  Trustees  never  or- 
ganized, and  its  existence  was  only  nominal. 

The  Normal  Schools  were  located  at  Andrew,  Oskaloosa  and 
Mount  Pleasant,  respectively.  Each  was  to  be  governed  by  a  board 
of  seven  Trustees,  to  be  appointed  by  the  Trustees  of  the  Univer- 
sity. Each  was  to  receive  $500  annually  from  the  income  of  the 
University  fund,  upon  condition  that  they  should  educate  eight 
common  school  teachers,  free  of  charge  for  tuition,  and  that  the 
citizens  should  contribute  an  equal  sum  for  the  erection  of  the 
requisite  buildings.  The  several  Boards  of  Trustees  were  appointed. 
At  Andrew,  the  school  was  organized  November  21,  1849.  A 
building  was  commenced  and  over  $1,000  expended  on  it,  but  it 
was  never  completed.  At  Oskaloosa,  the  Trustees  organized  in 
April,  1852.  This  school  was  opened  in  the  Court  House,  Septem- 
ber 13,  1852.  A  two-story  brick  building  was  completed  in  1853, 
costing  $2,473.  The  school  at  Mount  Pleasant  was  never  organ- 
ized. Neither  of  these  schools  received  any  aid  from  the  Univer- 
sity fund,  but  in  1857  the  Legislature  appropriated  $1,000  each 
for  those  at  Oskaloosa  and  Andrew,  and  repealed  the  law  author- 
izing the  payment  of  money  to  them  from  the  University  fund. 
From  that  time  they  made  no  further  effort  to  continue  in  opera- 
tion. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  held  February 
21,  1850,  the  ''College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  the  Upper 
Mississippi,"  established  at  Davenport,  was  recognized  as  the  "Col- 
lege of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  the  State  University  of  Iowa," 


70  HISTORY   OF   IOWA. 

expressly  stipulating,  however,  that  such  recognition  should  not 
render  the  University  liable  for  any  pecuniary  aid,  nor  was  the 
Board  to  have  any  control  over  the  property  or  management. of 
the  Medical  Association.  Soon  after,  this  College  was  removed  to 
Keokuk,  its  second  session  being  opened  there  in  November,  1850. 
In  1851,  the  General  Assembly  confirmed  the  action  of  the  Board, 
and  by  act  approved  January  22,  1855,  placed  the  Medical  College 
under  the  supervision  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  University, 
and  it  continued  in  operation  until  this  arrangement  was  termi- 
nated by  the  new  Constitution,  September  3,  1857. 

From  1847  to  1855,  the  Board  of  Trustees  was  kept  full  by 
regular  elections  by  the  Legislature,  and  the  Trustees  held  fre- 
quent meetings,  but  there  wfis  no  effectual  organization  of  the 
University.  In  March,  1855,  it  was  partially  opened  for  a  term 
of  sixteen  weeks.  July  16,  1855,  Amos  Dean,  of  Albany,  N.  Y., 
wjis  elected  President,  but  he  never  entered  fully  upon  its  duties. 
The  University  was  again  opened  in  September,  lc55,  and  con- 
tinued in  operation  until  June,  1856,  under  Professors  Johnson, 
Welton,  Van  Valkenburg  and  Guffin. 

In  the  Spring  of  1856  the  capital  of  the  State  was  located  at 
Des  Moines;  but  there  were  no  buildings  there,  and  the  capitol  at 
Iowa  City  was  not  vacated  by  the  State  until  December,  1857. 

In  June.  1856,  the  faculty  was  re-organized,  with  some  changes, 
and  the  University  was  again  opened  on  the  third  Wednesday  of 
September,  1856.  There  were  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  stu- 
dents— eighty-three  males  and  forty-one  females  in  attendance 
during  the  year  1856-7,  and  the  first  regular  catalogue  was  pub- 
lished. 

Article  IX,  Section  11,  of  the  new  State  Constitution,  which 
went  into  force  Sept.  3,  1857,  provided  as  follows: 

The  State  University  shall  be  established  at  one  place,  without  branches  at 
any  other  place;  and  the  University  fund  shall  be  applied  to  that  institution, 
and  no  other. 

Article  XI,  Section  8,  provided  that 

The  seat  of  government  is  hereby  permanently  established,  as  now  fixed  by 
law,  at  the  city  of  Des  Moines,  in  the  county  of  Polk;  and  the  State  University 
at  Iowa  City,  in  the  county  of  Johnson. 

The  new  Constitution  created  the  Board  of  Education,  consist- 
ing of  the  Lieutenant-Governor,  who  was  ex-officio  President,  and 
one  member  to  be  elected  from  each  judicial  district  in  the  State. 
This  Board  was  endowed  with  "full  power  and  authority  to  legis- 
late and  make  all  needful  rules  and  regulations  in  relation  to  com- 
mon schools  and  other  educational  institutions,"  subject  to  altera- 
tion, amendment  or  repeal  by  the  General  Assembly,  which  was 
vested  with  authority  to  abolish  or  re-organize  the  Board  at  any 
time  after  1863. 

In  December,  1857,  the  old  capitol  building,  now  known  as 
Central  Hall  of  the  University,  except  the  rooms  occupied  by  the 
United  States  District  Court,   and   the  property,  with  that  excep- 


HISTORY   OP    IOWA.  71 

tion,  passed  under  the  control  of  the  Trustees,  and  became  the 
seat  of  the  University.  The  old  building  had  had  hard  usage,  and 
its  arrangement  was  illy  adapted  for  University  purposes.  Exten- 
sive repairs  and  changes  were  necessary,  but  the  Board  was  with- 
out funds  for  these  purposes. 

The  last  meeting  of  the  Board,  under  the  old  law,  was  held  in 
January,  1858.  At  this  meeting  a  resolution  was  introduced,  and 
seriously  considered,  to  exclude  females  from  the  University;  but 
it  finally  failed. 

March  12,  1858,  the  first  Legislature  under  the  new  Constitution 
enacted  a  new  law  in  relation  to  the  University,  but  it  was  not 
materially  diff"erent  from  the  former.  March  11,  1858,  the  Legis- 
lature appropriated  $3,000  for  the  repair  and  modification  of  the 
old  capitol  building,  and  110.000  for  the  erection  of  a  boarding 
house,  now  known  as  South  Hall. 

The  Board  of  Trustees  created  by  the  new  law  met  and  duly  or- 
ganized April  27,  1858,  and  determined  to  close  the  University 
until  the  income  from  its  funds  should  be  adequate  to  meet  the 
current  expenses,  and  the  buildings  should  be  ready  for  occupa- 
tion. Until  this  term,  the  building  known  as  the  "Mechanics' 
Academy"  had  been  used  for  the  school.  The  Faculty,  except  the 
Chancellor  (Dean),  was  dismissed,  and  all  further  instruction  sus- 
pended, from  the  close  of  the  term  then  in  progress  until  Sep- 
tember, 1859.  At  this  meeting,  a  resolution  was  adopted  ex- 
cluding females  from  the  University  after  the  close  of  the  existing 
term;  but  this  was  afterward,  in  August,  modified,  so  as  to  admit 
them  to  the  Normal  Department. 

An  ''Act  for  the  Government  and  Regulation  of  the  State  Uni- 
versity of  Iowa,"  approved  December  25,  1858,  was  mainly  a  re- 
enactment  of  the  law  of  March  12,  1858,  except  that  changes  were 
made  in  the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  manner  of  their  appointment. 
This  law  provided  that  both  sexes  were  to  be  admitted  on  equal 
terms  to  all  departments  of  the  institution,  leaving  the  Board  no 
discretion  in  the  matter. 

At  the  annual  meeting  June  28,  1860,  a  full  Faculty  was  ap- 
pointed, and  the  University  re-opened,  under  this  new  organiza- 
tion, September  19, 1860  (third  Wednesday);  and  at  this  date  the 
actual  existence  of  the  University  may  be  said  to  commence. 

August  19, 1862,  Dr.  Totten  having  resigned,  Prof.  Oliver  M. 
Spencer  was  elected  President  and  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Laws  was  conferred  upon  Judge  Samuel  F.  Miller,  of  Keokuk. 

At  the  commencement,  in  June,  1863,  was  the  first  class  of 
graduates  in  the  Collegiate  Department. 

The  Board  of  Education  was  abolished  March  19,  1864  and  the 
ofiice  of  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  was  restored;  the 
General  Assembly  resumed  control  of  the  subject  of  education, 
and  on  March  21  an  act  was  approved  for  the  government  of  the 
University.     It  was  substantially  the  same  as  the  former  law,  but 


2  HISTORY   OF   IOWA. 


<Z 


provided  that  the  Governor  should  be  ex-offieio  President  o£  the 
Board  of  Trustees.  Until  1858,  the  Superintendent  of  Public 
Instruction  had  been  ex-otKcio  President.  During  the  period  of 
the  Board  of  Education,  the  University  trustees  were  elected  by 
it,  and  elected  their  own  President. 

The  North  Hall  was  completed  late  in  1866. 

The  Law  Department  was  established  in  June,  1868,  and  in  Sep- 
tember following  an  arrangement  was  perfected  with  the  Iowa 
Law  School,  at  Des  Moines,  which  had  been  in  successful  opera- 
tion for  three  years,  by  which  that  institution  was  transferred  to 
Iowa  City  and  merged  in  the  Law  Department  of  the  University. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Jioard,  on  the  17th  of  September, 
1868,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  consider  the  expediency  of 
establishing  a  Medical  Department.  The  committee  reported  at 
once  in  favor  of  the  proposition,  the  Faculty  to  consist  of  the 
['resident  of  the  University  and  seven  Professors,  and  recom- 
mended that,  if  practicable,  the  new  department  should  be  opened 
at  the  commencement  of  the  University  year,  in  1860-70. 

By  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  approved  April  11,  1870, 
the  ''lioard  of  Begents"  was  instituted  as  the  governing  power  of 
the  University,  and  since  that  time  it  has  been  the  fundamental 
law  of  the  institution.  The  Board  of  Regents  held  its  first  meet- 
ing June  28,  1870. 

The  South  Hall,  having  been  fitted  up  for  the  purpose,  the  first 
term  of  the  Medical  Department  was  opened  October  24,  1870,  and 
continued  until  March,  1871. 

In  June  18T'l:,  the  "Chair  of  ]\lilitary  Instruction"  Avas  estab- 
lished, and  the  President  of  the  United  States  was  requested  to 
detail  an  ofiicer  to  perform  its  duties.  At  the  annual  meeting,  in 
1876,  a  LH'partment  of  Homwpathy  was  established.  In  March, 
1877  a  resolution  was  adopted  affiliating  the  High  Schools  of  the 
State  with  the  University. 

In  1872,  the  ex-officio  membership  of  the  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction  was  abolished,  but  it  was  restcred  in  1876. 

The  Board  of  Regents,  in  1881,  was  composed  as  follows: 
JohnH.  Gear,  Governor,  cx-of/icio.  President;  Carl  W.  VonCoelln, 
Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  ex-officio;  J.  L.  Picard, 
President  of  the  University,  ex-officio.  C.  W.  Slagle,  Fairfield, 
First  District;  D.  N.  Richardson,  Davenport.  Second  District;  H. 
C.  Bulis,  Decorah,  Third  District;  A.  T,  Reeve,  Hampton,  Fourth 
District;  J.  N.  W.  Rumple,  Marengo,  Fifth  District;  W.  0. 
Crosby,  Centerville,  Sixth  District;  T.  S.  Parr,  Indianola,  Seventh 
District;  Horace  Everett,  Council  Bluffs,  Eighth  District;  J.  F. 
Duncombe,  Fort  Dodge,  Ninth  District.  John  N.  Coldren,  Iowa 
City,  Treasurer;  W.  J.  Haddock,  Iowa  City,  Secretary. 

The  Regents  are  elected  by  the  General  Assembly,  in  Joint 
Convention,  for  six  years,  one-third  being  elected  at  each  regular 
session,  one  member  to  be  chosen  from  each  Congressional  District. 


Ifl.STOKY    OF    IOWA.  78 

Tho  presf^nfc  educational  corpH  of  the  University  consists  of  the 
iVesident,  nine  Professors  in  the  Collef^iate  Department,  one  Pro- 
fessor and  six  Instructors  in  Military  Scifnce;  Chancellor,  three 
Professors  and  four  Lecturers  in  tlie  Law  JJepartnient;  f'JLcht  Prf>- 
fessor  demonstrators  of  Anatomy;  Prosector  of  Surgery  and  two 
Lecturers  in  the  Medical  Department,  and  two  Professors  in  the 
Homo-patliic  Medical   J)epartnient. 

STATE  inSTOKICAL  SOCIETY. 

l?y  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  approved  January  28,  1857,  a 
State  Historical  Society  was  provided  for  in  connection  with  the 
University.  At  the  commenc(;nje.it,  an  appropriation  of  $250 
was  made,  to  be  expended  in  collectinj^,  ernbodyinj^  and  preserving 
in  an  authentic  form,  a  library  of  books,  pamphlets,  charts,  maps, 
manuscrif)ts,  papers,  paintinf^,  statuary,  and  other  materials  illus- 
trative of  the  history  of  Iowa;  and  with  th(;  further  object  to  res- 
cue from  oblivion  the  memory  of  the  early  pioneers;  to  obtain  and 
preserve  various  accounts  of  their  exploits,  perils  and  hardy  wl- 
ventures;  to  secure  facts  and  statements  relative  to  the  history 
and  genius,  and  progress  and  decay  of  the  Indian  tribes  of  Iowa, 
to  exhibit  faithfully  the  antiquities  and  past  and  present  re- 
sources of  the  State;  to  aid  in  the  publication  of  such  collections 
of  the  society  as  shall,  from  time  to  time,  be  deemed  of  value  and 
interest;  to  aid  in  binding  its  books,  pamphlets,  manuscripts  and 
papers,  and  in  defraying  other  necessary  incidental  expenses  of 
the  Society. 

There  was  appropriated  by  law  to  this  institution,  till  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  shall  otherwise  direct,  the  sum  of  §500  per  annum. 
The  Society  is  under  the  management  of  a  Board  of  Curators, 
consisting  of  eighteen  persons,  nine  of  whom  are  appointed  by  the 
Governor,  and  nine  elected  by  the  members  of  the  Society.  Thf 
Curators  receive  rio  compensation  for  their  services.  The  annual 
mfMiting  is  provided  for  by  law,  to  be  held  at  Iowa  City  on  Mon- 
day preceding  the  last  Wednesday  in  June  of  each  year. 

The  State  Historical  Society  has  published  a  series  of  very  valu- 
able collections,  including  history,  biography,  sketches,  remi- 
niscences, etc.,  with  quite  a  large  number  of  finely  engraved  por- 
traits of  prominent  and  early  settlers,  under  the  title  of  ''Annals 
of  Iowa.' 

Till-:  PHXlTEXTIAPtY. 
Located  at  Fort  Madison^  Lee  County. 

The  first  act  of  the  Territorial  Legislature,  relating  to  a  Peni- 
tentiary in  Iowa,  was  appro\ed  January  25,1830,  the  fifth  section 
of  which  authorized  the  Governor  to  draw  the  sum  of  $20,000 
appropriated  by  an  act  of  Congress  a[)proved  July  7,  1838,  for 
public  buildings  in    thf   I'erritory  of   Iowa.      It    jrovided    for   a 

5 


74  HISTORY   OF  IOWA, 

Board  of  Directors  of  three  persons  elected  by  the  Legi.-slature, 
who  should  direct  the  building  of  the  Penitentiary,  which  should 
be  located  within  one  mile  of  the  public  square,  in  the  town  of 
Fort  Madison,  Lee  County,  provided  Fort  Madison  should  deed  to 
the  Directors  a  tract  of  land  suitable  for  a  site,  and  assign  theni, 
by  contract,  a  spring  or  stream  of  water  for  the  use  of  the  Peni- 
tentiary. To  the  Directors  was  also  given  the  power  of  appoint- 
ing the  Warden;  the  latter  to  appoint  his  own  assistants. 

The  first  Directors  appointed  were  John  S.  David  and  John 
Claypole.  They  made  their  first  report  to  the  Legislative  Council 
November  9,  1839.  The  citizens  of  the  town  of  Fort  Madison 
had  executed  a  deed  conveying  ten  acres  of  land  for  the  building 
site.  Amos  Ladd  was  appointed  Superintendent  of  the  building 
June  5,  1839.  The  building  was  designed  of  sufficient  capacity 
to  contain  one  hundred  and  thirty-eight  convicts,  and  estimated  to 
cost  155,933.90.  It  was  begun  on  the  9th  of  July,  1839;  the 
main  building  and  Warden's  house  were  completed  in  the  fall  of 
1841.  Other  additions  were  made  from  time  to  time  till  the  build- 
ing and  arrangements  were  all  complete  according  to  the  plan  of 
the  Directors.  It  has  answered  the  purpose  of  the  State  as  a 
Penitentiary  for  more  than  thirty  years,  and  during  that  period 
many  items  of  practical  experience  in  prison  management  have 
been  gained. 

ADDITIONAL  PENITENTIARY. 

Located  at  Anamosa,  Jones  County. 

By  an  Act  of  the  Fourteenth  General  Assembly,  approved  April 

23,  1872,  William  Ure,  Foster  L.  Downing  and  Martin  Heisey 
were  constituted  Commissioners  to  locate  and  provide  for  the  erec- 
tion and  control  of  an  additional  Penitentiary  for  the  State  of 
Iowa.  These  Commissioners  met  on  the  4th  of  the  following 
June,  at  Anamosa,  Jones  County,  and  selected  a  site  donated  by 
the  citizens,  within  the  limits  of  the  city.  L.  W.  Foster  &  Co., 
architects,  of  Des  Moines,  furnished  the  plan,  drawings  and 
specifications,  and  work  was  commenced  on  the  building  on  the 
28th  day  of  September,  1872.  May  13,  1873,  twenty  convicts 
were  transferred  to  Anamosa  from  the  Fort  Madison  Peniten- 
tiary. The  entire  enclosure  includes  fifteen  acres,  with  a  frontage 
of  t)63  feet. 

IOWA  HOSTITAL  FOR  THE  INSANE. 

Mount  Pleasant^  Henry  County. 

By  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly  of  Iowa,  approved  January 

24,  1855,  $4,425  were  appropriated  for  the  purchase  of  a  site,  and 
$50,000  for  building  an  Insane  Hospital,  and  the  Governor 
(Grimes),  Edward  Johnston,  of  Lee  County,  and  Charles  S.  Blake, 
of  Henry  County,  were  appointed  to  locate  the  institution  and 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.  75 

superintend  the  erection  of  the  building.  These  Commissioners 
located  the  institution  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  Henr_y  County.  A  plan 
for  a  building  designed  to  accomraodate  300  patients  was  accepted, 
and  in  October  work  was  commenced.  Up  to  February  25, 1858,  and 
including  an  appropriation  made  on  that  date,  the  Legislature 
had  appropriated  $258,555.67  to  this  institution,  but  the 
building  was  not  finished  ready  for  occupancy  by  patients  until 
March  1,  18G1.  April  18,  187G,  a  portion  of  the  hospital  build- 
ing was  destroyed  by  fire. 

Trustees,  i88;;— Timothy  Whiting,  Mount  Pleasant;  J.  II. 
Kulp,  Davenport;  Denison  A.  Hurst,  Oskaloosa;  John  Conaway, 
Brooklyn;  L.  E.  Fellows,  Lansing.  Mark  Ranney,  M.  D.,  Mt. 
Pleasant,  is  the  Medical  Superintendent;  C.  V.  Arnold,  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, Treasurer. 

HOSPITAL  FOR  THE  INSANE. 

Independence,  Buchanan  Countij. 

In  the  winter  of  18G7-8  a  bill  providing  for  an  additional  Hos- 
pital for  the  insane  was  passed  by  the  Legislature,  and  an  appro- 
priation of  $125,000  was  made  for  that  purpose.  Maturin  L. 
Fisher,  of  Clayton  County;  E.  G.  Morgan,  of  Webster  County,  and 
Albert  Clark,  of  Buchanan  County,  were  appointed  Commissioners 
to  locate  and  supervise  the  erection  of  the  building. 

The  Commissioners  met  and  commenced  their  labors  on  the  8th 
day  of  June,  1868,  at  Independence.  The  act  under  which  they 
were  appointed  required  them  to  select  the  most  eligible  and  de- 
sirable location,  of  not  less  than  320  acres,  within  two  miles  of 
the  City  of  Independence,  that  might  be  offered  by  the  citizens 
free  of  charge  to  the  State.  Several  such  tracts  were  offered,  but 
the  Commissioners  finally  selected  the  south  half  of  southwest 
quarter  of  Section  5;  the  north  half  of  northeast  quarter  of  Sec- 
tion 7;  the  north  half  of  northwest  quarter  of  Section  8,  and  the 
north  half  of  northeast  quarter  of  Section  8,  all  in  Township  88 
north.  Range  9  west  of  the  Fifth  Principal  Meridian.  This  loca- 
tion is  on  the  west  side  of  the  Wapsipinicon  River,  and  about  a 
mile  from  its  banks,  and  about  the  same  distance  from  Independ- 
ence. 

The  contract  for  erecting  the  building  was  awarded  for  $88,114. 
The  contract  was  signed  November  7,  1868,  and  work  was  at  once 
commenced.  The  main  buildings  were  constructed  of  dressed 
limestone,  from  the  quarries  at  Anamosa  and  Farley.  The  base- 
ments are  of  the  local  granite  worked  from  the  immense  boulders 
found  in  large  quantities  in  this  portion  of  the  State. 

In  1872  the  building  was  so  far  completed  that  the  Commis- 
sioners called  the  first  meeting  of  the  Trustees,  on  the  10th  day 
of  July  of  that  year.  The  building  was  ready  for  occupancy 
April  21,  1873. 


76  HISTOKY    OF    IOWA. 

In  1877,  the  south  wiug  was  built,  but  was  not  completed  reiidjr 
for  occupancy  until  the  ^Spring  or  Summer  of  1878. 

Trustees,  1881:— Erastus  G.  Morgan,  Fort  Dodge,  President; 
Jed.  Lake,  Independence;  Mrs.  Jennie  C.  McKinney,  Decorah; 
Lewis  H.  Smith,  Algona;  David  Hammer,  McGregor;  A.  Rey- 
nolds, M.  D.,  Independence,  Medical  Superintendent;  W,  G.  Don- 
nar,  Independence,  Treasurer. 

IOWA  COLLEGE  FOU  THF^  BLIND. 

Vinton,  Benton  County. 

In  August,  1852,  Prof.  Samuel  Bacon,  himself  blind,  established 
an  Institution  for  the  instruction 'of  the  blind  of  Iowa,  at  Keokuk. 

By  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  entitled  "An  act  to  establish 
an  Asylum  for  the  Blind,''  approved  January  18,  1853,  the  institu- 
tion was  adopted  by  the  State,  removed  to  Iowa  City,  February 
3d,  and  opened  for  the  reception  of  pupils  April  4,  1853,  free  to 
all  the  blind  in  the  State. 

The  Board  of  Trustees  appointed  Prof.  Samuel  Bacon,  Princi- 
pal; T.  J.  McGitiigen,  Teacher  of  Music,  and  Mrs.  Sarah  K. 
Bacon,  Matron.  Twenty-three  pupils  were  admitted  during  the 
first  term. 

In  his  first  report,  made  in  1854,  Prof.  Bacon  suggested  that  the 
name  should  be  changed  from  "Asylum  for  the  Blind,"  to  that 
of  "Institution  for  the  Instruction  of  the  Blind."  This  was  done 
in  1855,  when  the  General  Assembly  made  an  annual  appropria- 
tion for  the  College  of  $55  per  quarter  for  each  pupil.  This  was 
subsequently  changed  to  $3,000  per  annum,  and  a  charge  of  |25 
as  an  admission  fee  for  each  pupil,  which  sum,  with  the  amounts 
realized  from  the  sale  of  articles  manufactured  by  the  blind  pupils, 
proved  sufficient  for  the  expenses  of  the  institution  during  Mr. 
Bacon's  administration. 

On  the  8th  of  May,  1858,  the  Trustees  met  at  Vinton,  and  made 
arrangements  for  securing  the  donation  of  $5,000  made  by  the 
citizens  of  that  town. 

In  June  of  that  year  a  quarter  section  of  land  was  donated 
for  the  College,  by  John  W.  0.  Webb  and  others,  and  the  Trustees 
adopted  a  plan  for  the  erection  of  a  suitable  building.  In  1860  the 
plan  was  modified,  and  the  contract  for  enclosing  let  for  $10,420. 

In  August,  1862,  the  building  was  so  far  completed  that  the 
goods  and  furniture  of  the  institution  were  removed  from  Iowa  City 
to  Vinton,  and  early  in  October  the  School  was  opened  there  with 
twenty-four  pupils. 

Trustees,  1881:— Clinton  0.  Harrington,  Vinton;  S.  H.  Wat- 
son, Vinton, Treasurer;  J.  F.  White,  Sidney;  M.  H.  Westerbrook, 
Lyons;  W.  II.  Leavitt,  Waterloo;  Jacob  Springer,  Watkius; 
Rev.  Robert  Carothers,  Principal  of  the  Institution  and  Secretary 
of  the  Board. 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.  77 

INSTITUTION  FOR  THE  DEAF  AND  DUMB. 

Council  Bluffs^  Pottawattamie  Counti/. 

The  Iowa  Institution  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  was  established 
at  Iowa  City  by  an  aet  of  the  General  Assembly,  approved  Jan- 
uary 21,  1855.  The  number  of  deaf  mutes  then  in  the  State  was 
301;  the  number  attending  the  Institution,  50. 

A  strong  effort  was  made,  in  1866,  to  remove  this  important  in- 
stitution to  Des  Moines,  but  it  Avas  located  permanently  at  Council 
Bluffs,  and  a  building  rented  for  its  use.  In  1868,  Commissioners 
were  appointed  to  locate  a  site  for,  and  to  superintend  the  erection 
of  a  new  building,  lor  which  the  Legislature  appropriated  ^125,- 
000  to  commence  the  work  of  construction.  The  Commissioners 
selected  ninety  acres  of  land  about  two  miles  south  of  the  city  of 
Council  Bluffs.  The  main  building  and  one  wing  were  completed 
October  1,  1870,  and  immediately  occupied  by  the  Institution. 
February  25,  1877,  the  main  building  and  east  wing  were  de- 
stroyed by  fire;  and  August  Gth,  following,  the  roof  of  the  new 
west  wing  was  blown  off  and  the  walls  partially  demolished  by  a 
tornado.  At  the  time  of  the  lire  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
pupils  were  in  attendance.  After  the  (ire,  half  the  classes  were 
dismissed  and  the  number  of  scholars  reduced  to  about  seventy, 
and  in  a  week  or  two  the  school  was  in  running  order. 

Trustees,  1881: — B.  F.  Clayton,  Macedonia,  President;  J.  H.  Stu- 
benrauch,  Pella,  Treasurer;  Louis  Weinstein,  Burlington.  Rev. 
A.  Rogers,  Superintendent. 

SOLDIERS'  ORPHANS'  HOMES. 

Davenport,  Cedar  Falls,  (Jknwood. 

The  movement  which  culminated  in  the  establishment  of  this 
beniticent  institution  was  originated  by  Mrs.  Annie  Wittenmeyer, 
during  the  civil  war  of  1861-65.  'Fhis  noble  and  patriotic  lady 
called  a  convention  at  Muscatine,  on  the  7th  day  of  October,  1863, 
for  the  purpose  of  devising  measures  for  the  support  and  educa- 
tion of  the  orphan  children  of  the  brave  sons  of  Iowa,  who  had 
fallen  in  defense  of  national  honor  and  integrity.  So  great  was 
the  public  interest  in  the  movement  that  there  was  a  large  repre- 
sentation from  all  parts  of  the  State  on  the  day  named,  and  an 
association  was  organized  called  the  Iowa  State  Orphan  Asylum. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  Trustees  was  held  February  14,  1864, 
in  the  Representative  Hall,  at  Des  Moines.  Committees  from  both 
branches  of  the  General  Assembly  were  present  and  were  invited 
to  participate  in  their  deliberations.  Arrangements  Avere  made 
for  raising  funds. 

At  the  next  meeting,  in  Davenport,  in  March  1864,  the  Trus- 
tees decided  to  commence  operations  at  once,  and  a  committee  was 


78  HISTORY    OF    IOWA. 

appointed  to  lease  a  suitable  building,  solicit  donations,  and  pro- 
cure -suitable  furniture.  The  committee  secured  a  large  brick 
building  in  Lawrence,  Van  Buren  County,  and  engaged  Mr.  Ful- 
ler, of  Mt.  Pleasant,  as  Steward. 

At  the  annual  meeting,  in  Des  Moines,  in  June,  ISGi,  Mrs.  C. 
B.  Baldwin,  Mrs.  G.  G.  Wright,  Mrs.  Dr.  Horton,  Miss  Mary  E. 
Shelton  and  Mr.  George  Sherman,  were  appointed  a  committee  to 
furnish  the  building  and  take  all  necessary  steps  for  opening  the 
''Home,''  and  notice  was  given  that  at  the  next  meeting  of  the 
Association;  a  motion  would  be  made  to  change  the  name  of  the 
Institution  to  Iowa  Orphans'  Home. 

The  work  of  preparation  was  conducted  so  vigorously  that  on 
the  13th  day  of  July  following,  the  Executive  Committee  an- 
nounced that  they  were  ready  to  receive  the  children.  In  three 
weeks  twenty-one  were  admitted,  and  the  number  constantly  in- 
creased, so  that,  in  a  little  more  than  six  months  from  the  time 
of  opening,  there  were  seventy  children  admitted,  and  twenty 
more  applications,  which  the  Committee  had  not  acted  upon — ^all 
orphans  of  soldiers. 

The  "Home"  was  sustained  by  the  voluntary  contributions  of 
the  people  until  1866,  when  it  was  assumed  by  the  State,  In  that 
year,  the  General  Assembly  provided  for  the  location  of  several 
such  "Homes"  in  the  different  counties,  and  which  were  estab- 
lished at  Davenport,  Scott  County;  Cedar  Falls,  Black  Hawk 
County,  and  at  Glenwood,  Mills  County. 

The  Board  of  Trustees,  elected  by  the  General  Assembly,  had 
the  oversight  and  management  of  the  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Homes  of 
the  State,  ioid  consisted  of  one  person  from  each  county  in  which 
such  Home  was  located,  and  one  for  the  State  at  large,  who  held 
their  offices  two  years,  or  until  their  successors  were  elected  and 
qualified.  An  appropriation  of  ^10  per  month  for  each  orphan 
actually  supported  was  made  by  the  General  Assemby. 

The  Home  in  Cedar  Falls  was  organized  in  1865,  and  an  old 
hotel  building  was  fitted  i![)  for  it.  January,  1866,  there  were 
ninety-six  inmates. 

October  12, 1861),  the  Home  was  removed  to  a  large  brick  build- 
inw,  about  two  miles  west  of  Cedar  Falls,  and  was  very  prosperous 
for  several  years,  but  in  1876,  the  General  Assembly  established  a 
State  Normal  school  at  Cedar  Falls,  and  appropriated  the  build- 
ings aiul  grounds  for  that  purpose. 

By  "An  act  to  provide  for  the  organization  and  support  of  an 
asylum  at  Glenwood,  in  Mills  County  for  feeble-minded  children,'' 
approved  March  17,  1876,  the  buildings  and  grounds  used  by  the 
Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  at  that  place  were  appropriated  for  this 
purpose.  By  another  act,  approved  March  15,  1876,  the  soldiers' 
orphans,  then  at  the  Homes  at  Glenwood  and  Cedar  Falls,  were  to 
be  removed  to  the  Home  at  Davenport  within  ninety  days  there- 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.  79 

jifter,  and  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Home  were  authorized  to 
receive  other  indigent  children  into  that  institution,  and  provide 
for  tlieir  education  in  industrial  pursuits. 

Trustees,  1881:— C.  M.  Holton,  Iowa  City;  Seth  P.  Bryant,  Da- 
venport; C.  C.  Horton,  Muscatine.  S.  W.  Pierce,  Davenport,  Su- 
perintendent. 

STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL. 

Cedar  Falls,  Black  Hawk  County. 

Chapter  129  of  the  laws  of  the  Sixteenth  General  Assembly,  in 
1876,  established  a  State  Normal  School  at  Cedar  Falls,  Black 
Hawk  County,  and  required  the  Trustees  of  the  Soldiers'  Orphans' 
Home  to  turn  over  the  property  in  their  charge  to  the  Directors 
of  the  new  institution. 

The  Board  of  Directors  met  at  Cedar  Falls  June  7,  1876,  and 
duly  organized.  The  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Soldiers'  Orphans' 
Home  met  at  the  same  time  for  the  purpose  of  turning  over  to  the 
Directors  the  property  of  that  institution,  which  was  satisfac- 
torily done  and  properly  receipted  for  as  required  by  law. 

On  the  12th  of  July,  1876,  the  Board  again  met,  when  executive 
and  teachers'  committees  were  appointed  and  their  duties  assigned. 
A  Steward  and  a  Matron  were  elected,  and  their  respective  duties 
defined. 

The  buildings  and  grounds  were  repaired  and  fitted  up  as  well  as 
the  appropriation  would  admit,  and  the  first  term  of  school  opened 
September  6,  1876,  commencing  with  twenty-seven  and  closing 
with  eightv-seven  students. 

Directors,  1881:— C.  C.  Cory,  Pella;  E.  H.  Thayer,  Clinton;  G. 
S.  Robinson,  Storm  Lake;  N.  W.  Boyes,  Dubuque;  L.  D.  Lewel- 
ling,  Mitchellville;  J.  J.  Tollerton,  Cedar  Falls;  E.  Townsend, 
Cedar  Falls,  Treasurer. 

ASYLUM  FOR  FEEBLE-MINDED  CHILDREN. 

Glenwood,  Mills  County. 

Chapter  152  of  the  laws  of  the  Sixteenth  General  Assembly, 
approved  March  17,  1876,  provided  for  the  establishment  of  an 
asylum  for  feeble-minded  children  at  Glenwood,  Mills  County,  and 
the  buildings  and  the  grounds  of  the  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  at 
that  place  were  to  be  used  for  that  purpose.  The  asylum  was 
placed  under  the  management  of  three  Trustees,  one  at  least  of 
whom  should  be  a  resident  of  Mills  County.  Children  between 
the  ages  of  7  and  18  years  are  admitted.  Ten  dollars  per  month 
for  each  child  actually  supported  by  the  State  was  appropriated 
by  the  act,  and  $2,000  for  salaries  of  officers  and  teachers  for  two 
vears. 

Hon.  J.  W.  Cattell,  of  Polk  County;  A.  J.  Russell,  of  Mills 
County,  and  W.  S.  Robertson,  were  appointed  Trustees,  who  held 
their  first  meeting  at  Glenwood,    April  26,   1876.     The  Trustees 


80  HISTORY    OF    lUWA. 

found  the  house  and  farm  which  had  been  turned  over  to  thera  in 
a  shamefully  dilapidated  condition.  The  fences  were  broken 
down  and  the  lumber  destroyed  or  carried  away;  the  windows 
broken,  doors  off  their  hinges,  floors  broken  and  filthy  in  the  ex- 
treme, cellars  reeking  with  offensive  odors  from  decayed  vegeta- 
bles, and  every  conceivable  variety  of  filth  and  garbage;  drains 
obstructed,  cisterns  broken,  pump  demoralized,  wind-mill  broken, 
roof  leaky,  and  the  whole  property  in  the  worst  possible  condi- 
tition.  It  was  the  first  work  of  the  Trustees  to  make  the  house 
tenable. 

The  institution  was  opened  September  1,  1870;  the  first  pupil 
admitted  September  4,  and  the  school  was  organized  September  10. 

Trustees,  1881  :-Fred.  O^Donnell,  Dubuque;  S.  B.  Thrall,  Ot- 
tumwa;  E.  R.  S.  Woodrow,  Glenwood;  0.  W.  Archibald,  M.  D., 
Medical  Superintendent. 

THE  REFORM  SCHOOL. 

Eldora,  Hardin  Comity. 

By  "An  act  to  establish  and  organize  a  State  Reform  School  for 
Juvenile  Offenders,"  approved  March  31,1808,  the  General  Assem- 
bly established  a  State  Reform  School  at  Salem,  Lee  (Henry) 
County;  provided  for  a  Board  of  Trustees,  to  consist  of  one  per- 
son from  each  Congressional  District.  For  the  purpose  of  immedi- 
ately opening  the  school,  the  Trustees  were  directed  to  accept  the 
proposition  of  the  Trustees  of  White's  Iowa  Manual  Labor  Insti- 
tute, at  Salem,  and  lease,  for  not  more  than  ten  years,  the  lands, 
buildings,  etc.,  of  the  Institute,  and  at  once  proceed  to  prepare  for 
and  open  a  reform  school  as  a  temporary  establishment. 

The  contract  for  fitting  up  the  buildings  was  let  September  21, 
1808,  and  on  the  7th  of  October  following,  the  first  inmate  was 
received  from  Jasper  County.  The  law  provided  for  the  admission 
of  children  of  both  sexes  under  18  years  of  age.  In  1876  this, 
was  amended,  so  that  they  are  now  received  at  ages  over  7  and 
under  16  years. 

April  19,  1872,  the  Trustees  were  directed  to  make  a  permanent 
location  for  the  school,  and  $^5,000  was  appropriated  for  the  erec-^ 
tion  of  the  necessary  buildings.  The  Trustees  were  further  di- 
rected, as  soon  as  practicable,  to  organize  a  school  for  girls  in  the 
buildings  where  the  boys  were  then  kept. 

The  Trustees  located  the  school  at  Eldora,  Hardin  County,  and 
in  the  code  of  1873,  it  is  permanently  located  there  by  law. 

The  institution  is  managed  by  fiVe  Trustees,  who  are  paid  mile- 
age, but  no  compensation  for  their  services. 

The  object  is  the  reformation  of  children  of  both  sexes,  under 
the  age  of  10  and  over  7  years  of  age;  and  the  law  requires  that 
the  Trustees  shall  require  the  boys  and  girls  under  their  charge  to 
be  instructed  in  piety  and  morality,  and  in  such  branches  of  useful 


HISTOKY    OF   IOWA.  81 

knowledge  as  are  adapted  to  their  age  and  capacity,  and  in  some 
regular  course  of  labor,  either  mechanical,  manufacturing  or  agri- 
cultural, as  is  best  suited  to  their  age,  strength,  disposition  and 
capacity,  and  as  may  seem  best  adapted  to  secure  the  reformation 
and  future  benefit  of  the  boys  and  girls. 

A  boy  or  girl  committed  to  the  State  Reform  School  is  there 
kept,  disciplined,  instructed,  employed  and  governed,  under  the 
direction  of  the  Trustees,  until  he  or  she  arrives  at  the  age  of 
majority,  or  is  bound  out,  reformed  or  legally  discharged.  The 
binding  out  or  discharge  of  a  boy  or  girl  as  reformed,  or  having 
arrived  at  the  age  of  majority,  is  a  complete  release  from  all  pen- 
alties incurred  by  conviction  of  the  crime  for  which  he  or  she  is 
eommitted. 

Trustees,  1881: — J.  A.  Parvin,  Muscatine,  President;  W.  J. 
Moir,  Eldorado,  Treasurer;  W.  G.  Stewart,  Dubuque:  J.  T.  Moor- 
head,  Ely;  T.  E.  Corkhill,  Mount  Pleasant;  B,  J.  Miles,  Eldora, 
Superintendent.  L.  D.  Lewelling  is  Superintendent  of  the  Girl's 
Department,  at  Mitchellville,  Polk  County. 

FISH  HATCHING  ESTABLISHMENT. 

Near  Anamosa,  Jones  Countij. 

The  Fifteenth  General  Assembly,  in  1871.  passed  "An  act  to 
provide  for  the  appointment  of  a  Board  of  Fish  Commissioners 
for  the  construction  of  fish  ways  for  the  protection  and  propaga- 
tion of  fish;"  also  "an  act  to  provide  for  furnishing  the  rivers 
and  lakes  with  fish  and  fish  spawn."  This  act  appropriated  $3,000 
for  the  purpose.  In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  first 
act  above  mentioned,  on  the  9th  of  Apiil,  1871,  S.  B.  Evans,  of 
Ottumwa,  Wapello  County;  B.  F.  Shaw,  of  Jones  County,  and 
Charles  A.  Haines,  of  Black  Hawk  County,  were  appointed  to  be 
Fish  Commissioners  by  the  Governor.  These  Commissioners  met 
at  Des  Moines,  May  10,  1874,  and  organized  by  the  election  of 
Mr.  Evan^,  President;  Mr.  Shaw,  Secretary  and  Superintendent,, 
and  Mr.  Haines,  Treasurer. 

The  State  was  partitioned  into  three  districts  or  divisions  to  en- 
able the  Commissioners  to  better  superintend  the  construction  of 
fishways  as  required  by  law.  At  this  meeting,  the  Superintendent 
was  authorized  to  build  a  State  Hatching  House;  co  procure  the 
spawn  of  valuable  fish  adapted  to  the  waters  of  Iowa;  hatch  and 
prepare  the  young  fish  for  distribution,  and  assist  in  putting  them 
into  the  waters  of  the  State. 

In  compliance  with  these  instructions,  Mr.  Shaw  at  once  com- 
menced work,  and  in  the  summer  of  1871,  erected  a  "State 
Hatching  House"  near  Anamosa,  20x10  feet,  two  stories;  the 
second  story  being  designt-d  for  a  tenement;  the  first  story  being 
the  "hatching  room."  The  hatching  troughs  are  supplied  with 
water  from  a  magnificent  spring,  four  feet  deep  and  about  ten 


82  HISTORY    OF   IOWA. 

feet  in  diameter,  affording  an  abundant  and  unfailing  supply  of 
pure  running  water.  During  the  first  year,  from  May  10,  1874, 
to  May  10,  1875,  the  Commissioners  distributed  within  the  State 
100,000  shad,  300,000  California  salmon,  10,000  bass,  80,000 
Penobscot  (Maine)  salmon,  5,000  land-locked  salmon,  20,000  of 
other  species. 

By  act  approved  March  10,  1876,  the  law  was  amended  so  that 
there  should  be  one  instead  of  three  Fish  Commissioners,  and  B. 
F.  Shaw  was  appointed,  and  the  Commissioner  Avas  authorized  to 
purchase  twenty  acres  of  land,  on  which  the  State  Hatching 
House  was  located,  near  Anamosa. 

In  the  fall  of  1876,  Commissioner  Shaw  gathered  from  the 
sloughs  of  the  Mississippi,  where  they  would  have  been  destroyed, 
over  a  million  and  a  half  of  small  fish,  which  were  distributed  in 
the  various  rivers  of  the  State  and  turned  into  the  Mississippi. 

In  1875-6,  533,000  California  salmon,  and  in  1877,  303,500 
lake  trout  were  distributed  in  various  rivers  and  lakes  in  the  State. 
The  experiment  of  stocking  the  small  streams  with  brook  trout  is 
being  tried,  and  81,000  of  the  speckled  beauties  were  distributed 
in  1877.  In  1876,  100,000  young  eels  were  distributed.  These 
came  from  New  York,  and  they  are  increasing  rapidly. 

A.  A.  Mosier,  of  Spirit  Lake,  was  appointed  Assistant  Fish 
Commissioner  by  the  Governor,  under  Chapter  156,  Laws  of  1880. 

THE  PUBLIC  LANDS. 

The  grants  of  public  lands  made  in  the  State  of  Iowa,  for  vari- 
ous purposes,  are  as  follows: 

1.  The  500,000  Acre  Grant. 

2.  The  16th  Section  Grant. 

o.  The  Mortgage  School  Lands. 

4.  The  University  Grant. 

5.  The  Saline  Grant. 

6.  The  Des  M©ines  Kiver  Grant. 

7.  The  Des  Moines  River  School  Lands. 

8.  The  Swamp  Land  Grant. 

9.  The  Railroad  Grant. 

10.    The  Agricultural  College  Grant. 

I.      THE   FIVE   HUNDRED    THOUSAND    ACRE    GRANT. 

When  the  State  was  admitted  into  the  Union  she  became  en- 
titled to  500,000  acres  of  land  by  virtue  of  an  act  of  Congress,  ap- 
proved September  4,  1841,  which  granted  to  each  State  therein 
specified  500,000  acres  of  public  land  for  internal  improvements; 
to  each  State  admitted  subsequently  to  the  passage  of  the  act,  an 
amount  of  land  which,  with  the  amount  that  might  have  been 
granted  to  her  as  a  Territory,  would  amount  to  500,000  acres.  All 
these  lands  were  required  to  be  selected  within  the  limits  of  the 
State  to  which  they  were  granted. 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.  83 

The  Constitution  of  Iowa  declares  that  the  proceeds  of  this 
grant,  together  with  all  lands  then  granted  or  to  be  granted  by 
Congress  for  the  benefit  of  schools,  shall  constitute  a  perpetual 
fund  for  the  support  of  schools  throughout  the  State.  By  an  act 
approved  January  15,  1849,  the  Legislature  established  a  Board  of 
School  Fund  Commissioners,  and  to  that  Board  was  confided  the 
selection,  care  and  sale  of  these  lands  for  the  benefit  of  the  School 
Fund.  Until  1855,  these  Commissioners  were  subordinate  to  the 
Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  but  on  the  15th  of  Janu- 
ary of  that  year,  they  Avere  clothed  with  exclusive  authority  in  the 
management  and  sale  of  school  lands.  The  office  of  School  Fund 
Commissioner  was  abolished  March  23,  1858,  and  that  officer  in 
each  county  was  required  to  transfer  all  papers  to  and  make  full 
settlement  with  the  County  Judge.  By  this  act,  County  Judges 
and  Township  Trustees  were  made  the  agents  of  the  State  to  con- 
trol and  sell  the  sixteenth  sections;  but  no  further  provision  was 
made  for  the  sale  of  the  500,000  acre  grant  until  April  3d,  1860, 
when  the  entire  management  of  the  school  lands  was  committed 
to  the  Boards  of  Supervisors  of  the  several  counties. 

II.      THE    SIXTEENTH   SECTIONS. 

By  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  Congress  admitting  Iowa  to  the 
Union,  there  was  granted  to  the  new  State  the  sixteenth  section 
in  every  township,  or  where  that  section  had  been  sold,  other 
lands  of  like  amount  for  the  use  of  schools.  The  Constitution  of 
the  State  provides  that  the  proceeds  arising  from  the  sale  of  these 
sections  shall  constitute  a  part  of  the  permanent  school  fund.  The 
control  and  sale  of  these  lands  were  vested  in  the  School  Fund 
Commissioners  of  the  several  counties  until  March  23,  1858,  when 
they  were  transferred  to  the  County  Judges  and  Township  Trus- 
tees, and  were  finally  placed  under  the  supervision  of  the  County 
Boards  of  Supervisors  in  January,  18G1. 

III.      THE    MORTGAGE    SCHOOL    LANDS. 

These  do  not  belong  to  any  of  the  grants  of  land  proper.  They 
are  lands  that  have  been  mortgaged  to  the  school  fund,  and  became 
school  lands  when  bid  off"  by  the  State  by  virtue  of  a  law  passed  in 
1862.  Under  the  provisions  of  the  law  regulating  the  manage- 
ment and  investment  of  the  permanent  school  fund,  persons  de- 
siring loans  from  that  fund  are  required  to  secure  the  payment 
thereof  with  interest  at  ten  per  cent,  per  annum,  by  promissory 
notes  endorsed  by  two  good  sureties  and  by  mortgage  on  unincum- 
bered real  estate,  which  must  be  situated  in  the  county  where  the 
loan  is  made,  and  which  must  be  valued  by  three  appraisers.  Mak- 
ing these  loans  and  taking  the  required  securities  was  made  the 
duty  of  the  County  Auditor,  who  was  required  to  report  to  the 
Board  of  Supervisors  at  each  meeting  thereof,  all  notes,  mortgages 
and  abstracts  of  title  connected  with  the  school  fund,  for  exami- 
nation. 


Si  HISTORY    OF    IOWA. 

Wheu  default  was  made  of  paynieut  of  money  so  secured  by 
mortgage,  and  no  arrangement  made  for  extension  of  time  as  the 
law  provides,  the  Board  of  Supervisors  were  authorized  to  bring 
suit  and  prosecute  it' with  diligence  to  secure  said  fund;  and  in  ac- 
tion in  favor  of  the  county  for  the  use  of  the  school  fund,  an  in- 
junction may  issue  without  bonds,  a)id  in  any  such  action,  when 
(■ervice  is  made  by  publication,  default  and  judgment  may  be  en- 
tered and  enforced  without  bonds,  in  case  of  sale  of  land  on  exe- 
cution founded  on  any  such  mortgage,  the  atttorney  of  the  board, 
or  other  person  duly  authorized,  shall,  on  behalf  of  the  State  or 
county  for  the  use  of  said  fund,  lid  such  sum  as  the  interests  of 
said  fund  may  require,  and  if  struck  off  to  the  State  the  land  shall 
be  held  and  disposed  of  as  the  other  lands  belonging  to  the  fund. 
These  lands  are  known  as  the  Mortgage  School  Lands,  and  reports 
of  them,  including  description  and  amount,  are  required  to  be 
made  to  the  State  Land  Office. 

IV.      UNIVERSITY  LANDS. 

By  act  of  Congress  July  20,  18iO,  a  quantity  of  land,  not 
exceeding  two  entire  townships,  was  reserved  in  the  Territory  of 
Iowa  for  the  use  and  support  of  a  university  within  said  Terri- 
tory when  it  should  become  a  State.  This  land  was  to  be  located 
in  tracts  of  not  less  than  an  entire  section,  and  could  be  used  for 
no  other  purpose  than  that  designated  in  the  grant.  In  an  act 
supplemental  to  that  for  the  admission  of  Iowa,  March  3,  1845, 
the  grant  was  renewed,  and  it  was  provided  that  the  lands  should 
be  used  "solely  for  the  purpose  of  such  university,  in  such  manner 
as  the  Legislature  may  prescribe." 

Under  this  grant  there  were  set  apart  aud  approved  by  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Treasury,  for  the  use  of  the  State,  the  following 
lands: 

ACHES. 

In  the  Iowa  City  Land  District,   Feb.   29,  1849 20.150.49 

In  the  Fairfield  Land  District,  Oct.  17,  1849 9,685.20 

In  the  Iowa  City  Land  DiBtrict,  Jan.  28,  1850 2,571.81 

In  the  Fairtield  Land  District,  Sept,  10,   1850 3,198.20 

In  the  Dubuque  Land  District,  May   19,  1852 10,552.24 

Total : 45,957.94 

These  lands  were  certified  to  the  State  November  19,  1859.  The 
University  lands  are  placed  by  law  under  the  control  and  manage- 
ment of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Iowa  State  University.  Prior 
to  1865  there  had  been  selected  and  located  under  282  patents, 
22,892  acres  in  sixteen  counties,  and  23,030  acres  unpatented, 
making  a  total  of  45,928  acres. 

V.      SALINE  LANDS, 

By  act  of  Congress  approved  March  3,  1845,  the  State  of  Iowa 
was  granted  the  use  of  the  salt  springs  within  her  limits,  not  ex- 
ceeding twelve.     By  a  subsequent  act,    approved   May  27,  1852, 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.  85 

Coiiwres- granted  the  spriiios  to  the  State  ill  fee  simple,  together 
with  six  sections  of  hind  contignous  to  each,  to  be  disposed  of  as 
the  Legislature  might  direct.  In  1861  the  proceeds  of  these  lands 
then  to  be  sold  were  constituted  a  fund  for  founding  and  support- 
ing a  lunatic  asylum,  but  no  sales  were  made.  In  1856  the  pro- 
ceeds of  the  saline  lands  were  appropriated  to  the  Insane  Asylum, 
repealed  in  1858.  In  18G0,  the  saline  lands  and  funds  were  made  a 
part  of  the  permanent  fund  of  the  State  University.  These  lands 
were  located  in  Appanoose,  Davis,  Decatur,  Lucas,  Monroe,  Van 
Buren  and  Wayne  counties. 

Vr.      THE  DESMOlifES  RIVER  GKANT, 

By  act  of  Congress,  approved  August  8,  1846,  a  grant  of  land 
was  made  for  the  improvement  of  the  navigation  of  Des  Moines 
River,  as  follows: 

Be  it  enacted  hi/  tJte  Senate  and  ffoiise  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  there  be,  and  hereby  is,  grant- 
ed to  said  'J'erritory  of  Iowa  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  said  'J'erritory  to  improve 
the  navigation  of  the  Des  Moines  River  from  its  mouth  to  the  Racoon  Fork  (so 
called)  in  said  Territory,  one  equal  moiety,  in  alternate  sections,  of  the  public 
lands  (remaining  unsold  and  not  otherwise  disposed  of,  incumbered  or  appro- 
priated), in  a  strip  five  miles  in  width  on  each  side  of  said  river,  to  be  selected 
within  said  Territory  by  an  agent  or  agents  to  be  appointed  by  the  Governor 
thereof,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  of  the  United 
States.  • 

Sec.  2.  And  he  it  further  enacted,  That  the  lands  hereby  granted  shall  not 
be  conveyed  or  disposed  of  by  said  Territory,  nor  by  any  State  to  be  formed  out 
of  the  same,  except  as  said  improvement  shall  progress;  that  is,  the  said  Terri- 
tory or  State  may  sell  so  much  of  said  lands  as  shall  produce  the  sum  of  thirty 
thousand  dollars,  and  then  the  sales-  shall  cease  until  the  Governor  of  said  Ter- 
ritory or  State  shall  certify  the  fact  to  the  President  of  the  United  States  that 
one-half  of  said  sum  has  been  expended  upon  said  improvements,  when  the 
said  Territory  or  State  may  sell  and  convey  a  quantity  of  the  residue  of  said 
lands  sufficient  to  replace  the  amount  expended,  and  thus  the  sales  shall  pro- 
gi"ess  as  the  proceeds  thereof  shall  be  expended,  and  the  fact  of  such  expendi- 
ture shall  be  certified  as  aforesaid. 

Sec.  3.  And  he  it  further  enacted,  That  the  said  River  Des  Moines  shall  be 
and  forever  remain  a  public  highway  for  the  use  of  the  Government  of  the 
United  States,  free  from  any  toll  or  other  charge  whatever,  for  any  property  of 
the  United  States  or  persons  in  their  service  passing  through  or  along  the  same; 
Provided  always.  That  it  shall  not  be  competent  for  the  said  Territory  or 
future  State  of  Iowa  to  dispose  of  said  lands,  or  any  of  them,  at  a  price 
lower  thin,  for  th3  tim;  bainj:,  sh.ill  b3  th;  rainimain  prica  of  other  public 
lands. 

Sec.  4.  And  he  it  further  enacted.  That  whenever  the  Territory  of  Iowa 
shall  be  admitted  into  the  Union  as  a  State,  the  lands  hereby  granted  for  the 
above  purpose  shall  be  .and  become  the  property  of  said  State  for  the  purpose 
contemp'atedin  this  act,  and  for  no  other;  Provided,  the  Legislature  of  the 
State  of  Iowa  shall  accept  the  said  grant  for  the  said  purpose.  Approved 
Augusts,  1846. 

By  joint  resolution  of  the  General  Assembly  of  Iowa,  approved 
January  9,  1847,  the  grant  was  accepted  for  the  purpose  specified. 
By  another   act,  approved   February    21,   1847.   entitled   ''An  act 


86  HISTORY   OF   IOWA. 

creating  the  Board  of  Public  Works,  and  providing  for  the  im- 
provement of  the  Des  Moines  River,"  the  Legislature  provided  for 
a  Board  consisting  of  a  President,  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  to  be 
elected  by  the  people.  This  Board  was  elected  August  2,  1847, 
and  was  organized  on  the  22d  of  September  following.  The  same 
act  defined  the  nature  of  the  improvement  to  be  made,  and  pro- 
vided that  the  work  should  be  paid  for  from  the  funds  to  be  de- 
rived from  the  sale  of  lands  to  be  sold  by  the  Board. 

Agents  appointed  by  the  Governor  selected  the  sections  desig- 
nated by  "odd  numbers"  throughout  the  whcle  extent  of  the 
grant,  and  this  selection  was  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury.  But  there  was  a  conflict  of  opinion  as  to  the  extent 
of  the  grant.  It  was  held  by  some  that  it  extended  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Des  Moines  River  only  to  the  Racoon  Forks;  others  held, 
as  the  agents  to  make  selection  evidently  did,  that  it  extended  from 
the  mouth  to  the  headwaters  of  the  river.  Richard  M.  Young, 
Commissioner  of  the  General  Laud  office,  on  the  23d  of  February, 
1848,  construed  the  grant  to  mean  that  "the  State  is  entitledito 
the  alternate  sections  within  five  miles  of  the  Des  Moines  River, 
throughout  the  whole  extent  of  that  river  within  the  limits  of 
Iowa.  Under  this  construction,  the  alternate  sections  above  the 
Raccoon  Forks  would,  of  course,  belong  to  the  State;  but  on  the 
19th  of  June,  1848,  some  of  these  lands  were,  by  proclamation, 
thrown  into  market.  On  the  18th  of  September,  the  Board  of 
Public  Works  filed  a  remonstrance  with  the  Commissioner  of  the 
General  Land  office.  The  Board  also  sent  in  a  protest  to  the  State 
Land  Office,  at  which  the  sale  was  ordered  to  take  place.  On  the 
8th  of  January,  1849,  the  Senators  and  Representatives  in  Con- 
gress from  Iowa  also  protested  against  the  sale,  in  a  communica- 
tion to  Hon.  Robert  J.  Walker,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  to 
which  the  Secretary  replied,  concurring  in  the  opinion  that  the 
grant  extended  the  whole  length  of  the  Des  Moines  River  in 
Iowa. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1849,  the  Commissioner  of  the  General 
Land  Office  directed  the  Register  and  Receiver  of  the  Land  Office 
at  Iowa  City  "to  withhold  from  sale  all  lands  situated  in  the  odd 
numbered  sections  within  five  miles  on  each  side  of  the  Des 
Moines  River  above  the  Raccoon  Forks."  March  13,  1850,  the 
Commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Office  submitted  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Interior  a  list  "showing  the  tracts  falling  within  the 
limits  of  the  Des  Moines  River  grant,  above  the  Raccoon  Forks, 
etc.,  under  the  decision  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  of  March 
2, 1849,"  and  on  the  6th  of  April  following  Mr.  Ewing,  then 
Secretary  of  the  Interior,  reversed  the  decision  of  Secretary 
Walker,  but  ordered  the  lands  to  be  withheld  from  sale  until  Con- 
gress could  have  an  opportunity  to  pass  an  explanatory  act.  The 
Iowa  authorities  appealed  from  this  decision  to  the  President 
(Taylor),  who  referred  the  matter  to  the  Attorney  General   (Mr. 


mSTOKY   OF   IOWA.  87 

Johnson).  On  the  lOth  of  July,  Mr.  Johnson  submitted  as  his 
opinion,  that  by  the  terms  of  the  grant  itself,  it  extended  to  the 
very  source  of  the  Des  Moines,  but  before  his  opinion  w^as  pub- 
lished President  Taylof  died.  When  Mr.  Tyler's  cabinet  was 
formed,  the  question  was  submitted  to  the  new  Attorney  General 
(Mr.  Crittenden),  who,  on  the  30th  of  June,  1851,  reported  that 
in  his  opinion  the  grant  did  not  extend  above  the  Raccoon  Forks. 
Mr.  Stewart,  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  concurred  with  Mr, 
Crittenden  at  first,  but  subsequently  consented  to  lay  the  whole 
subject  before  the  President  and  Cabinet,  who  decided  in  favor  of 
the  State. 

October  29,  1851,  Mr.  Stewart  directed  the  Commissioner  of  the 
General  Land  Office  to  "submit  for  his  approval  such  lists  as  had 
been  prepared,  and  to  proceed  to  report  for  like  approval  lists  of 
the  alternate  sections  claimed  by  the  State  of  Iowa  above  the  Rac- 
coon Forks,  as  far  as  the  surveys  have  progressed,  or  may  here- 
after be  completed  and  returned."  And  on  the  following  day, 
three  lists  of  these  lands  were  prepared  in  the  General  Land 
Office. 

The  lands  approved  and  certified  to  the  State  of  Iowa  under 
this  grant,  and  all  lying  above  the  Raccoon  Forks,  are  as   follows: 

Bv  Secretary  Stewart,  Oct.  30,  1851 81,707.93  acres. 

March  10,  1852 143,908.37     ' ' 

By  Secretary  McLellaii,  Dec.  17,   1853 33,142.43      " 

Dec.  30,  1853 12,813.51      " 

Total '. 271,572.24  acres. 

The  Commissioners  and  Register  of  the  Des  Moines  River  Im- 
provement, in  their  report  to  the  Governor,  November  30,  1852, 
estimate  the  total  amount  of  lands  then  available  for  the  work, 
including  those  in  possession  of  the  State  and  those  to  be  surveyed 
and  approved,  at  nearly  a  million  acres.  The  indebtedness  then 
standing  against  the  fund  was  about  $108,000,  and  the  Commis- 
sioners estimated  the  work  to  be  done  would  cost  about  $1,200,000. 

January  10,  1853,  the  Legislature  authorized  the  Commissioners 
to  sell  ''any  or  all  the  lands  which  have  or  may  hereafter  be 
granted,  for  not  less  than  $1,300,000." 

On  the  24th  of  January,  1853,  the  General  Assembly  provided 
for  the  election  of  a  Commissioner  by  the  people,  and  appointed 
two  Assistant  Commissioners,  with  authority  to  make  a  contract, 
selling  the  lands  of  the  Improvement  for  $1,300,000.  This  new 
Board  made  a  contract,  June  9,  1855,  with  the  Des  Moines  Navi- 
gation &  Railroad  Company,  agreeing  to  sell  all  the  lands  dona- 
ted to  the  State  by  Act  of  Congress  of  August  8,  1846,  which  the 
State  had  not  sold  prior  to  December  23,  1853,  for  $1,800,000,  to 
be  expended  on  the  improvement  of  the  river,  and  in  paying  the 
indebtedness  then  due.  This  contract  was  duly  reported  to  the 
Governor  and  General  Assembly. 


88  HISTORY    OF    IOWA. 

By  an  act  approved  January  25,  1855,  the  Commissioner  and 
Register  of  the  Des  Moines  River  Improvement  were  authorized 
to  negotiate  with  the  Des  Moines  Navigation  &  Railroad  Company 
for  the  purchase  of  lands  in  Webster  Co^^nty,  which  had  been 
sold  by  the  School  Fund  Commissioner  as  school  lands,  but  which 
had  been  certified  to  the  State  as  Des  Moines  River  lands,  and  had, 
therefore,  become  the  property  of  the  Company,  under  the  pro- 
visions of  its  contract  with  the  State. 

March  21,  1856,  the  old  question  of  the  extent  of  the  grant  was 
again  raised,  and  the  Commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Office 
decided  that  it  was  limited  to  the  Raccoon  Fork.  Appeal  was 
made  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  and  by  him  the  matter  was 
referrred  to  the  Attorney  General,  who  decided  that  the  grant  ex- 
tended to  the  northern  boundary  of  the  State;  the  State  relin- 
quished its  claim  to  the  lands  lying  along  the  river  in  Minnesota, 
and  the  vexed  question  was  supposed  to  be  finally  settled. 

The  land  which  had  been  certified,  as  well  as  those  extending  to 
the  northern  boundary  within  the  limits  of  the  grant,  were  re- 
served from  pre-emption  and  sale  by  the  General  Land  Commission- 
er, to  satisfy  the  grant  of  August  8,  1846,  and  they  were  treated 
as  having  passed  to  the  State,  which  from  time  to  time  sold  por- 
tions of  them  prior  to  their  final  transfer  to  the  Des  Moines  Nav- 
igation &  Railroad  Company^applying  the  proceeds  thereof  to  the 
improvement  of  the  river  in  compliance  with  the  terms  of  the 
grant.  Prior  to  the  final  sale  to  the  Company,  June  9,  1854,  the 
State  had  sold  about  327,000  acres,  of  which  amount  58,830  acres 
were  located  above  the  Raccoon  Fork.  The  last  certificate  of  the 
General  Land  Office  bears  date  December  30,  1853. 

After  June  9th,  1854,  the  Des  Moines  Navigation  &  Railroad 
Company  carried  on  the  work  under  its  contract  with  the  State. 
As  the  improvement  progressed,  the  State,  from  time  to  time,  by 
its  authorized  officers,  issued  to  the  Company,  in  payment  for  said 
work,  certificates  for  land.  But  the  General  Land  Office  ceased  to 
certify  lands  under  the  grant  of  1846.  The  State  had  made  no 
other  provision  for  paying  for  the  improvements,  and  disagree- 
ments and  misunderstanding  arose  between  the  State  authorities 
and  the  Company. 

March  22,  1858,  a  joint  resolution  was  passed  by  the  Legislature 
submitting  a  proposition  for  final  settlement  to  the  Company, 
which  w^as  accepted.  The  Company  paid  to  the  State  $20,000  in 
cash,  and  released  and  conveyed  the  dredge  boat  and  materials 
named  in  the  resolution;  and  the  State,  on  the  3d  day  of  May, 
1858,  executed  to  the  Des  Moines  Navigation  &  Railroad  Company 
fourteen  deeds  or  patents  to  the  lands,  amounting  to  256,703,64 
acres.  These  deeds  were  intended  to  convey  all  the  lands  of  this 
grant  certified  to  the  State  by  the  General  Government  not  pre- 
viously sold;  but,  as  if  for  the  purpose  of  covering  any  tract  or 
parcel  that  miglit  have  been  omitted,  the  State  made  another  deed 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.  89 

of  conveyance  on  the  IStli  day  of  May,  1858.  These  fifteen  deeds, 
it  is  claimed,  by  the  Company,  convey  266,108  acres,  of  which 
about  53,367  are  below  the  Raccoon  Fork,  and  the  balance,  212,741 
acres,  are  above  that  point. 

Besides  the  lands  deeded  to  the  Company,  the  State  had  deeded 
to  individual  purchasers  58,830  acres  above  the  Raccoon  Fork, 
making  an  aggregate  of  271,571  acres,  deeded  above  the  Fork,  all 
of  which  had  been  certified  to  the  State  by  the  Federal  Grovern- 
ment. 

By  act  approved  March  28,  1858,  the  Legislature  donated  the 
remainder  of  the  grant  to  the  Keokuk,  Fort  Des  Moines  &  Minne- 
sota Riilroad  Company,  upon  condition  that  said  Company  as- 
sumed all  liabilities  resulting  from  the  Des  Moines  River  improve- 
ment operations,  reserving  50,000  acres  of  the  land  in  security  for 
the  payment  thereof,  and  for  the  completion  of  the  locks  and* 
dams  at  Bentonsport,  Crotton,  Keosauqua  and  Plymouth.  For 
every  three  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  work  done  on  the  locks 
and  dams,  and  for  every  three  thousand  dollars  paid  by  the  Com- 
pany of  the  liabilities  above  mentioned,  the  Register  of  the  State 
Land  Office  was  instructed  to  certify  to  the  Company  1,000  acres 
of  the  50,000  acres  reserved  for  these  purposes.  Up  to  1865,  there 
had  been  presented  by  the  Company,  under  the  provisions  of  the 
act  of  1858,  and  allowed,  claims  amounting  to  $109,579.37,  about 
seventy-five  per  cent,  of  which  had  been  settled. 

After  the  passage  of  the  act  above  noticed,  the  question  of  the 
extent  of  the  original  grant  was  again  mooted,  and  at  the  De- 
cember terra  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  in  1859- 
60,  a  decision  was  rendered  declaring  that  the  grant  did  not  ex- 
tend above  Raccoon  Fork,  and  that  all  certificates  of  land  above 
the  Fork  had  been  issued  without  authority  of  law  and  were, 
therefore,  void  (see  23  How.,  66). 

The  State  of  Iowa  had  disposed  of  a  large  amount  of  land  with- 
out authority,  according  to  this  decision,  and  appeal  was  made  to 
Congress  for  relief,  which  was  granted  on  the  3d  day  of   March, 

1861,  in  a  joint  resolution  relinquishing  to  the  State  all  the  title 
which  the  United  States  then  still  retained  in  the  tracts  of  land 
along  the  Des  Moines  River  above  Raccoon  Fork,  that  had  been 
improperly  certified  to  the  State  by  the  Department  of  the  Inte- 
rior, and  which  is  now  held  by  bona  fide  purchasers  under  the  State 
of  Iowa. 

In  confirmation  of  this  relinquishment,  by  act  approved  July  12, 

1862,  Congress  enacted: 

That  the  grant  of  lands  to  the  then  Territory  of  Iowa  for  the  improvement  of 
the  Des  Moines  River,  made  by  the  act  of  August  8,  1846,  is  hereby  extended 
so  as  to  include  the  alternate  ssctions  (designated  by  odd  numbers)  lying  within 
five  miles  of  said  river,  between  the  Raccoon  Fork  and  the  northern  boundary 
of  said  State;  such  lands  are  to  be  held  and  applied  in  accordance  with  the 
provisions  of  the  original  grant,  except  that  the  consent  of  Congress  is  hereby' 
given  to  the  application  of  a  portion  thereof  to   aid  in  the  construction  of  the 


90  HISTORY   OF   IOWA. 

Keokuk,  Fort  Des  Moines  &  Minnesota  Railroad,  in  accordance  -with  the  pro- 
visions of  the  act  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Iowa  approved  March 
22,  1858.  And  if  any  of  the  said  lands  shall  have  been  sold  or  otherwise  dis- 
posed of  by  the  United  States  before  the  passage  of  this  act,  except  those  re- 
leased by  the  United  States  to  the  grantees  of  the  State  of  Iowa,  under  joint 
resolution  of  March  3,  1861,  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  is  hereby  directed  to 
set  apart  an  equal  amount  of  lands  within  said  State  to  be  certified  in  lieu 
thereof:  Provided,  that  if  the  State  shall  have  sold  and  conveyed  any  portion  of 
the  lands  lying  within  the  limits  of  the  grant  the  title  of  which  has  proved  in- 
valid, any  lands  which  shall  be  certified  to  said  State  in  heu  thereof  by  virtue  of 
the  provisions  of  this  act,  shall  inure  to  and  be  held  as  a  tnist  fund  for  the  ben- 
efit of  the  person,  or  persons,  respectively,  whose  titles  shall  have  failed  as 
aforesaid. 

The  grant  of  lands  by  the  above  act  of  Congress  was  accepted 
by  a  joint  resolution  of  the  General  Assembly,  Sept.  11,  1862,  in 
extra  session.  On  the  same  day,  the  Governor  was  authorized  to 
appoint  one  or  more  Commissioners  to  select  the  lands  in  accord- 
ance with  the  grant.  These  Commissioners  were  instructed  to 
report  their  selections  to  the  Registrar  of  the  State  Land  Office. 
The  lands  so  selected  were  to  be  held  for  the  purposes  of  the 
grant,  and  were  not  to  be  disposed  of  until  further  legislation 
should  be  had.  D.  W.  Kilburne,  of  Lee  County,  was  appointed 
Commissioner,  and,  on  the  25th  day  of  April,  1864,  the  General 
Land  Officer  authorized  the  selection  of  300,000  acres  from  the 
vacant  public  lands  as  a  part  of  the  grant  of  July  12,  1862,  and 
the  selections  were  made  in  the  Fort  Dodge  and  Sioux  City  Land 
Districts. 

Many  difficulties,  controversies  and  conflicts,  in  relation  to  claims 
and  titles,  grew  out  of  this  grant,  and  these  difficulties  were  en- 
hanced by  the  uncertainty  of  its  limits  until  the  act  of  Congress 
of  July,  1862.  But  the  General  Assembly  sought,  by  wise  and 
appropriate  legislation,  to  protect  the  integrity  of  titles  derived 
from  the  State.  Especially  was  it  the  determination  to  protect  the 
actual  settlers,  who  had  paid  their  money  and  made  improvements 
pr  or  to  the  final  settlement  of  the  limits  of  the  grant  by  Con- 


gress. 


YII.— THE  DES  MOINES  EIVER  SCHOOL  LANDS. 


These  lands  constituted  a  part  of  the  500,000  acre  grant  made 
by  Congress  in  1841;  including  28,378.46  acres  in  Webster  County, 
selected  by  the  Agent  of  the  State  under  that  grant,  and  ap- 
proved by  the  Commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Office  February 
20,  1851.  They  were  ordered  into  the  market  June  6,  1853,  by 
the  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  who  authorized  John 
Tolman,  School  Fund  Commissioner  for  Webster  County,  to 
sell  them  as  school  lands.  Subsequently,  when  the  act  of  1846 
was  construed  to  extend  the  Des  Moines  River  grant  above  Rac- 
coon Fork,  it  was  held  that  the  odd  numbered  sections  of  these 
lands  within  five  miles  of  the  river  were  appropriated  by  that  act, 
and  on  the  30th  day  of  December,  1853,  12,813.51  acres  were  set 
apart  and  approved  to  the  State  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior, 


HISTORY    OF  IOWA.  91 

as  a  part  of  the  Des  Moines  River  grant.  January  6,  185-1,  the 
Commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Office  transmitted  to  the  Su- 
perintendent of  Public  Instruction  a  certified  copy  of  the  lists  of 
these  lands,  indorsed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior.  Prior  to 
this  action  of  the  Department,  however,  Mr.  Tolman  had  sold  to 
individual  purchasers  3,191.28  acres  as  school  lands,  and  their 
titles  Avere,  of  course,  killed.  For  their  relief,  an  act,  approved 
April  2, 1860,  provided  that,  upon  application  and  proper  showing, 
these  purchasers  should  be  entitled  to  draw  from  the  State  Treas- 
ury the  amount  they  had  paid,  with  ten  per  cent,  interest,  on  the 
contract  to  purchase  made  with  Mr.  Tolman.  Under  this  act,  five 
applications  were  made  prior  to  1864,  and  the  applicants  received, 
in  the  aggregate,  $919.53. 

By  an  act  approved  April  7,  1862,  the  Governor  was  forbidden 
to  issue  to  the  Dubuque  &  Sioux  City  Railroad  Company  any  cer- 
tificate of  the  completion  of  any  part  of  said  road,  or  any  convey- 
ance of  lands,  until  the  company  should  execute  and  file,  in  the 
State  Land  office,  a  release  of  its  claim — first  to  certain  swamp 
lands;  second,  to  the  Des  Moines  River  Lands  sold  by  Tolman; 
third,  to  certain  other  river  lands.  That  act  provided  that  "the 
said  company  shall  transfer  their  interests  in  those  tracts  of  land 
in  Webster  and  Hamilton  Counties  heretofore  sold  by  John  Tol- 
man, School  Fund  Commissioner,  to  the  Register  of  the  State 
Land  Office  in  trust,  to  enable  said  Register  to  carry  out  and  per- 
form said  contracts  in  all  cases  when  he  is  called  upon  by  the 
parties  interested  to  do  so,  before  the  1st  day  of  January,  A.  D., 
1861. 

The  company  filed  its  release  to  the  Tolman  lands,  in  the  Land 
Office,  February  27,  1861,  at  the  same  time  entered  its  protest  that 
it  had  no  claim  upon  them,  never  had  pretended  to  have,  and  had 
never  sought  to  claim  them.  The  Register  of  the  State  Land  Of- 
fice, under  the  advice  of  the  Attorney  General,  decided  that  pat- 
ents would  be  issued  to  the  Tolman  purchasers  in  all  cases  where 
contracts  had  been  made  prior  to  December  23,  1853,  and  remain- 
ing uncancelled  under  the  act  of  1860.  But  iDcfore  any  were  is- 
sued, on  the  27th  of  August,  1861,  the  Des  Moines  Navigation 
and  Railroad  Company  commenced  a  suit  in  Chancery,  in  the 
District  Court  of  Polk  County,  to  enjoin  the  issue  of  such  patents. 
On  the  30th  of  August,  an  ex  parte  injunction  was  issued.  In 
January,  1868,  Mr.  J.  A.  Harvey,  Register  of  the  Land  Office, 
filed  in  the  court  an  elaborate  answer  to  plaintiffs'  petition,  deny- 
ing that  the  company  had  any  right  to  or  title  in  the  lands.  Mr. 
Harvey's  successor,  Mr.  C.  C.  Carpenter,  filed  a  still  more  exhaus- 
tive answer  February  10,  1868.  August  3,  1868,  the  District 
Court  dissolved  the  injunction.  The  company  appealed  to  the 
Supreme  Court,  where  the  decision  of  the  lower  court  was  affirmed 
in  December,  1869. 


92  HISTORY    OF    IOWA. 


VIII.       SWAMP  LAND  GRANT. 


All  act  o£  Congress,  approved  March  28,  1850,  to  enable  Arkan- 
sas and  other  States  to  reclaim  swampy  lands  within  their  limits, 
granted   all  the  swamp  and  overflowed  lands  remaining  unsold 
within  their  respective  limits  to   the  several   States.      Although 
the  total  amount  claimed  by  Iowa  under  this  act  does  not  exceed 
4,000,000  acres,  it  has,  like  theDes  Moines  Kiver  and  some  of  the 
laud  grants,  cost  the  State  considerable  trouble  and  expense,  and 
required  a  deal  of  legislation.     The  State  expended  large  sums  of 
money  in  making  the  selections,  securing  proofs,  etc.,  but  the 
General  Government  appeared  to  be  laboring  under  the  impression 
that  Iowa  was  not  acting  in  good  faith;  that  she  had  selected 
a  large  amount  of  lands  under  the  swamp  land  grant,  transferred 
her  interest  to  counties,  and  counties  to  private  speculators,  and 
the  General  Land  office  permitted  contests  as  to  the  character  of 
the  lands  already  selected  by  the  Agents  of  the  State  as  "swamp 
lands.''     Congress,  by  joint  resolution  December  18,  1856,  and  by 
act  March  3,  1857,  saved  the  State  from  the  fatal  result  of  this 
ruinous  policy.     Many  of  these  lands  were   selected  in  1854  and 
1855,  immediately  after  several  remarkably  wet  seasons,  and  it 
was  but  natural  that  some  portions  of  the  selections  would  not  ap- 
pear swampy  after  a  few  dry  seasons.     Some  time  after  these  first 
selections  were  made,  persons  desired  to  enter  parcels  of  the  so- 
called  swamp  lands  and  offering  to  prove  them  to  be  dry.    In  such 
cases  the  General  Land  office  ordered  hearing  before  the  local 
land  officers,  and  if  they  decided  the  land  to  be  dry,  it  was  permit- 
ted to  be  entered  and  the  claim  of  the  State  rejected.     Specula- 
tors took  advantage  of  this.     Affidavits  were  bought  of  irrespon- 
sible and  reckless  men,  who,  for  a  few  dollars,  would  confident- 
ly testify  to  the  character  of  lands  they  never  saw.       These  ap- 
plications multiplied  until  they  covered  3,000,000  acres.     It  was 
necessary  that  Congress  should  confirm  all  these  selections  to  the 
State,  that  this  gigantic  scheme  of  fraud  and  plunder  might  be 
stopped.     The  act  of  Congress  of  March  3,  1857,  was  designed  to 
accomplish  this  purpose.     But  the  Commissioner  of  the  General 
Land  office  held  that  it  was  only  a  qualified  confirmation  and  un- 
der this  construction  sought  to  sustain  the  action  of  the  Depart- 
ment in  rejecting  the  claim  of  the  State,  and  certifying  them  un- 
der act  of  May  15,  1856,  under  which  the   railroad  companies 
claimed  all  swamp  land  in  odd  numbered  sections  within  the  lim- 
its of  their  respective  roads.     This  action  led  to  serious  complica- 
tions.    When  the  railroad  grant  was  made,  it  was  not  intended, 
nor  was  it  understood  that  it  included  any  of  the  swamp  lauds. 
These  were  already  disposed  of  by  previous  grant.     Nor  did  the 
companies  expect  to  receive  any  of  them,  but  under  the  decision 
of  the  Department  adverse  to  the  State  the  way  was  opened,  and 
hey  were  not  slow  to  enter  their  claims.     March  4,  1862,  the  At- 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.  93 

torney  General  of  the  State  submitted  to  the  General  Assembly  an 
opinion  that  the  railroad  companies  were  not  entitled  even  to  con- 
test the  right  of  the  State  to  these  lands,  under  the  swamp  land 
grant.  A  letter  from  the  Acting  Commissioner  of  the  General 
Land  Office  expressed  the  same  opinion,  and  the  General  Assembly 
by  joint  resolution,  approved  April  7,  1862,  expressly  repudiated 
the  acts  of  the  railroad  companies,  and  disclaimed  any  intention 
to  claim  these  lands  under  any  other  than  the  act  of  Congress  of 
September  28,  1850.  A  great  deal  of  legislation  has  been  found 
necessary  in  relation  to  these  swamp  lands. 

IX.      THE  RAILROAD  GRANT. 

One  of  the  most  important  grants  of  public  lands  to  Iowa  for 
purposes  of  internal  improvement  was  that  known  as  the  "Rail- 
road Grant,"  by  act  of  Congress,  approved  May  15,  1856.  This 
act  granted  to  the  State  of  Iowa,  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  in  the 
construction  of  railroads  from  Burlington,  on  the  Mississippi  Riv- 
er, to  a  point  on  the  Missouri  River,  near  the  mouth  of  Platte 
River;  from  the  city  of  Davenport,  via  Iowa  City  and  Fort  Des 
Moines  to  Council  Bluffs;  from  Lyons  City  northwesterly  to  a 
point  of  intersection  with  the  main  line  of  the  Iowa  Central  Air 
Line  Railroad,  near  Maquoketa;  thence  on  said  main  line,  running 
as  near  as  practicable  to  the  Forty-second  Parallel;  across  the  said 
State  of  Iowa  to  the  Missouri  River;  from  the  city  of  Dubuque  to 
a  point  on  the  Missouri  River  near  Sioux  City,  with  a  branch  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Tete  des  Morts,  to  the  nearest  point  on  said  road, 
to  be  completed  as  soon  as  the  main  road  is  completed  to  that 
point,  every  alternate  section  of  land  designated  by  odd  numbers, 
for  six  sections  in  width,  on  each  side  of  said  roads.  It  was  also 
provided  that  if  it  should  appear,  when  the  lines  of  those  roads 
were  definitely  fixed,  that  the  United  States  had  sold,  or  right  of 
pre-emption  had  attached  to  any  portion  of  said  land,  the  State 
was  authorized  to  select  a  quantity  equal  thereto,  in  alternate  sec- 
tions, or  parts  of  sections,  within  fifteen  miles  of  the  line  so  lo- 
cated. The  lands  remaining  to  the  United  States  within  six 
miles  on  each  side  of  said  roads  were  not  to  be  sold  for  less  than 
the  double  mininum  price  of  the  public  lands  when  sold,  nor  were 
any  of  said  lands  to  become  subject  to  private  entry  until  they  had 
been  first  offered  at  public  sale  at  the  increased  price. 

Section  4  of  the  act  provided  that  the  lands  granted  to  said  State 
shall  be  disposed  of  by  said  State  only  in  the  manner  following, 
that  is  to  say:  ''That  a  quantity  of  land  not  exceeding  one  hundred 
and  twenty  sections  for  each  of  said  roads,  and  included  within  a 
continuous  length  of  twenty  miles  of  each  of  said  roads,  may  be 
sold;  and  when  the  Governor  of  said  State  shall  certify  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Interior  that  any  twenty  continuous  miles  of  any  of 
said  roads   is  completed,  then  another  quantity   of  land  hereby 


94  HISTORY   OF  IOWA. 

granted,  not  to  exceed  oue  hundred  and  twenty  sections  for  each 
of  said  roads  having  twenty  continuous  miles  completed  as  afore- 
said, and  included  within  a  continuous  length  of  twenty  miles  of 
each  of  such  roads,  may  be  sold;  and  so  from  time  to  time  until 
said  roads  are  completed,  and  if  any  of  said  roads  are  not  com- 
pleted within  ten  years,  no  further  sale  said  shall  be  made,  and  the 
lands  unsold  shall  revert  to  the  United  States." 

At  a  special  session  of  the  General  Assembly  of  Iowa,  by  act  ap- 
proved July  14,  1856,  the  grant  was  accepted  and  the  lands  were 
granted  by  the  State  to  the  several  railroad  companies  named,  pro- 
vided that  the  lines  of  their  respective  roads  should  be  definitely 
fixed  and  located  before  April  1,  1857;  and  provided,  further,  that 
if  either  of  said  companies  should  fail  to  have  seventy-five  miles 
of  road  completed  and  equipped  by  the  1st  day  of  December,  1859, 
and  its  entire  road  completed  by  December  1,  1865,  it  should  be 
competent  for  the  State  of  Iowa  to  resume  all  rights  to  lands  re- 
maining undisposed  of  by  the  company  so  failing. 

The  railroad  companies,  with  the  single  exception  of  the  Iowa 
Central  Air  Line,  accepted  the  several  grants  in  accordance  with 
the  provisions  of  the  above  act,  located  their  respective  roads  and 
selected  their  lands.  The  grant  to  the  Iowa  Central  was  again 
granted  to  the  Cedar  Rapids  &  Missouri  River  Railroad  Company, 
which  accepted  it. 

By  act,  approved  April  7,  1862,  the  Dubuque  &  Sioux  City  Rail- 
road Company  was  required  to  execute  a  release  to  the  State  of 
certain  swamp  and  school  lands,  included  within  the  limits  of  its 
grant,  in  compensation  for  an  extension  of  the  time  fixed  for  the 
completion  of  its  road. 

A  careful  examination  of  the  act  of  Congress  does  not  reveal 
any  special  reference  to  railroad  companies.  The  lands  were 
granted  to  the  State,  and  the  act  evidently  contemplated  the  sale 
of  them  by  the  State,  and  the  appropriation  of  the  proceeds  to  aid 
in  the  construction  of  certain  lines  of  railroad  within  its  limits. 
Section  4  of  the  act  clearly  defines  the  authority  of  the  State  in 
disposing  of  the  lands. 

Lists  of  all  the  lands  embraced  by  the  grant  were  made,  and  cer- 
tified to  the  State  by  the  proper  authorities.  Under  an  act  of  Con- 
gress approved  August  3,  1864,  entitled,  '"'An  act  to  vest  in  the 
several  States  and  Territories  the  title  i)i  fee  of  the  tabids  ivhich 
have  been  or  may  be  certified  to  them,'''  these  certified  lists,  the 
originals  of  which  are  filed  in  the  General  Land  Oflice,  conveyed 
to  the  State  ''the  fee  simple  title  to  all  the  lands  embraced  in  such 
lists  that  are  of  the  character  contemplated"  by  the  terms  of  the 
act  making  the  grant,  and  "intended  to  be  granted  thereby;  but 
where  lands  embraced  in  such  lists  are  not  of  the  character  em- 
braced by  such  act  of  Congress,  and  were  not  intended  to  be 
granted  thereby,  said  lists,  so  far  as  these  lands  are  concerned, 
shall  be  perfectly  null  and  void;  and  no  right,  title,  claim  or  in- 


HISTORY  OF   IOWA.  95 

terest  shall  be  conveyed  thereby.'"  Those  certified  lists  made 
under  the  act  of  May  15, 1S56,  were  forty-three  in  number,  viz. :  For 
the  Burlington  &  Missouri  River  Railroad,  nine;  for  the  Missis- 
sippi &  Missouri  Railroad,  eleven;  for  the  Iowa  Central  Air  Line, 
thirteen;  and  for  the  Dubuque  &  Sioux  City  Railroad,  ten.  The 
lands  thus  approved  to  the  State  were  as  follows: 

Burlington  &  Missouri  River  R.  R 287,095.34  acres 

Mississippi  &  Missouri   River  R .  R 774,674.36     ' ' 

Cedar  Rapids  &  Missouri  River  R.  R 775,454.19     ' ' 

Dubuque  &  Sioux  City  R.  R 1,226,558.32    " 

A  portion  of  these  had  been  selected  as  swamp  lands  by   the 
State,  under  the  act  of  September  28, 1850,  aud  these,  by  the  terms 
of  the  act  of  August  3,  1854,  could  not  be  turned  over  to  the  rail- 
roads unless  the  claim  of  the  State  to  them  as  swamp  was  first  re- 
jected.    It  was  not  possible  to  determine  from  the  records  of  the 
State  Land  Office  the  extent  of  the  conflicting  claims  arising  un- 
der the  two  grants,  as  copies  of  the  swamp  land  selections  in  some 
of  the  counties  were  not  filed  of  record.    The  Commissioner  of  the 
General  Land  Office,  however,  prepared  lists  of  the  lands  claimed 
by  the  State  as  swamp  under  the  act  of  September  28,  1850,  and 
also  claimed  by  the  railroad  companies  under  act  of  May  15, 1856, 
amounting  to  553,293.33  acres,  the  claim  to  which  as  swamp  had 
been  rejected  by  the  Department.     These  were  consequently  cer- 
tified the  State  as  railroad  lands.     There  was  no  mode  other  than 
the  act  of  July,  1856,  prescribed  for  transferring  the  title  to  these 
lands  from  the  State  to  the  companies.     The  courts   had   decided 
that,  for  the  purposes  of  the  grant,  the   lands   belonged   to  the 
State,  and  to  her  the  companies  should  look  for  their  titles.    It  was 
generally  accepted  that  the  act  of  the  Legislature  of  July,  1856, 
was  all  that  was  necessary  to  complete  the  transfer  of  title.  It  was 
assumed  that  all  the  rights  and  powers  conferred  upon  the  State  by 
the  act  of  Congress  of  May  14,  1856,  were  by  the  act  of  the  Gren- 
eral  Assembly  transferred  to  the  companies;  in  other  words  that* 
it  was  designed  to  put  the  companies  in  the  place  of  the  State  as 
the  grantees  from  Congress — and,  therefore,  that  which  perfected 
the  title  thereto  to  the  State  perfected  the  title  to  the  companies 
by  virtue  of  the  act  of  July,  1856.     One  of  the  companies,  how- 
ever, the  Burlington  &  Missouri  River  Railroad  Company,  was  not 
entirely  satisfied  with  this  construction.     Its   managers   thought 
that  some  further  and  specific  action  of  the  State  authorities  in  ad- 
dition to  the  act  of  the  Legislature  was  necessary  to  complete  their 
title.     This  induced  Gov.  Lowe  to  attach  to  the  certified  lists  his 
official  certificate,  under  the  broad  seal  of  the  State.     On  the  9th 
of  November,    1859,   the   Governor   thus  certified  to  them  (com- 
mencing at  the  Missouri  River)   187,207.44  acres,   and  December 
27th,  43,775.70  acres,    an  aggregate   of  231,073.14  acres.     These 
were  the  only  lands  under  the  grant   that   were  certified   by  the 
State  authorities  with  any  design  of  perfecting  the   title   already 


96  HISTORY    OF    lUWA. 

vested  in  the  company  by  the  act  of  July,  1856.  The  lists  which 
were  afterward  furnished  to  the  company  were  simply  certified  by 
the  Governor  as  being  correct  copies  of  the  lists  received  by  the 
State  from  the  United  States  General  Land  Office.  These  subse- 
quent lists  embraced  lands  that  had  been  claimed  by  the  State 
nnder  the  Swamp  Land  Grant. 

It  was  urged  against  the  claim  of  the  Companies  that  the  effect 
of  the  act  of  the  Legislature  was  simply  to  substitute  them  for  the 
State  as  parties  to  the  grant.  1st.  That  the  lands  w- ere  granted 
to  the  State  to  be  held  in  trust  for  the  accomplishment  of  a  specific 
purpose,  and  therefore  the  State  could  not  part  with  the  title  until 
that  purpose  should  have  been  accomplished.  2d.  That  it  was  not 
the  intention  of  the  act  of  July  14,  185G,  to  deprive  the  State  of 
the  control  of  the  lands,  but  on  the  contrary  that  she  should  retain 
supervision  of  them  and  the  right  to  withdraw  all  rights  and 
powers  and  resume  the  title  conditionally  conferred  by  that  act 
upon  the  companies  in  the  event  of  their  failure  to  complete  their 
part  of  the  contract.  3d.  That  the  certified  lists  from  the  General 
Land  Office  vested  the  title  in  the  State  only  by  virtue  of  the  act 
of  Congress  approved  Augusts,  1854.  The  State  Land  Office  held 
that  the  proper  construction  of  the  act  of  July  14,  1856,  when  ac- 
cepted by  the  companies  was  that  it  became  a  conditional  contract 
that  might  ripen  into  a  positive  sale  of  the  lands  as  from  time  to 
time  the  work  should  progress,  and  as  the  State  thereby  became 
authorized  by  the  express  terms  of  the  grant  to  sell  them. 

This  appears  to  have  been  the  correct  construction  of  the  act, 
but  by  a  subsequent  act  of  Congress,  approved  June  2,  1864, 
amending  the  act  of  1856,  the  terms  of  the  grant  were  changed, 
and  numerous  controversies  arose  between  the  companies  and  the 
State 

The  ostensible  purpose  of  this  additional  act  was  to  allow  the 
Davenport  &  Council  Bluifs  Railroad  "to  modify  or  change  the 
"location  of  the  uncompleted  portion  of  its  line,"  to  run  through 
the  town  of  Newton,  Jasper  county,  or  as  nearly  as  practicable  to 
that  point.  The  original  grant  had  been  made  to  the  State  to  aid 
in  the  construction  of  railroads  within  its  limits,  and  not  to  the 
companies,  but  Congress,  in  1864,  appears  to  have  been  utterly  ig- 
norant of  what  had  been  done  under  the  act  of  1856,  or,  if  not, 
to  have  utterly  disregarded  it.  The  State  had  accepted  the  origin- 
al grant.  The  Secretary  of  the  Interior  had  already  certified  to 
the  State  all  the  lauds  intended  to  be  included  in  the  grant  within 
fifteen  miles  of  the  lines  of  the  several  railroads.  It  will  be  re- 
membered that  section  4,  of  the  act  of  May  15,  1856,  specifies  the 
manner  of  sale  of  these  lands  from  time  to  time  as  work  on  the 
railroads  should  progress,  and  also  provided  that  "if  any  of  said 
roads  are  not  completed  within  ten  years,  no  further  sale  shall  be 
made,  and  the  lands  unsold  shall  revert  to  the  United  States.'''' 
Having  vested  the  title  to  these  lands  in  trust,  in  the  State  of  Iowa, 


HISTORY    OF   IOWA.  97 

it  is  plain  that  until  the  expiration  of  the  ten  years  there  could  be 
no  reversion,  and  the  State,  not  the  United  States,  must  control 
them  until  the  grant  should  expire  by  limitation.  The  United 
States  authorities  could  not  rightfully  require  the  Secretary  of 
the  Interior  to  certify  directly  to  the  companies  any  portion  of  the 
lands  already  certified  to  the  State.  And  yet  Congress,  by  its  act 
of  June  2,  1864,  provided  that  whenever  the  Davenport  &  Council 
Bluffs  Railroad  Company  should  file  in  the  General  Laud  Office,  at 
Washington,  a  map  definitely  showing  such  new  location,  the 
Secretary  of  the  Interior  should  cause  to  be  certified  and  conveyed 
to  said  company,  from  time  to  time,  as  the  road  progressed,  out  of 
any  of  the  lands  belonging  to  the  United  States,  not  sold,  reserved 
or  otherwise  disposed  of,  or  to  which  a  pre-emption  claim  or  right 
of  homestead  had  not  attached,  and  on  Avhich  a  bona  fide  settle- 
ment and  ijnprovement  had  not  been  made  under  color  of  title  de- 
rived from  the  United  States  or  froui  the  State  of  Iowa,  within 
six  miles  of  such  newly  located  line,  an  amount  of  land  per  mile 
equal  to  that  originally  authorized  to  be  granted  to  aid  in  the 
construction  of  said  road  by  the  act  to  which  this  was  an  amend- 
ment. 

The  term  "out  of  any  lands  belonging  to  the  United  States,  not 
sold,  reserved  or  otherwise  disposed  of,  etc.,"  would  seem  to  indi- 
cate that  Congress  did  intend  to  grant  lands  already  granted,  but 
when  it  declared  that  the  Company  should  have  an  amount  per 
mile  equal  to  that  originally  authorized  to  be  granted,  it  is  plain 
that  the  framers  of  the  bill  were  ignorant  of  the  real  terms  of  the 
original  grant,  or  that  they  designed  that  the  United  States  should 
resume  the  title  it  had  already  parted  with  two  years  before  the 
lands  could  revert  to  the  United  States  under  the  original  act, 
which  was  not  repealed. 

A  similar  change  was  made  in  relation  to  the  Cedar  Rapids  & 
Missouri  Railroad,  and  dictated  the  conveyance  of  lands  in  a 
similar  manner. 

Like  provision  was  made  for  the  Dubuque  &  Sioux  City  Rail- 
road, and  the  Company  was  permitted  to  change  the  location  of 
its  line  between  Fort  Dodge  and  Sioux  City,  so  as  to  secure  the 
best  route  between  those  points;  but  this  change  of  location  was 
not  to  impair  the  right  to  the  land  granted  in  the  original  act, 
nor  did  it  change  the  location  of  those  lands. 

By  the  same  act,  the  Mississippi  &  Missouri  Railroad  Company 
was  authorized  to  transfer  and  assign  all  or  any  part  of  the  grant 
to  any  other  company  or  person,  "if,  in  the  opinion  of  said  Com- 
pany, the  construction  of  said  railroad  across  the  State  of  Iowa 
would  be  thereby  sooner  and  more  satisfactorily  completed;  but 
such  assignee  should  not  in  any  case  be  released  from  the  liabili- 
ties and  conditions  accompanying  this  grant,  nor  acquire  perfect 
title  in  any  other  manner  than  the  same  would  have  been  ac- 
quired by  the  original  grantee." 


98  HISTORY   OF   IOWA. 

Still  further,  the  Burlingjton  &  Missouri  River  Railroad  was  not 
forgotten,  and  was,  by  the  same  act,  empowered  to  receive  an 
amount  of  land  per  mile  equal  to  that  mentioned  in  the  original 
act,  and  if  that  could  not  be  found  within  the  limits  of  six  miles 
from  the  line  of  said  road,  then  such  selection  might  be  made 
along  such  line  within  twenty  miles  thereof  out  of  any  public 
lands  belonging  to  the  United  States,  not  sold,  reserved  or  other- 
wise disposed  of,  or  to  which  a  pre-emption  claim  or  right  of 
homestead  had  not  attached. 

Those  acts  of  Congress,  which  evidently  originated  in  the 
•'lobby,"  occasioned  much  controversy  and  trouble.  The  Depart- 
ment of  the  Interior,  however,  recognizing  the  fact  that  when  the 
Secretary  had  certified  the  lands  to  the  State,  under  the  act  of 
1856,  that  act  divested  the  United  States  of  title,  under  the  vest- 
ing act  of  August,  1854,  refused  to  review  its  action,  and  also  re- 
fused to  order  any  and  all  investigations  for  establishing  adverse 
claims  (except  in  pre-emption  cases),  on  the  ground  that  the 
United  States  had  parted  with  the  title,  and,  therefore,  could  ex- 
ercise no  control  over  the  land. 

May  12,  1864,  before  the  passage  of  the  amendatory  act  above 
described.  Congress  granted  to  the  State  of  Iowa,  to  aid  in  the 
construction  of  a  railroad  from  McGregor  to  Sioux  City,  and  for 
the  benefit  of  the  McGrregor  Western  Railroad  Company  every 
alternate  section  of  land,  designated  by  odd  numbers,  for  ten 
sections  in  width  on  each  side  of  the  proposed  road,  reserving  the 
right  to  substitute  other  lands,  whenever  it  was  found  that  the 
grant  infringed  upon  pre-empted  lands,  or  on  lands  that  had  been 
reserved  or  disposed  of  for  any  other  purpose.  In  such  cases,  the 
Secretary  of  the  Interior  was  instructed  to  select,  in  lieu,  lands 
belonging  to  the  United  States  lying  nearest  to  the  limits  specified. 

X.      AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE  AND  FARM  LAND. 

An  Agricultural  College  and  Model  Farm  was  established  by 
act  of  the  General  Assembly,  approved  March  22,  1858.  By  the 
eleventh  section  of  the  act,  the  proceeds  of  the  five-section  grant 
made  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  in  the  erection  of  public  buildings 
was  appropriated,  subject  to  the  approval  of  Congress,  together 
with  all  lands  that  Congress  might  thereafter  grant  to  the  State 
for  the  purpose  for  the  benefit  of  the  institution.  On  the  23d  of 
March,  by  joint  resolution,  the  Legislature  asked  the  consent  of 
Congress  to  the  proposed  transfer.  By  act  approved  July  11, 
1862,  Congress  removed  the  restrictions  imposed  in  the  ''Five- 
section  grant,"  and  authorized  the  General  Assembly  to  make 
such  disposition  of  the  lands  as  should  be  deemed  best  for  the  in- 
terests of  the  State.  By  these  several  acts  the  five  sections  of 
land  in  Jasper  County  certified  to  the  State  to  aid  in  the  erection 
of  public  buildings  under  the  act  of  March  3, 1845,  entitled:  "An 
act  supplemental  to  the  act  for  the  admission  of  the  States  of 


HISTORY   OF   IOWA.  99 

Iowa  and  Florida  into  the  Union,"  were  fully  appropriated  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Iowa  Agricultural  College  and  Farm.  The  institu- 
tion is  located  in  Story  County.  Seven  hundred  and  twenty-one 
acres  in  that  and  two  hundred  in  Boone  County  were  donated  to 
it  by  individuals  interested  in  the  success  of  the  enterprise. 

By  act  of  Congress  approved^July  2,  1852,  an  appropriation  was 
made  to  each  State  and  Territory  of  30,000  acres  for  each  Sena- 
tor and  Representative  in  Congress  to  which,  by  the  apportion- 
ment under  the  census  of  1850,  they  were  respectfully  entitled. 
This  grant  was  made  for  the  purpose  of  endowing  colleges  of  ag- 
riculture and  mechanic  arts. 

Iowa  accepted  this  grant  by  an  act  passed  at  an  extra  session  of 
its  Legislature,  approved  Sept  11,  1862,  entitled:  "An  act  to  ac- 
cept of  the  grant,  and  carry  into  execution  the  trust  conferred 
upon  the  State  of  Iowa  by  an  act  of  Congress  entitled  'An  act 
granting  public  lands  to  the  several  States  and  Territories  which 
may  provide  colleges  for  the  benefit  of  agricultural  and  the  me- 
chanic arts,  approved  July  2, 1862."  This  act  made  it  the  duty 
of  the  Grovernor  to  appoint  an  agent  to  select  and  locate  the  lands, 
and  provided  that  none  should  be  selected  that  were  claimed  by 
any  county  as  swamp  lands.  The  agent  was  required  to  make  re- 
port of  his  doings  to  the  Grovernor,  who  was  instructed  to  submit 
the  list  of  selections  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Agricultural 
College  for  their  approval.  One  thousand  dollars  were  appropri- 
ated to  carry  the  law  into  effect.  The  State  having  two  Senators  and 
six  Representatives  in  Congress,  was  entitled  to  240,000  acres  of 
land  under  this  grant,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  and  main- 
taining an  Agricultural  College.  Peter  Melendy,  Esq.,  of  Black 
Hawk  County,  was  appointed  to  make  the  selections,  and  during 
August,  September  and  December,  1863,  located  them  in  the  Fort 
Dodge,  Des  Moines  and  Sioux  City  Land  Districts.  December  8, 
1864,  these  selections  were  certified  by  the  Commissioner  of  the 
General  land  Office,  and  were  approved  to  the  State  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Interior  December  13,  1864.  The  title  to  these  lands 
were  vested  in  the  State  in  fee  simple,  and  conflicted  with  no  other 
claims  under  other  grants. 

The  agricultural  lands  were  approved  to  the  State  as  240,000.96 
acres;  but  35,691.66  acres  were  located  within  railroad  limits, 
which  were  computed  at  the  rate  of  two  acres  for  one,  the  actual 
amount  of  land  approved  to  the  State  under  this  grant  was  only 
204,309.30  acres,  located  as  follows: 

In  Des  Moines  Land  District 6,804.96  acres. 

In  Sioux  City  Land  District 59,025.37      " 

In  Fort  Dodge  Land  District 138,478.97      ' ' 

By  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  approved  March  29,  1864,  en- 
titled, "An  act  authorizing  the  Trustees  of  the  Iowa  State  Agri- 
cultural College  and  Farm,  to  sell  all  lands  acquired,  granted,  do- 
nated or  appropriated  for  the  benfit  of  said  College,  and  to  make 

L«f€. 


100  HISTORY    OF   IOWA. 

ail-  investment  o£  the  proceeds  thereof,"  all  these  lands  were 
granted  to  the  Agricultural  College  and  Farm,  and  the  Trustees 
were  authorized  to  take  possession  and  sell  or  lease  them.  There 
was  then  under  the  control  of  the  Trustees,  lands  as  follows: 

Under  the  act  of  July  2,  1852 304,309.30  acres. 

Of  the  five-section  grant 3,200.00      " 

Lands  donated  in  Story  County 721.00      " 

Lands  donated  irr  Boone  County 200.00      " 

Total 208,430.30  acres.. 

The  Trustees  opened  an  ofhce  at  Fort  Dodge,  and  appointed 
Hon.  G.  W.  Bassett  their  agent  for  the  sale  of  these  lands. 

THE  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 

The  germ  of  the  free  public  school  S3^stera  of  Iowa,  which  now 
ranks  second  to  none  in  the  United  States,  was  planted  by  the 
first  settlers.  They  had  migrated  to  the  "Beautiful  Land"  from 
other  and  older  States,  where  the  common  school  system  had  been 
tested  by  many  years'  experience,  bringing  with  them  some 
knowledge  of  its  advantages,  which  they  determined  should  be  en- 
joyed by  the  children  of  the  land  of  their  adoption.  The  system 
thus  planted  was  expanded  and  improved  in  the  broad  fields  of 
the  West,  until  now  it  is  justly  considered  one  of  the  most  com- 
plete, comprehensive  and  liberal  in  the  country. 

Nor  is  it  to  be  wondered  at  Avhen  it  is  remembered  humble  log 
school  houses  were  built  almost  as  soon  as  the  log  cabin  of  the 
earliest  settlers  were  occupied  by  their  brave  builders.  In  the  lead 
mining  regions  of  the  State,  the  first  to  be  occupied  by  the  white 
race,  the  hardy  pioneers  provided  the  means  for  the  education  of 
their  children  even  before  they  had  comfortable  dwellings  for  their 
families.  School  teachers  Avere  among  the  first  immigrants  to 
Iowa.  Wherever  a  little  settlement  was  made,  the  school  house 
was  the  first  united  public  act  of  the  settlers;  and  the  rude  primi- 
tive structures  of  the  early  time  only  disappeared  when  the  com- 
munities had  increased  in  population  and  wealth,  and  were  able  to 
replace  them  with  more  commodious  and  comfortable  buildings. 
Perhaps  in  no  single  instance  has  the  magnificent  progress  of  the 
State  of  Iowa  been  more  marked  and  rapid  than  in  her  common 
school  system  and  in  her  school  houses,  which,  long  since,  super- 
ceded the  log  cabins  of  the  first  settlers.  To-day,  the  school  houses 
which  everywhere  dot  the  broad  and  fertile  prairies  of  Iowa  are 
unsurpassed  by  those  of  any  other  State  in  the  great  Union.  More 
especially  is  this  true  in  all  her  cities  and  villages,  \yhere  liberal 
and  lavish  appropriations  have  been  voted,  by  a  generous  people, 
for  the  erection  of  large  comniodious  and  elegant  buildings,  fur- 
nished with  all  the  modern  improvements,  and  costing  from  $10,- 
000  to  $60,000  each.  The  people  of  the  State  have  expended 
more  than  $10,000,000  for  the  erection  of  public  school  buildings. 


\ 


HISTOKY   OF    IOWA.  101 

The  first  house  erected  in  Iowa  was  a  log  cabin  at  Dubuque, 
built  by  James  L.  Langworthy  and  a  few  other  miners,  in  the 
Autumn  of  1833. 

Mrs.  Caroline  D3xter  commenced  teaching  in  Dubuque  in  March, 
1836.  She  was  the  first  female  teacher  there,  and  probably  the 
first  in  Iowa.  The  first  tax  for  the  sujjport  of  schools  at  Dubuque 
was  levied  in  1810. 

Among  the  first  buildings  erected  at  Burlington  was  a  commod- 
ious log  school  house  in  1834,  in  which  Mr.  Johnson  Piersou 
taught  the  first  school  in  the  Winter  of  1834-5. 

The  first  school  in  Muscatine  County  was  taught  by  George 
Bumgardner,  in  the  Spring  of  1837,  and  in  1839,  a  log  school 
house  was  erected  in  Muscatine,  which  served  for  a  long  time  for 
school  house,  church  and  public  hall.  The  first  school  in  Daven- 
port was  taught  in  1838.  In  Fairfield  Miss  Clarissa  Sawyer. 
James  F.  Chambers  and  Mrs.  Reed  taught  school  in  1839. 

When  the  site  of  Iowa  City  was  selected  as  the  capital  of  the 
Territory  of  Iowa,  in  May,  1839,  it  was  a  perfect  wilderness.  The 
first  sale  of  lots  took  place  August  18,  1839,  and  before  January 
1,  1840,  about  twenty  families  had  settled  within  the  limits  of  the 
town;  and  during  the  same  year,  Mr.  Jesse  Berry  opened  a  school 
in  a  small  frame  building  he  had  erected,  on  what  is  now  College 
street. 

The  first  settlement  in  Monroe  County  was  made  in  1848,  by 
Mr.  John  R.  Cray,  about  two  miles  from  the  present  site  of  Ed- 
dy ville;  and  in  the  Summer  of  1844,  a  log  school  house  was  built, 
and  the  first  school  was  opened.  About  a  year  after  the  first  cab- 
in was  built  at  Oskaloosa,  a  log  school  house  was  built. 

At  Fort  Des  Moines,  now  the  Capital  of  the  State,  the  first 
school  was  taught  in  the  winter  of  1846-7. 

The  first  school  in  Pottawattamie  County  was  opened  at  Coun- 
cil Point,  prior  to  1849. 

The  first  school  in  Decorah  was  taught  in  1853.  In  Osceola,  the 
first  school  was  opened  by  Mr.  D.  W.  Scoville.  The  first. school 
at  Fort  Dodge  was  taught  in  1855,  by  Cyrus  C.  Carpenter,  since 
(jovernor  of  the  State.  In  Crawford  County  the  first  school 
house  was  built  in  Mason's  Grove  in  1856,  and  Morris  McHenry 
first  occupied  it  as  teacher. 

During  the  first  twenty  years  of  the  history  of  Iowa,  the  log 
school  houses  prevailed,  and  in  1861,  there  were  893  of  these 
primitive  structures  in  use  for  school  purposes  in  the  State.  Since 
that  time  they  have  been  gradually  disappearing.  In  1805,  there 
were  79G;  in  1870,  330;  and  in  1875,  121. 

Iowa  Territory  was  created  July  3,  1838.  January  1,  1839,  the 
Territorial  Legislature  passed  an  act  providing  that  ''there  shall 
be  established  a  common  school,  or  schools,  in  each  of  the  coun- 
ties in  this  Territory,  which  shall  be  open  and  free  for  every  class 
of  white  citizens  between  the  ages  of  five  and  twenty-one  yoars." 


102  HISTORY   OF  IOWA. 

The  second  section  of  the  act  provided  that  "the  County  Board 
shall,  from  time  to  time,  form  such  districts  in  their  respective 
counties  whenever  a  petition  may  be  presented  for  the  purpose  by  a 
majority  of  the  voters  resident  within  such  contemplated  district." 
These  districts  were  governed  by  boards  of  trustees,  usually  of 
three  persons;  each  district  was  required  to  maintain  school  at 
least  three  months  in  every  year;  and  later,  laws  were  enacted 
providing  for  county  school  taxes  for  the  payment  of  teachers, 
and  that  whatever  additional  sum  might  be  required  should  be 
assessed  upon  the  parents  sending,  in  proportion  to  the  length  of 
time  sent. 

AVhen  Iowa  Territory  became  a  State,  in  1846,  with  a  popula- 
tion of  100,000  and  with  20,000  pupils  within  its  limits,  about 
four  hundred  school  districts  had  been  organized.  In  1850,  there 
were  1,200,  and  in  1857,  the  number  had  increased  to  3,265. 

In  March,  1858,  the  Seventh  General  Assembly  enacted  that 
"each  civil  township  is  declared  a  school  district,"  and  provided 
that  these  should  be  divided  into  sub-districts.  This  law  went  in- 
to force  March  20,  1858,  and  reduced  the  number  of  school  dis- 
tricts from  about  3,500  to  less  than  900. 

The  change  of  school  organization  resulted  in  a  very  material 
reduction  of  the  expenditures  for  the  compensation  of  District 
Secretaries  and  Treasurers.  An  effort  was  made  for  several  years, 
from  1867  to  1872,  to  abolish  the  sub-district  system.  The  Legis.- 
lature  of  1870,  provided  for  the  formation  of  independent  districts 
from  the  sub-districts  of  district  townships.  The  system  of 
graded  schools  was  inaugurated  in  1849;  and  new  schools,  in  which 
more  than  one  teacher  is  employed,  are  universally  graded. 

The  first  official  mention  of  Teachers'  Institutes  in  the  educa- 
tional records  of  Iowa,  occurs  in  the  annual  report  of  Hon.  Thomas 
H.  Benton,  Jr.,  made  December  2,  1850. 

In  March,  1858,  an  act  was  passed  authorizing  the  holding  of 
Teachers'  Institutes  for  periods  not  less  than  six  working  days, 
whenever  not  less  than  thirty  teachers  should  desire.  The  Super- 
intendent was  authorized  to  expend  not  exceeding  $100  for  any 
one  Institute,  to  be  paid  out  by  the  County  Superintendent  as  the 
Institute  might  direct  for  teachers  and  lecturers,  and  one  thou- 
sand dollars  was  appropriated  to  defray  the  expenses  of  these  In- 
stitutes. 

The  Board  of  Education  at  its  first  session,  commencing  Decem- 
ber 6,  1858,  enacted  a  code  of  school  laws  which  retained  the  ex- 
isting provisions  for  Teachers'  Institutes.  In  March,  1860,  the 
General  Assembly  amended  the  act  of  the  Board  by  appropriating 
"a  sum  not  exceeding  fifty  dollars  annually  for  one  such  Institute, 
held  as  provided  by  law  in  each  county." 

By  act  approved  March  19,  1874,  Normal  Institutes  were  estab- 
lished in  each  county,  to  be  held  annually  by  the  County  Superin- 
tendent, and  in  1876  the  Sixteenth  General  Assembly  established 


HISTORY   OF   IOWA.  103 

the  first  permanent  State  Normal  School  at  Cedar  Falls,  Black 
Hawk  County,  appropriating  the  building  and  property  of  the 
Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  at  that  place  for  that  purpose. 

The  public  school  system  of  Iowa  is  admirably  organized,  and  if 
the  various  officers  who  are  entrusted  with  the  educational  inter- 
ests of  the  commonwealth  are  faithful  and  competent,  should  and 
will  constantly  improve. 

"The  public  schools  are  supported  by  funds  arising  from  several 
sources.  The  sixteenth  section  of  every  Congressional  Township 
was  set  apart  by  the  General  Government  for  school  purposes,  be- 
ing one-thirty-sixth  part  of  all  of  the  lands  of  the  State.  The 
minimum  price  of  these  lands  was  fixed  at  one  dollar  and  tAventy- 
five  cents  per  acre.  Congress  also  made  an  additional  donation  to 
the  State  of  five  hundred  thousand  acres,  and  an  appropriation  of 
five  per  cent,  on  all  the  sales  of  public  lands  to  the  school  fund. 
The  State  gives  to  this  fund  the  proceeds  of  the  sales  of  all 
lands  which  escheat  to  it;  the  proceeds  of  all  fines  for  the  vio- 
lation of  the  licjuor  and  criminal  laws.  The  money  derived  from 
these  sources  constitutes  the  permanent  school  fund  of  the  State, 
Avhich  cannot  be  diverted  to  any  other  purpose.  The  penalties 
collected  by  the  courts  for  fines  and  forfeits  go  to  the  school  fund 
in  the  counties  where  collected.  The  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  lands 
and  the  five  per  cent,  fund  go  into  the  State  Treasury,  and  the 
State  distributes  these  proceeds  to  the  several  counties  according  to 
their  request,  and  the  counties  loan  the  money  to  individuals  for 
long  terms  at  eight  per  cent,  interest,  on  security  of  land  valued 
at  three  times  the  amount  of  the  loan,  exclusive  of  all  buildings 
and  improvements  thereon.  The  interest  on  these  loans  is  paid 
into  the  State  Treasury,  and  becomes  the  available  school  fund  of 
the  State.  The  counties  are  responsible  to  the  State  for  all  mone}^ 
so  loaned,  and  the  State  is  likewise  responsible  to  the  school 
fund  for  all  moneys  transferred  to  the  counties.  The  interest  on 
these  loans  is  apportioned  by  the  State  Auditor  semi-annually  to 
the  several  counties  of  the  State,  in  proportion  to  the  number  of 
persons  between  the  ages  of  five  and  twenty-one  years.  The 
counties  also  levy  an  annual  tax  for  school  purposes,  which  is  ap- 
portioned to  the  several  district  townships  in  the  same  way.  A 
district  tax  is  also  levied  for  the  same  purpose.  The  money  aris- 
ing from  these  several  sources  constitutes  the  support  of  the  pub- 
lic schools,  and  is  sufficient  to  enable  every  sub-district  in  the 
State  to  afi'ord  from  six  to  nine  months'  school  each  year." 

The  taxes  levied  for  the  support  of  schools  are  self-imposed. 
Under  the  admirable  school  laws  of  the  State,  no  taxes  can  be 
legally  assessed  or  collected  for  the  erection  of  school  houses  until 
they  have  been  ordered  by  the  election  of  the  district  at  a  school 
meeting  legally  called.  The  school  houses  of  Iowa  are  the  pride 
of  the  State  and  an  honor  to  the  people.  If  they  have  been  some- 
times built  at  a  prodigal  expense,  the  tax-payers   have  no   one  to 


104  HISTORY    OF  IOWA. 

blame  but  themselves.  The  teachers'  and  contingent  funds  are 
determined  by  the  Directors,  under  certain  legal  restrictions. 
These  boards  are  elected  annually,  except  in  the  independent  dis- 
tricts, in  which  the  board  may  be  entirely  changed  every  three 
years.  The  only  exception  to  this  mode  of  levying  taxes  for  sup- 
port of  schools  is  the  county  school  tax,  which  is  determined  by 
the  County  Board  of  Supervisors.  The  tax  is  from  one  to  three 
mills  on  the  dollar;  usually,  however,  but  one. 

In  his  admirable  message  to  the  General  Assembly,  just  previous 
to  retiring  from  the  Gubernatorial  chair.  Gov.  Gear  has  the  follow- 
ing to  say  concerning  the  public  schools  of  Iowa: 

''The  number  of  school  children  reported  is  594,750.  Of  this 
number  384,192  are,  by  approximation,  between  the  ages  of  six 
and  sixteen  years.  The  number  of  all  ages  enrolled  in  the 
schools  is  431,513,  which  shows  that  much  the  greater  proportion 
of  children  of  school  age  avail  themselves  of  the  benefits  of  our 
educational  system.  The  average  attendance  is  254,088.  The 
schools  of  the  State  have  been  in  session,  on  an  average,  148 
days. 

"There  is,  doubtless,  quite  a  per  centage  of  children  who  attend 
schools  other  than  those  of  a  public  character.  Yet  the  figures  I 
have  quoted  show  clearly  that  very  many  children,  through  the 
negligence  or  unwillingness  of  parents,  do  not  attend  school  at  all, 
but  are  in  a  fair  way  to  grow  up  in  ignorance.  I,  therefore,  earn- 
estly suggest  that  you  consider  the  expediency  of  enacting  a  com- 
pulsory educational  law,  which  should  require  attendance  upon 
schools  of  some  kind,  either  public  or  private.  To  me  it  does 
seem  as  if  the  State  shall  not  have  done  her  full  duty  by  the 
children,  until  she  shall  have  completed  her  educational  system 
by  some  such  enactment. 

"The  interest  in  the  normal  institutes  is  maintained,  and,  be- 
yond doubt,  they  render  great  aid  in  training  the  teachers  who 
attend  them. 

"The  receipts  for  all  school  purposes  throughout  the  State  were 
$5,006,023.  60,  and  the  expenditures  15,129,279.49;  but  of  these 
receipts  and  expenditures  about  $400,000  was  of  money  borrowed 
to  refund  outstanding  bonds  at  lower  rates  of  interest. 

"The  amount  on  hand  aggregated,  at  the  end  of  the  fiscal  year, 
$2,653,356.55.  This  sum  is,  in  my  judgment,  much  larger  than 
the  necessities  of  the  schools  require,  and  it  would  be  well  to  im- 
pose some  check  to  prevent  an  excessive  or  unnecessary  levy  of 
taxes  for  school  purposes." 

The  significance  of  such  facts  as  these  is  unmistakable.  Such 
lavish  expenditures  can  only  be  accounted  for  by  the  liberality 
.and  public  spirit  of  the  people,  all  of  whom  manifest  their  love 
of  popular  education  and  their  faith  in  the  public  schools  by  the 
annual  dedication  to  their  support  of  more  than  one  per  cent,  of 
their  entire  taxable  property;  this  too,  uninterruptedly  through  a 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.  105 

series  of  years,  conimencing  in  the  midst  of  a  Avar  which  taxed 
their  energies  and  resources  to  the  extreme,  and  continuing 
through  years  of  general  depression  in  business — years  of  moder- 
ate yield  of  produce,  of  discouragingly  low  prices,  and  even  amid 
the  scanty  surrounding  and  privations  of  pioneer  life.  Few  hu- 
man enterprises  have  a  grander  significance  or  give  evidence  of  a 
more  noble  purpose  than  the  generous  contributions  from  the 
scanty  resources  of  the  pioneer  for  the  purpose  of  public  educa- 
tion. 

POLITICAL  RECORD. 

TERKITORIAL    OFFICERS. 

Governors — Robert  Lucas,  1838-41 ;  John  Chambers,  18'41-45; 
James  Clarke,  1845. 

Secretaries — William  B.  Conway,  1838,  died  1839;  James  Clarke, 
1839;  0.  H.  W.  Stull,  1841;  Samuel  J.  Burr,  1843;  Jesse  Wil- 
liams, 1845. 

Auditors — Jesse  Williams,  1840;  Wm.  L.  Gilbert,  1843;  Robert 
M.  Secrest,  1845. 

Treasurers — Thornton  Bayliss,  1839;  Morgan  Reno,  1840. 

Judges — Charles  Mason, Chief  Justice,  1838;  Joseph  Williams, 
1838,  Thomas  S.  Wilson,  1838. 

Presidents  of  Council — Jesse  B.  Browne,  1838-9;  Stephen  Hem- 
stead,  1839-40;  M.  Bainridge,  1840-1;  Jonathan  W.  Parker, 
1841-2;  John  D.  Elbert,  1842-3;  Thomas  Cox,  1843-4;  S.  Clinton 
Hastings,  1845;  Stephen  Hemstead,  1845-6. 

Speakers  of  the  House — William  H.  Wallace,  1838-9;  Edward 
Johnston,  1839-40;  Thomas  Cox,  1840-1;  Warner  Lewis,  1841-2; 
James  M.  Morgan,  1842-3;  James  P.  Carleton  1843-4;  James  M. 
Morgan,  1845;  George  W.  McCleary,  1845-6.  • 

First  Constitutional  Convention^  1844 — Shepherd  Leffler,  Presi- 
dent; George  S.  Hampton,  Secretary. 

Second  Constitutional  Convention^  1846 — Enos  Lowe,  President; 
William  Thompson,  Secretary. 

OFFICERS  OF  THE  STATE  GOVERNMENT. 

Governors— A.\iB&\  Briggs,  1846  to  1850;  Stephen  Hemstead, 
1850  to  1854;  James  W.  Grimes,  1854  to  1858;  Ralph  P.  Lowe, 
1858  to  1860;  Samuel  J.  Kirkwood,  1860  to  1864;  William  M. 
Stone,  1864  to  1868;  Samuel  Merrill,  1868  to  1872;  Cvrus  C.  Car- 
penter, 1872  to  1876;  Samuel  J.  Kirkwood,  1876  to  1877;  Joshua 
G.  Newbold,  Acting,  1877  to  1878;  John  H.  Gear,  1878  to  1882; 
Buren  R.  Sherman,  1882  to— 

Lieutenant  Governors — Office  created  by  the  new  Constitution, 
September  3,  1857— Oran  Faville,  1858-9;  Nicholas  J.  Rush, 
1860-1;  John  R  Needham,  1862-3;  Enoch  W.  Eastman,  1864-5; 
Benjamin  F.  Gue,  1866-7;  John  Scott,  1868-9;  M.  M.  Walden, 


106  HISTORY    OF    IOWA. 

1870-1;  H.  C.  Bulis,  1872-3;  Joseph  Dysart,  1874-5;  Joshua  G. 
Newbold,  1876-7;  Frank  T.  Campbell,  1878-82;  0.  H.  Manning, 
1882  to—. 

Secretaries  of  State — Elisha  Cutler,  Jr.,  Dec.  5,  1846,  to  Dec.  4, 
1848;  Josiah  H.  Bonney,  Dec.  4,  1848,  to  Dec  2,  1850;  George  W. 
McCleary,  Dec.  2, 1850,  to  Dec.  2,  1856;  Elijah  Sells,  Dec.  1,  1856, 
to  Jan  5,  1863;  James  Wright,  Jan.  5,  1863,  to  Jan.  7,  1867;  Ed. 
Wright,  Jan.  7,  1867,  to  Jan  6,  1873;  Josiah  T.  Young,  Jan  6, 
1873,  to  1879;  J.  A.  T;  Hull,  1879  to—. 

Auditors  of  State— Joseph  T.  Fales,  Dec.  5,  1846  to  Dec.  2, 1850; 
William  Pattee,  Dec.  2,  1850,  to  Dec.  4,  1854;  Andrew  J.  Stevens, 
Dec.  4,  1854,  resigned  in  1855;  John  Pattee,  Sept.  22,  1855  to 
Jan.  3  1859;  Jonathan  W.  Cattell,  1859,  to  1865;  John  A.  Elliot, 
1865  to  1871;  John  Russell,  1871  to  1875;  Buren  R.  Sherman, 
1875  to  1881;  W.  V.  Lucas,  1881  to—. 

Treasurers  of  State— Mor^aa  Reno,  Dec.  18,  1846,  to  Dec.  2, 
1850;  Israel  Ki'ster,  Dec  2,  1850,  to  Dec.  4,  1852;  Martin  L.  Mor- 
ris, Dec.  4,  1852,  to  Jan.  2,  1859;  John  W.  Jones  1859  to  1868; 
William  H.  Holmes,  1863  to  1867;  Samuel  E.  Rankin,  1867  to 
1873;  William  Christy,  1873  to  1877;  George  W.  Bemis,  1877  to 
1881;  Edwin  G.  Conger,  1881  to—. 

Superintendents  of  Public  Instruction — Office  created  in  1847 — 
James  Harlan,  June  5, 1845  (Supreme  Court  decided  election  void); 
Thomas  H.  Benton,  Jr.,  May  23, 1844,  to  June  7,  1854;  James  D. 
Eads,  1854-7;  Joseph  C.  Stone,  March  to  June,  1857;  Maturin  L. 
Fisher,  1857  to  Dec.  1858,  when  the  office  was  abolished  and  the 
duties  of  the  office  devolved  upon  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of 
Education. 

Secretaries  of  the  Board  of  Education — Thomas  H.  Benton,  Jr., 
1859—1863;  Oran  Faville,  Jan.  1,  1864.  Board  abolished  March 
23,  1864. 

Superintendents  of  Public  Instruction — Office  re-created  March 
23,  1864— Oran  Faville,  March  28,  1864,  resigned  March  1,  1867; 
D.  Franklin  Wells,  March  4,  1879,  to  Jan.,  1870;  A.  S.  Kissell, 
1870  to  1872;  Alonzo  Abernethy,  1872  to  1877;  Carl  ^\ .  von 
Coelln,  1877  to  1882:  J.  W.  Akers,  1882  to  — . 

State  Binders — Office  created  February  21,  1845 — William  M. 
Coles,  May  1,  1855,  to  May  1,  1859;  Frank  M.  Mills,  1859  to 
1867;  James  S.  Carter,  1867  to  1870;  J.  J.  Smart,  1870  to  1874; 
H.  A.  Perkins,  1874  to  1878;  Matt  Parrott,  1878  to  — . 

Beqisters  of  the  State  Land  Office — Anson  Hart,  May  5,  1855, 
to  May  13,  1857;  Theodore  S.  Parvin,  May  13,  1857,  to  Jan.  3, 
1859;  Amos  B.  Miller,  Jan.  3,  1859,  to  October,  1862;  Edwin 
Mitchell,  Oct.  31,  1862,  to  Jan.  5,  1863;  Josiah  A.  Harvey,  Jan. 
5,  1863,  to  Jan.  7,  1867;  Cyrus  C.  Carpenter,  Jan.  7,  1867,  to  Jan. 
1871;  Aaron  Brown,  January,  1871,  to  January,  1875;  David  Se- 
cor,  January,  1875,  to  1879;  J.  K.  Powers,  1879  to  — . 


HISTORY    OF   IOWA.  107 

State  Printers — Office  created  Jan.  3,  1840 — Garrett  D.  Palmer 
and  Georcre  Paul,  1849;  William  H.  Merritt,  1851  to  1853;  Wil- 
liam A.  Hornish,  1853  (resigned  May  16,  1853);  Mahoney  &  Dorr, 
1853  to  1855;  Peter  Moriarty,  1855  to  1857;  John  Teesdale,  1857 
to  1861;  Francis  W.  Palmer,  1861  to  1869;  Frank  M.  Mills,  1869 
to  1870;  G.  W.  Edwards,  1870  to  1872;  R.  P.  Clarkson,  1872  to 
1878;  Frank  M.  Mills,  1878  to  — . 

Adjutants  General — Daniel  S.  Lee,  1851-5;  Geo.  W.  McCleary, 
1855-7;  Elijah  Sells,  1857;  Jesse  Bowen,  1857-61;  Nathaniel  Ba- 
ker, 1861  to  1877;  John  H.  Loolay,  1877  to  1879;  W.  L.  Alexan- 
der, 1879  to  — . 

Attorneys  General — David  C.  Cloud,  1843-56;  Samuel  A.  Rice, 
1856-60;  Charles  C.  Nourse,  1861-4;  Isaac  L.  Allen,  1865  (resigned 
January,  1866);  Frederick  E.  Bissell,  1866  (died  June  12,  1867); 
Henry  O'Connor,  1867-72;  Marsena  El  Cutts,  1872-6;  John  F. 
McJunkin,  1877  to  1881;  Smith  McPherson,  1881  to  — . 

Presidents  of  the  Senate— Thomas  Baker,  1846-7;  Thomas 
Hughes,  1848;  John  J.  Selman,  1848-9;  Enos  Lowe,  1850-1;  Wil- 
liam E.  Leffingwell,  1852-3;  Maturin  L.  Fisher,  1854-5;  William 
W.  Hamilton,  1856-7.  Under  the  new  Constitution,  the  Lieuten- 
ant Governor  is  President  of  the  Senate. 

Speakers  of  the  House — Jesse  B.  Brown,  1847-8;  Smiley  H. 
Bonhan,  1849-50;  George  Temple,  1851-2;  James  Grant,  1853-4; 
Reuben  Noble,  1855-6;  Samuel  McFarlaj.d,  1856-7;  Stephen  B. 
Sheledy,  1858-9;  John  Edwards,  1860-1:  Rush  Clark,  1862-3;  Ja- 
cob Butler,  1864-5;  Ed.  Wright,  1866-7:  John  Russell,  1868-9; 
Aylett  R.  Cotton,  1870-71;  James  Wilson,  1872-3;  John  H.  Gear, 
1874-7;  John  Y.  Stone,  1878-9;  Lore  Alford,  1880-1;  G.  R.  Stra- 
ble,  1882  to  — . 

New  Constitutioml  Convention^  1859 — Francis  Springer,  Presi- 
dent; Thos.  J.  Saunders,  Secretary. 

STATE    OFFICERS,  1882. 

Buren  R.  Sherman,  Governor;  0.  H.  Manning,  Lieutenant  Gov- 
ernor; John  A.  T.  Hull,  Secretary  of  State;  William  V.  Lucas,  Au- 
ditor of  State;  Edward  H.  Conger,  Treasurer  of  State;  James  K. 
Powers,  Register  of  State  Land  Office;  W.  L.  Alexander,  Adjutant 
General;  Smith  McPherson,  Attorney  General;  Edward  J.  Holmes, 
Clerk  of  the  Supreme  Court;  Jno.  S.  Runnells,  Reporter  Supreme 
Court;  J.  W.  Akers,  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction;  Frank 
M.  Mills,  State  Printer;  Matt.  Parrott,  State  Binder;  Prof .  Nathan 
R.  Leonard,  Superintendent  of  Weights  and  Measures;  Mrs.  S.  B. 
Maxwell,  State  Librarian. 

THE  JUDICIARY. 

SUPREME  COURT  OF  IOWA,  1882. 

Chief  Justice,  Austin  Adams,  Dubuque;  Associate  Judges,  Wil- 
liam H.  Seevers,  Oskaloosa;  James  D.  Day,  Sidney;  James  H.  Roth- 
rock,  Tipton ;  Joseph  M.  Beck^  Fort  Madison. 


108  HISTORY    OF    IOWA. 

DISTRICTS    COURTS,    18S2. 

First  Judicial  District,  Abraham  H.  Stutsman,  Burlington;  Sec- 
ond Judicial  District,  Edward  L.  Burton,  OttumAva;  Third  Judicial 
District,  R.  C.  Henry.  Mount  Ayr;  Fourth  Judicial  District,  Charles 
H.  Lewis,  Cherokee;  Fifth  Judicial  District,  "William  H.  McHenry, 
Des  Moines;  Sixth  Judicial  District,  John  C.  Cook,  Newton;  Sev- 
enth Judicial  District,  AValter  I.  Hayes,  Clinton;  Eighth  Judicial 
District,  John  Shane,  Tinton;  Ninth  Judicial  District.  Sylvester 
Bagg,  Waterloo;  Tenth  Judicial  District,  Ezekial  E.  Cooley,  De- 
corah;  Eleventh  Judicial  District,  James  W.  McKenzie,  Hampton; 
Twelfth  Judicial  District,  Geo.  W.  Ruddick,  Waverly;  Thirteenth 
Judicial  District,  Joseph  R.  Reed,  Council  BlutFs:  Fourteenth  Ju- 
dicial District,  Ed.  R.  Duffie,  Sac  City. 

CIRC§IT    COURTS,    1882. 

First  Judicial  Circuit,  First  District,  William  J.  Jeffries,  Mt. 
Pleasant;  Second  Judicial  Circuit,  First  District,  Charles  Phelps, 
Burlington;  Second  Judicial  Circuit,  H.  C.  Traverse,  Bloomfield; 
Third  Judicial  Circuit.  D.  D.  Gregory,  Afton;  Fourth  Judicial 
Circuit,  J.  R.  Zuver,  Sioux  City;  First  Judicial  Circuit,  Fifth 
District,  Josiali  Given,  Des  Moines;  Second  Judicial  Circuit, 
Fifth  District,  Stephen  A.  Callvert,  Adel;  Sixth  Judicial  Circuit, 
W.  R.  Lewis,  Montezuma;  First  Judicial  Circuit,  Seventh  District, 
Charles  W.  Chase,  Clinton;  Second  Judicial  Circuit,  Seventh  Dis- 
trict, DeWitt  C.  Richman,  Muscatine,  Eighth  Judicial  Circuit, 
Christian  Hedges,  Marengo;  Ninth  Judicial  Circuit,  Benjamin  W. 
Lacy,  Dubuque;  Tenth  Judicial  Circuit,  Charles  T.  Granger,  Wau- 
kon;  Eleventh  Judicial  Circuit,  D.  D.  Miracle,  Webster  City; 
Twelth  Judicial  Circuit,  Robert  G.  Reineger,  Charles  City;  Thir- 
teenth Judicial  Circuit,  C.  F.  Loofbourrow,  Atlantic;  Fourteenth 
Judicial  Circuit,  John  N.  Weaver.  Algona. 


o^ 


CONGRESSIONAL  REPRESENTATION. 

UNITED  STATES  SENATORS. 

(The  first  General  Assembly  failed  to  elect  Senators.) 
George  W.  Jones,  Dubuque,  Dec.  7,  1848-1858;  Augustus  C. 
Dodge,  Burlington,  Dec.  7,  1S4S-1855;  James  Harlan,  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, Jan.  6,  1855-1865;  James  W.  Grimes,  Burlington,  Jan,  26, 
1858-died  1870;  Samuel  J.  Kirkwood,  Iowa  City,  elected  Jan.  13, 
1866,  to  fill  vacancy  caused  bv  resignation  of  James  Harlan:  James 
Harlan,  Mt.  Pleasant,  March  4,  1866-1872;  James  B.  Howell, 
Keokuk,  elected  Jan.  20,  1870,  to  fill  vacancy  caused  by  the  death 
of  J.  W.  Grimes — term  expired  March  3d;  Geo.  G.  Wright,  Des 
Moines,  March  4,  1871-1877;  William  B.  Allison,  Dubuque, 
March  4,  1872;  Samuel  J.  Kirkwood,  March  4,  1877;  James  W. 
McDill,  appointed  to  fill  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of  S. 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.   '  109 

J.  Kirkwood,  in  18S1,  aiul  elected  Jan.  1882,  to  fill  the  unexpired 
term;  James  F.  Wilson,  elected  Jan.  1882,  for  the  full  term,  be- 
{^inning  March  4,  1883. 

MEMBERS  OF  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES. 

Twenty-ninth  Congress — 181G  to  1817. — S.  Clinton  Hastings; 
Shepherd  Leffler. 

Thirtieth  Congress— 1%^  to  1819.— First  District,  William 
Thompson;  Second  District,  Shepherd  Leffler. 

Thirty-first  Conry res.?— 1819  to  1851.— First  District,  First  Ses- 
sion, Wm.  Thompson;  unseated  by  the  House  of  Representatives 
on  a  contest,  and  election  remanded  to  the  people.  First  District, 
Second  Session,  Daniel  F.  Miller.  Second  District,  Shepherd 
Leffler. 

Thirty-second  Conyress — 1851  to  1S53. — First  District,  Bern- 
hart  Henn.     Second  District,  Lincoln  Clark. 

Thirty-third  Congress — 1853  to  1855. — First  District,  Bernhart 
Henn.  Second  District,  John  P.  Cook. 

Thirty-fourth  Conyress — 1855  to  1857.— First  District,  Augustus 
Hall.     Second  District,  James  Thorington. 

Thirty-fifth  Conyress — 1857  to  1859. — First  District,  Samuel 
R.  Curtis.     Second  District,  Timothy  Davis, 

Thirty-sixth  Conqress — 1859  to  186L — First  District,  Samuel 
R.  Curtis.     Second  District,  William  Vandever. 

Thirty-seventh  Conyress— l^Ql  to  1863.— First  District,  First 
Session,  Samuel  R.  Curtis.'*'  First  District.  Second  and  Third  Ses- 
sions, James  F.  Wilson.     Second  District,  William  Vandever. 

Thirty-eiyhth  Conyress — 1863  to  1865. — First  District,  James 
F.  Wilson;  Second  District,  Hiram  Price:  Third  District,  William 
B.  Allison;  F'ourth  District,  Josiah  B.  Grinnell;  Fifth  District, 
John  A.  Kasson;    Sixth  District,  Asahel  W.  Hubbard. 

Thirty-ninth  Conyress — 1865  to  1867. — First  District,  James 
F.  Wilson;  Second  District,  Hiram  Price;  Third  District,  William 
B.  Allison;  Fourth  District,  Josiah  B.  Grinnell;  Fifth  District, 
John  A.  Kasson;  Sixth  District,  Asahel  W.  Hubbard. 

Fortieth  Conyress— ISQl  to  1869.— First  District,  James  F. 
AVilson;  Second  District,  Hiram  Price;  Third  District  William  B. 
Allison;  Fourth  District,  William  Loughridge;  Fifth  District, 
GrenvJUeM.  Dodge;  Sixth  District,  Asahel  W.  Hubbard. 

Forty-first^  Co7iyress—lSm  to  1871— First  District.  George  W. 
McCrary;  Second  District,  William  Smyth;  Third  District, 
William  B.  Allison;  Fourth  District,  William  Loughridge;  Fifth 
District,  Frank  W.  Palmer;  Sixth  District,  Charles  Pomeroy. 


♦Vacated  seat  by  acceptance  of  commission  as  Brigadier  General,  and  J.  F.  Wilson 
chosen  his  successor. 


110  HISTORY    OF    IOWA. 

For(i/-.s('con(f  Congress — 1871  to  1873 — Fiist  District,  George 
W.  McCrarv;  Second  District,  Aylett  R.  Cotton;  Third  District, 
W.  G.  Donnan;  Fourth  District,  Madison  M.  Waldon;  Fifth  Dis- 
trict, Frank  W.  Palmer;  Sixth  District,  Jackson  Orr. 

Forfij-fhird  Congress— ISl'd  to  1875— First  District,  George  W. 
McCrary;  Second"  District,  Aylett  R.  Cotton;  Third  District, 
William  G.  Donnan;  Fourth  District,  Henry  0.  Pratt;  Fifth  Dis- 
trict, James  Wilson;  Sixth  District,  William Loughridge;  Seventh 
District,  John  A.  Kasson;  Eighth  District,  James  W.  McDill; 
Ninth  District,  Jackson  Orr. 

Fortij-fouiih  Congress — 1875  to  1877. — First  District.  George 
W.  McCrary,  Second  District;  John  Q.  Tufts;  Third  District,  L. 
L.  Ainsworth;  Fourth  District,  Henry  0.  Pratt;  Fifth  District, 
James  Wilson;  Sixth  District:  Ezekiel  S.  Sampson:  Seventh  Dis- 
trict, John  A.  Kasson;  Eighth  District,  James  W.  McDill;  Ninth 
District,  Addison  Oliver. 

Forty-fifth  Congress— ISr^  to  1870.— First  District.  J.  C.Stone; 
Second  District,  'Hiram  Price;  Third  District,  T.  W.  Burdick; 
Fourth  District,  H.  C.  Deering;  Fifth  District,  Rush  Clark;  Sixth 
District,  E.  S.  Sampson;  Seventh  District,  H.  J.  B.  Cummings; 
Eighth  District,  W.  F.  Sapp;  Ninth  District,  A.  Oliver. 

Forty-sixth  Congress — 1879  to  1881. — First  District,  Moses  A. 
McCoid;  Second  District.  Hiram  Price;  Third  District,  Thomas 
Updegraff;  Fourth  District,  Natkaniel  C.  Deering;  Fifth  District, 
W.  G.  Thompson;  Sixth  District,  James  B.  Weaver;  Seventh  Dis- 
trict, Edward  H.  Gillette;  Eighth  District,  William  F.  Sapp; 
Ninth  District,  Cyrus  C.  Carpenter. 

Forty-seventh  Congress— ISSl  to  1883.— First  District  Moses  A. 
McCoid;  Second  District,  Sewall  S.  Farwell;  Third  District, 
Thomas  Updegraflf':  Fourth  District,  Nathaniel  C.  Deering:  Fifth 
District,  W.  G.  Thompson;  Sixth  District,  Madison  E.  Cutts, 
Seventh  District.  John  A.  Kasson;  Eighth  District,  William  P. 
Hepburn;  Ninth  District,  Cyrus  C.  Carpenter. 

WAR  RECORD. 

The  State  of  Iowa  may  well  be  proud  of  her  record  during  the 
War  of  the  Rebellion,  from  1861  to  1865.  ^  The  following  brief 
but  comprehensive  sketch  of  the  history  she  made  during  that 
trying  period,  is  largely  from  the  pen  of  Col.  A.  P.  Wood,  of  Du- 
buque, the  author  of  ''The  History  of  Iowa  and  the  War,"  one  of 
the  best  works  of  the  kind  yet  written. 

"Whether  in  the  promptitude  of  her  responses  to  the  calls  made 
on  her  by  the  General  Government,  in  the  courage  and  constancy 
of  her  soldiery  in  the  field,  or  in  the  wisdom  and  efficiency  with 
which  her  civil  administration  was  conducted  during  the  trying 
period  covered  by  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  Iowa  proved  herself 
the  peer  of  any  lnyal  State.  The  proclamation  of  her  Governor, 
responsive  to  that  oi  the  President,  calling  for  volunteers  to  com- 


HISTORY    OF    IOWA.  Ill 

pose  her  First  Regiment,  was  issued  on  the  fourth  day  after  the 
fall  of  Sumter.  At  the  end  of  only  a  single  week,  men  enough 
were  reported  to  be  in  quarters  (mostly  in  the  vicinity  of  their 
own  homes)  to  fill  the  regiment.  These,  however,  were  hardly 
more  than  a  tithe  '^f  the  number  Avho  had  been  offered  by  com- 
pany commanders  for  acceptance  under  the  President's  call.  So 
urgent  were  these  offers  that  the  Governor  requested  (on  the  2-i:th. 
of  April)  permission  to  organize  an  additional  regiment.  While 
awaiting  an  answer  to  this  request,  he  conditionally  accepted  a 
sufficient  number  of  companies  to  compose  two  additional  regi- 
ments. In  a  short  time,  he  was  notified  that  both  of  these  would 
be  accepted.  Soon  after  the  completion  of  the  Second  and  Third  * 
Regiments  (which  was  near  the  close  of  May),  the  Adjutant  Gen- 
eral of  the  State  reported  that  upAvards  of  one  hundred  and  sev- 
enty companies  had  been  tendered  to  the  Governor  to  serve  against 
the  enemies  of  the  Union. 

"Much  difficulty  and  considerable  delay  occurred  in  fitting  these 
regiments  for  the  field.  For  the  First  Infantry  a  complete  outfit 
(not  uniform)  of  clothing  was  extemporized — principall}^  by  the 
volunteered  labor  of  loyal  women  in  the  different  towns — from 
material  of  various  colors  and  qualities,  obtained  Avithinthe  limits 
of  the  State.  The  same  was  done  in  part  for  the  Second  Infantry. 
Meantime,  an  extra  session  of  the  General  Assembly  had  been 
called  by  the  Governor,  to  convene  on  the  15th  of  May.  With 
but  little  delay,  that  body  authorized  a  loan  of  $800,000  to  meet 
the  extraordinary  expenses  incurred,  and  to  be  incurred,  by  the 
Executive  Department,  in  consequence  of  the  new  emergency.  A 
wealthy  merchant  of  the  State  (ex-Governor  Merrill,  then  a  resi- 
dent of  McGregor)  immediately  took  from  the  Governor  a  con- 
tract to  supply  a  complete  outfit  of  clothing  for  the  tliree  regi- 
ments organized,  agreeing  to  receive,  should  the  Governor  so  elect, 
his  pay  therefor  in  State  bonds  at  par.  This  contract  he  executed 
to  the  letter,  and  a  portion  of  the  clothing  (which  was  manufac- 
tured in  Boston  to  his  order)  was  delivered  at  Keokuk,  the  place 
at  which  the  troops  had  rendezvoused,  in  exactly  one  month  from 
the  day  on  which  the  contract  had  been  entered  into.  The  re- 
mainder arrived  only  a  few  days  later.  This  clothing  was  delivered 
to  the  regiment,  but  was  subsequently  condemned  by  the  Govern- 
ment, for  the  reason  that  its  color  was  gray,  and  blue  had  been 
adopted  as  the  color  to  be  worn  by  the  national  troops.'' 

Other  States  also  clothed  their  troops,  sent  forward  under  the 
first  call  of  President  Lincoln,  with  gray  uniforms,  but  it  was 
soon  found  that  the  Confederate  forces  were  also  clothed  in  gray, 
and  that  color  was  once  abandoned  by  the  Union  troops.  If  both 
armies  were  clothed  alike,  annoying  if  not  fatal  mistakes  were 
liable  to  be  made. 

But  while  engaged  in  these  efforts  to  discharge  her  whole  duty, 
in  common  with  all  the  other  Union-loving  States  in  the  great 


112  HISTOKY   OF   IOWA. 

eiiiergem?v.  Iowa  wns  compelled  to  make  immediate  and  ample  pro- 
vision for  the  protection  of  lier  own  borders,  from  threatened  in- 
vasion on  the  south  by  the  Secessionists  of  Missouri,  and  from 
incursions  from  the  west  and  northwest  by  bands  of  hostile 
Indians,  who  were  freed  from  the  usual  restraint  imposed  upon 
them  by  the  presence  of  regular  troops  stationed  at  the  frontier 
posts.  These  troops  ai'e  withdrawn  to  meet  the  greater  and  more 
pressing  danger  threatening  the  life  of  the  nation  at  its  very 
heart. 

To  provide  for  the  adecjuate  defense  of  her  borders  from  the 
ravages  of  both  rebels  in  arms  against  the  Government,  and  of 
the  more  irresistible  foes  from  the  AYestern  plains,  the  Governor 
of  the  State  was  authorized  to  raise  and  equip  two  regiments  of 
infantry,  a  squadron  of  cavalry  (not  less  than  live  companies)  and 
a  battalion  of  artillery  (not  less  than  three  companies).  Only 
cavalry  were  enlisted  for  home  defense,  however,  '•hut."  saysCoL 
Wood,  "in  times  of  special  danger,  or  when  calls  were  made  by 
the  Unionists  of  Northern  Missouri  for  assistance  against  their 
disloyal  enemies,  large  numbers  of  militia  on  foot  often  turned 
out.  and  remained  in  the  field  until  the  necessitv  for  their  ser- 
vices  had  passed. 

"The  first  order  for  the  Iowa  volunteers  to  move  to  the  field 
was  received  on  the  13th  of  June.  It  was  issued  by  Gen.  Lyon, 
then  commanding  the  United  States  forces  in  Missouri.  The 
First  and  Second  Infantry  immediately  embarked  in  steamboats, 
and  moved  to  Hannibal.  Some  two  weeks  later,  the  Third  In- 
fantry was  ordered  to  the  same  point.  These  three,  together  with 
many  other  of  the  earlier  organized  Iowa  regiments,  rendered 
their  first  field  service  in  Missouri.  The  First  Infantry  formed 
a  part  of  the  little  army  with  which  Gen.  Lyon  moved  on  Spring- 
field, and  fought  the  bloody  battle  of  Wilson's  Creek.  It  received 
unqualified  praise  for  its  gallant  bearing  on  the  field.  In  the  fol- 
lowing month  (September),  the  Third  Iowa,  with  but  very  slight 
support,  fought  with  honor  the  sanguinary  eugagement  of  Blue 
Mills  Landing:  and  in  November,  the  Seventh  Iowa,  as  a  part  of 
a  force  commanded  by  Gen.  Grant,  greatly  distinguished  itself  in 
the  battle  of  Belmont,  where  it  poured  out  its  blood  like  water — 
losing  more  than  half  the  men  it  took  into  action. 

"The  initial  operations  in  which  the  battles  referred  to  took 
place,  were  followed  by  the  more  important  movements  led  by 
Gen.  Grant,  Gen.  Curtis,  of  this  state,  and  other  commanders, 
which  resulted  in  defeating  the  armies  defending  the  chief 
strategic  liijes  he'd  by  the  Confederates  in  Kentucky.  Tennessee, 
Missouri  and  Arkansas,  and  compelling  their  withdrawal  from 
much  of  the  territory  previously  controlled  by  them  in  those 
States.  In  these  and  other  movements,  down  to  the  grrand  cul- 
minating campaign  by  which  Vicksburg  was  captured  and  the 
Confederacy  permanently  severed  on  the  line  of  the  Mississippi 


HISTORY   OF   IOWA.  113 

River,  Iowa  troops  took  part  in  steadily  increasing  numbers.  In 
the  investment  and  siege  of  Vicksburg,  the  State  was  represented 
bv  thirty  regiments  and  two  batteries,  in  addition  to  which,  eight 
regiments  and  one  battery  were  employed  on  the  outposts  of  the 
besieging  armv.  The  brilliancy  of  their  exploits  on  the  many 
fields  where  they  served,  won  for  them  the  highest  meed  of  praise, 
both  in  military  and  civil  circles.  Multiplied  were  the  terms  in 
which  expression  was  given  to  this  sentiment,  but  these  words  of 
one  of  the  journals  of  a  neighboring  State,  'The  Iowa  troops  have 
been  heroes  among  heroes,'  embody  the  spirit  of  all. 

"In  the  veteran  re-enlistments  that  disiiinguished  the  closing 
months  of  1S63,  above  all  other  periods  in  the  history  of  re-enlist- 
ments for  the  national  armies,  the  Iowa  three  years'  men  (who 
were  relatively  more  numerous  than  those  of  any  other  State) 
were  prompt  to  set  the  example  of  volunteering  for  another  term 
of  equal  length,  thereby  adding  many  thousands  to  the  great  army 
of  those  who  gave  this  renewed  and  practical  assurance  that  the 
cause  of  the  Union  should  not  be  left  without  defenders. 

•'In  all  the  important  movements  of  1864-65,  by  which  the 
Confederacy  was  penetrated  in  every  cjuarter,  and  its  military 
power  finally  overthrown,  the  Iowa  troops  took  part.  Their 
drum-beat  was  heard  on  the  banks  of  everv  e;reat  river  of  the 
South,  from  the  Potomac  to  the  Rio  Grande,  and  everywhere  they 
rendered  the  same  faithful  and  devoted  service,  maintaining  on 
all  occasions  their  wonted  reputation  for  valor  in  the  field  and  en- 
durance on  the  march. 

"Two  Iowa  three-year  cavalry  regiments  were  employed  during 
the  whole  term  of  service  in  the  operations  that  were  in  progress 
from  1S63  to  1S66  against  the  hostile  Indians  of  the  western 
plains.  A  portion  of  these  men  were  among  the  last  of  the  vol- 
unteer troops  to  be  mustered  out  of  service.  The  State  also  sup- 
plied a  considerable  number  of  men  to  the  navy,  who  took  part  in 
most  of  the  naval  operations  prosecuted  against  the  Confederate 
power  on  the  Atlantic  and  Gulf  coasts,  and  the  rivers  of  the 
West. 

"The  people  of  Iowa  were  early  and  constant  workers  in  the 
sanitary  field,  and  by  their  liberal  gifts  and  personal  eftbrts  for  the 
benefit  of  the  soldiery,  placed  their  State  in  front  rank  of  those 
who  became  distinguished  for  their  exhibition  of  patriotic  benevo- 
lence during  the  period  covered  by  the  war.  Agents  appointed  by 
the  Governor  were  stationed  at  points  convenient  for  rendering 
assistance  to  the  sick  and  needy  soldiers  of  the  State,  while  others 
were  employed  in  visiting  from  time  to  time,  hospitals,  camps  and 
armies  in  the  field,  and  doing  whatever  the  circumstances  rendered 
possible  for  the  health  and  comfort  of  such  of  the  Iowa  soldiers 
as  might  be  found  there. 

•"Some  of  the  benevolent  people  of  the  State  early  conceived 
the  idea  of  establishing  a  Home  for  such  of  the   children   of!  de- 


114  HISTOKT    OF   IOWA. 

ceased  soldiers  as  might  be  left  iu  destitute  circumstances.  This 
idea  first  took  form  in  in  1863,  and  in  the  following  year  a  Home 
was  opened  at  Farmington,  Van  Buren  County,  in  a  building 
leased  for  that  purpose,  and  which  soon  became  filled  to  its  utmost 
capacity.  The  institution  received  liberal  donations  from  the  gen- 
eral public,  and  also  from  the  soldiers  iu  the  field.  In  1865  it  be- 
came necessary  to  provide  increased  accommodations  for  the  large 
number  of  children  who  were  seeking  the  benefits  of  its  care. 
This  was  done  by  establishing  a  branch  at  Cedar  Falls,  in  Black 
Hawk  County,  and  by  securing,  during  the  same  year,  for  the  use 
of  the  parent  Home,  Camp  Kinsman,  near  the  city  of  Davenport. 
This  property  was  soon  afterward  donated  to  the  institution  by 
act  of  Congress. 

"In  1866,  in  pursuance  of  a  law  enacted  for  that  purpose,  the 
Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  (which  then  contained  about  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  inmates)  became  a  State  institution,  and  thereafter 
the  sums  necessary  for  its  support  were  appropriated  from  the 
State  Treasury.  A  second  branch  was  established  at  Glenwood, 
Mills  county.  Convenient  tracts  were  secured  and  valuable  im- 
provements made  at  the  different  points.  Schools  were  also  estab- 
lished and  employments  provided  for  such  of  the  children  as  were 
of  suitable  age.  In  all  ways  the  provision  made  for  these  wards 
of  the  State  has  been  such  as  to  challenge  the  approval  of  every 
benevolent  mind.  The  number  of  children  who  have  been  in- 
mates of  the  Home  from  its  foundation  to  the  present  time  is  con- 
siderably more  than  two  thousand. 

"At  the  beginning  of  the  war,  the  population  of  Iowa  included 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  men,  presumably  liable  to 
render  military  service.  The  Sta^^e  raised,  for  general  service, 
thirty-nine  regiments  of  infantry,  nine  regiments  of  cavalry,  and 
four  companies  of  artillery,  composed  of  three  years  '  men;  one 
regiment  of  infantry,  composed  of  three  months'  men;  and  four 
regiments  and  one  battallion  of  infantry  composed  of  one  hundred 
days'  men.  The  original  enlistments  in  these  various  organiza- 
tions, including  seventeen  hundred  and  twenty-seven  men  raised 
by  draft,  numbered  a  little  more  than  sixty-nine  thousand.  The 
re-enlistments,  including  upward  of  seven  thousand  veterans, 
numbered  very  nearly  eight  thousand.  The  enlistments  in  the 
regular  army  and  navy,  and  organizations  of  other  States,  will,  if 
added,  raise  the  total  to  upward  of  eighty  thousand.  The  number 
of  men  who,  under  special  enlistments,  and  as  militia,  took  part  at 
different  times  in  the  operations  on  the  exposed  borders  of  the 
State,  was  probably  as  many  as  five  thousand. 

"Iowa  paid  no  bounty  on  account  of  the  men  she  placed  in  the 
field.  In  some  instances,  toward  the  close  of  the  war,  bounty  to 
a  comparatively  small  amount  was  paid  by  cities  and  towns.  On 
only  one  occasion — that  of  the  call  of  July  18,  1864 — was  a  draft 
made  in  Iowa.    This  did  not  occur  on  account  of  her  proper  liabil- 


HISTOKY    OF   IOWA. 


115 


supply  men  ™f  «%"^,^ .  "^^ '^^^^^^^^^  GoTernment  msisted  on 

of    1      oVa  states,  older  and  larger  in  l-P"'-^™  aucl  weaUh       - 

rnd'ot €w%ral  0^  1^^^^  of  her  bonds  issued  and 
soM  dm'n  '  t  e  wa?  to  provide  the  means  for  raising  and  equipping 
?rotps  sen^t  intrthe  fi'eld,  and  to  nieet  the  inevitable  demands 
upon  her  treasury  in  consequence  ot  the  war. ^ 

^T^MENT  showing  the  numher  of  men  furnished  and  casualities  in  loxca 
regiments  during  the  War  of  the  Eehelhon. 


1st  Battery 
2d  Battery. 
3d  Battery 
4th  Battery, 
IstCavalr 
2d  Cavalry. 

3d  Cavalry I       ^097 

4th  Cavalry,  '       ^^^' 

5th  Cavalry 
6th  Cavalry 
7th  Cavalry 

8th  Cavalry 

9th  Cavalry 

Sioux  City  Cavalry 

Co.  A,  nth  Penn.  Cavalry 

1st  Infantry 

2d  Infantry 

3d  Infantry  , 

2d  and  3d  Inf.  Consohdated 

4th  Infantry 

5th  Infantry 

6th  Infantry 

7th  Infantry 


116    • 


HISTORY   OF   IOWA. 


Regiments. 


8th  Infantry 

9th  Infantry 

10th  Infantry 

11th  Infantry 

r2th  Infantry 

13th  Infantry 

14th  Infantry 

14th  Inf.  Res.  Batt. . . .  / 

15th  Infantry 

16th  Infantry 

17th  Infantry 

18th  Infantry.... 

19th  Infantry 

'JlOth  Infantry 

21st  Infiintry , 

22d  Infantry , 

23cl  Infantry , 

24th  Infantry 

25th  Infantry 

26th  Infantry , 

27th  Infantiy 

28th  Infantry 

29th  Infantry 

30th  Infantry 

31st  Infantry 

32d  Infantry , 

33d  Infantry 

34th  Infantry 

34th  Consolidated 

35th  Infantry 

36th  Infantry 

37th  Infantry 

38th  Infantry 

39th  Infantry 

40th  Inflmtry 

41st  Infantry , 

44th  Infantiy 

45th  Infantiy 

46th  Infantiy 

47th  Infantry 

48th  Infantry 

1st  African  Infantiy 

Totals 


1027 

1090 

1027 

1022 

981 

989 

840 

ii96 

918 
950 
875 
985 
925 
980 

1108 
961 
959 
995 
919 
940 
956 

1005 
978 
977 
925 
985 
953 

'984 
986 
914 
910 
933 
900 
294 
867 
912 
892 
884 
346 


56.364 


cc 

^ 

a  it-,  »; 

1  c 

Itie 

rt  a 

:=.2  o 

o  --^ 

^^^ 

761 

93 

973 

133 

739 

91 

610 

79 

768 

62 

852 

99 

526 

50 

11 

1029 

130 

819 

89 

614 

61 

449 

33 

562 

86 

359 

13 

531 

66 

634 

105 

570 

69 

761 

111 

564 

61 

562 

69 

530 

21 

696 

76 

511 

36 

646 

63 

540 

27 

589 

89 

580 

62 

561 

6 

72 

5 

510 

42 

619 

59 

503 

3 

431 

1 

406 

54 

361 

15 

17 

15 

22 

1 

28 

1 

47 

4 

383 

5 

30,394 

3,139 

O  CO 


ft 


137 

208 
134 
148 
243 
182 
122 

i94 

217 

97 

109 

91 

130 

157 

126 

196 

197 

199 

204 

162 

180 

248 

233 

261 

203 

196 

228 

13 

182 

226 

141 

310 

119 

179 

2 

14 

17 

23 

45 

4 

331 


8,695 


History  of  Chickasaw  County. 


CHAPTER  I. 


INTRODUCTION  ;      CONTRASTS     OF     ThEN     AND     NoW  ;     GEOGRAPHY  ; 

TopoGRAj'HY ;    Geology  ;    Principal   Productions,   and  Re- 


sources ;  Railroad  Facilities. 


INTRODUCTORY. 

Lessening  each  year,  under  the  relentless  hand  of  death,  the  lit- 
tle band  of  hardy  pioneers,  who  first  broke  the  way  for  civilization 
and  planted  the  broad  marks  of  progress  on  the  virgin  prairie  of 
Chickasaw  County,  are  fast  passing  away,  and  before  they  have  all 
been  gathered  to  their  rest  let  us  hasten  and  gather  from  their  lips 
the  tales  of  bygone  days,  when  hardy  pioneers,  both  men  and  wo- 
men, leaving  the  friendly  shelter  of  the  old  home,  pushed  out  into 
the  domain  of  the  wild  beast  and  his  scarce  less  wild  brother  the 
savage,  and  there  essayed  to  carve  them  out  a  new  home. 

Their  bent  forms,  their  furrowed  brows  and  hoary  hair,  tell  of 
the  fierce  battle  with  trial  and  hardship — the  fight  for  life  with 
penury  and  want,  but  the  bright  eye,  the  firm  glance,  tell  that  they 
conquered,  as  only  a  noble  band  of  heroes  could  conquer,  and  they 
seem  spared  to  sanctify  the  homes  that  they  have  founded  in  this 
domain  of  nature.  Their  deeds  deserve  a  place  in  history,  that 
will  long  survive  the  montiments  of  marble  that  must  soon  mark 
the  i^lace  where  they  will  be  at  rest.  Let  us  then  gather  the  de- 
tails from  them  before  they  go,  that  we  may  honor  them  as  we 
should.     And  here  let  us  draw 

THE    CONTRAST 

between  the  then  and  now.       Although  settled  at  a  comparatively 


120  HISTORY  OF  OIIICKASAW  COUNTY. 

late  date  this  parallel  seems  startling,  those  who  have  lived  quiet- 
ly upon  their  farms,  which  they  settled  when  they  first  came,  can 
hardly  realize  the  change,  having  seen  it  grow  up  so  gradually. 
But  like  the  yesirs  of  man  the  country  has  been  growing  steadily 
on.  Thirty-five  years  ago  these  now  productive  acres,  these  rich 
grazing  lands  and  fertile  farms,  were  l^ang  an  almost  unbroken 
wilderness,  the  hunting  ground  and  often  the  battle  ground  of  the 
red  Indian. 

The  soil  was  rich  and  productive,  but  what  sterling  nerve  and 
determination  was  required  to  make  it  a  suitable  habitation  for 
man,and  to  reclaim  to  the  uses  of  pivilization  its  virgin  soil,  verily, 
to  turn  the  back  on  the  older  homes  of  our  race  and  carve  out  a 
new  one  on  the  bosom  of  the  prarics  was  no  light  task.  No  roads 
laid  out  or  opened,  and  the  settler  was  often  compelled  to  go  thirty 
or  forty  miles  to  mill,  and  happy  was  he  if  he  had  grist  to  grind  at 
that. 

Agricultural  and  domestic  implements  were  scarce  and  crude, 
and  hard  manual  labor  replaced  them  to  a  great  extent.  Contrast 
the  difference  between  the  rude  appliances  of  those  early  days,  0, 
ye  pioneers  !  with  the  manifold  labor-saving  implements  of  to-day, 
both  in  housekeeping  and  husbandry.-  The  harvester  with  the 
scythe — ^the  threshing  machine  with  the  flail — the  sewing  machine 
with  its  more  humble  sister  the  sewing  needle,  and  so  on,  through 
all  the  long  list,  and  then  you  can  mark  the  change. 

Contrast  tlie  rude  log  school  house,'  which  served  its  multiform 
purpose  of  school,  church,  court-house  and  often  the  only  public 
building  witliin  the  radius  of  a  day's  journey,  with  the  more  pre^ 
tentious  churches,  school-houses  and  county  buildings  of  the*pres- 
ent  day. 

In  those  earl}'  days,  "that  tried  men's  souls,"  or  at  lea»t  their 
nerve  and  back  bone,  no  handy  market  was  there,  for  the  farm 
produce,  nor  convenient  store  where  he  could  purchase  all  his 
needs  called  for,  but  a  long  journey  over  a  dreary  road,  often  ex- 
tending to  75  or  100  miles  before  he  could  reach  a  place  advanced 
enough  to  boast  of  a  buyer  and  seller  of  produce  and  merchandise, 
and  his  only  conveyance  the  slow  plodding  oxen,  or  scarce  more 
expeditious  farm  horse.  Now  the  iron  horse  snorts  almost  at  the 
very  door,  and  towns  and  villages  dot  these  boundless  prairies, 
bringing  in  tlieir  train  all  conveniences  of  civiliaed  life,  and  even 


HISTORY  OF  CJIICKASyVW  COUNTY.  121 

all  tlie  luxuries   of  the  olden  home  he  left  in  the  bye  gone  days. 

But  let  us  to  the  facts. 
The  following  facts  as  to  the  location,  physical  features,  soil  and 

drainage,  and  resources  of  Chickasaw  County,  are  mainly  takea 
from  Andreas'  State  Atlas  of  Iowa,  and  are  believed  to  be  as  accu- 
rate as  are  obtainable.  They  are  supplemented  with  additional 
facts,  wherever  it  is  possible  to  procure  reliable  data  and  i^;ifor- 
mation  : 

Chickasaw  is  the  third  county  west  of  the  Mississippi  River  in 
the  second  tier  from  the  north  line  of  the  State.  It  contains  an 
area  of  504  square  miles,  or  322,500  acres 

The  surface  of  the  country"  is  generally  gently  undulating,  and 
in  some  places  very  nearly  level.  Very  little  rolling  land  is  found 
within  its  limits,  and.this  is  confined  principally  to  a  narrow  strip 
of  the  southwestern  township,  in  the  vicinity  of  Cedar  River.  The 
natural  drainage  of  this  surface  is  remarkably  good,  as  the  county 
is  traversed  by  no  less  than  seven  streams  of  considerable  size,  all- 
flowing  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  and  almost  jjarallel  to  each 
other,  which,  with  their  numerous  small  affluents,  drain  nearly 
every  section  in  the  county.  The  current  in  these  streams  is  uni- 
formly quite  rapid,  but  the  nature  of  the  rock  underlying  the  en- 
tire county  has  prevented  them  from  eroding  deep  channels. 

The  numerous  streams  supply  the  county  with  numerous  water 
powers,  which  are  being  imjn'oved  as  the  agricultural  resources  of 
the  county  are  develojjcd  and  require  their  use.  It  has  so  far  been 
chiefly  employed  for  milling  puri)oses,  as  other  manufacturing  en- 
terprises have  not  been  inaugurated  to  any  great  extent. 

The  streams  are  also  generally  skirted  with  timber,  of  which, 
however,  the  county  has  not  an  abundant  supjdy.  There  is  enough 
to  supply  the  ordinary  needs  of  the  county  since  the  railroads 
have  brought  pine  lumber  within  reach,  as  it  is  more  economical 
both  for  building  and  fencing  than  native  lumber.  The  timber  is 
tolerably  well  distributed,  and  since  the  settlement  of  the  county 
has  diminished  the  ravages  of  fire  it  is  growing  rapidly  in  groves 
upon  the  prairies.  The  largest  body  of  timber  lies  along  the  Cedar 
River  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  county. 

The  county  is  almost  entirely  underlaid  with  strata  of  rock 
which  geologists  ascribe  to  the  Hamilton  group  of  the  Devonian 
Age.  It  is  an  argillacious  limestone,  or  highly  calcareous  shales 
alternating  with  bands  of  limestone.     The  following  measurements 


122  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COl'fvTY. 

of  the  (lift'erent  strata  at  a  quarry  near  Bradford,  on   Cedar   River, 
will  indicate  the  general  character  of  the  rock  formation  : 

Light-gray,  fine  grained  limestone 9  inches. 

Dark-gray,  thick  shaly  limestone 7  feet. 

I>uff-gray  crystalline  limestone 5  inches. 

Hard,  dark-gray  shaly  limestone 8  inches. 

Hard  dark-gray  limestone 7  inches. 

Unexposed 2  feet. 

Light,  buft-gray  limestone  1  ft.  8  in. 

The  limestone  exposed  at  this  quarry  is  of  medium  purity,  and 
quite  hard.  So  for  as  observed,  it  is  almost  destitute  of  fossil.  It 
is  well  exposed  only  along  the  l:>anks  of  Cedar  River.  l^^lsc where 
over  the  county  the  coni])aratively  level  surface  of  deej)  drift,  and 
the  shallow  channels  of  thi?  streams  are  causes  which  prevent  its 
fi'equent  exposure. 

Materials  suitable  for  the.  manufacture  of  brick  may  be  found  in 
nearly  every  township. 

In  an  early  day  a  large  portion  of  the  land  in  this  (;ounty  was 
considered  rather  too  wet  to  be  of  the  highest  value  for  cultivation. 
The  wet  land  was  not  found  in  the  form  of  low  marshes,  difhcult 
of  drainage,  for  there  were  Jione  of  these,  but  was  as  frequent  upon 
the  highest  prairies  as  elsewhere*  This  peculiarity  has  very  rap- 
idly disa))pcared  within  the ^  last  few  years,  as  indeed  it  could 
scarcelv  fail  to  <1()  with  the  excellent  natural  drainage  already  de- 
scribed.  It  was  doubtless  caused  in  jiart  by  tlie  comparatively 
slight  dejjressions  made  by  the  water  course,  but  the  principal 
cause  is  probably  to  be  found  in  the  nature  of  the  soil  and  subsoil.. 
The  soil  is  a  deep,  rich  black  loam,  abundantly  supplied  with 
vegetable  mold  from  the  decay  of  the  wild  grasses  which  grcAV  pro- 
fusely u})on  its  surface.  The  subsoil  is  a  deep  V)ed  of  the  drilt  de- 
posite  consisting  of  earth  near  the  surface,  and  beneath  this  min- 
gled clay,  sand  and  gravel.  Its  texture  was  not  so  suitable  for  ad- 
mitting the  percolation  of  water  through  it  from  the  surface  as  the 
light  porous  subsoil  of  other  sections,  and  the  limestone  rock  does 
not  come  near  enough  the  surface  to  sup])ly  the  under  drainage 
afforded  to  still  other  sections.  The  luxuriant  groAvth  oi' grass  and 
tough  sward  which  it  formed  tended  to  retard    the    drving   of  the 


*t) 


soil  by  evaporation.     An  undue  proportion  of  water  was   retained 


HISTORY    OF   CHICKASAW    COUNTY.  123 

near  the  surface  by  these   causes.       Cultivation  in  places  and  the 
pasturage  of  the  intervening  prairies,  have  tended  to  equalize  the 
conditions   and   the  wet   character   of  the  soil  began  to  disappear 
without  artificial  drainage.       Indeed,  it  is   now   satisfiictorily    de- 
monstrated  that   cultivation   alone  is   capable  of  effecting  a  com- 
plete cure  ;  that  the  soil,  although  in  an  early  day  appearing  to  be 
of  rather  a  sluggish  quality,  not  so  easily    or   readily   sul)dued   as 
that   of  some  other  sections,  becomes  in  the  course  of  a  few  years, 
as  lively  and  as  well  adapted  to  the  plow  as  any  otlier,  and  that  it 
is  rich  and  productive,  possessing  qualities  of  strength  and  dura- 
bility found  wanting  in  soils  that  were  more  easily  subdued   from 
a  state  of  nature,  and  which  also  wear  out  more  easily.      The   sta- 
tistics published  in  another  part  of  this  work,  show   that   in   rela- 
tive productiveness  for. the  amount  of  land  in  cultivation,  Chicka- 
saw county  takes  rank  among  the  foremost  counties  of  tlie  State  of 
Iowa. 

The  principal  grain  products  of  the  county  are  wheat,  corn,  oats, 
and  barley.  Wheat  takes  the  lead  slightly,  followed  very  closely 
by  corn,  and  to  a  somewhat  less  degree  by  oats.  The  soil  seems 
to  be  nearly  equally  well  adapted  to  all  these  grains,  the  relative 
profit  to  be  derived  from  them,  chiefly  govern  the  extent  of  culti- 
vation. Stock  raising  is  an  important  branch  of  its  industries,  as 
both  native  and  tame  grasses  thrive  luxuriantly,  and,  indeed, 
cattle  raising  is  by  many  deemed  more  remunerative  than  exten- 
sive grain  growing.  The  county  is  therefore  admirably  suited  for 
mixed  or  diversified  farming,  and  is  not  devoted  to  one  class  of 
crops,  or  to  grain  growing  or  stock  raising  to  the  exclusion  or  det- 
riment of  the  other  branch,  but  most  of  its  farmers  cultivate  the 
several  kinds  of  grain  and  grass  and  raise  small  herds  of  cattle, 
thereby  securing  the  rotation  in  crops  and  other  conditions  most 
highly  advantageous  and  favorable  a  reliable  productiveness,  and 
have  every  year  some  surplus  that  will  bring  a  good  price  in  the 
market,  whether  any  particular  product  be  up  or  down. 

The  mineral  resource^  of  the  county  are  comparatively  slight, 
being  limited  to  a  few  quarries,  of  building  stone.  Her  agricultu- 
ral resources  are  remarkably  good,  as  we  have  already  described, 
and  must  constitute  the  foundation  of  her  future  prosperity. 
There  are  excellent  resources  for  manufacturing  purposes,  in  her 
abundant  water  powers.     These  have  been   already   improved   to 


124  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

considerable  extent  for  flouring  mills,  but  with  her  rich  agricultu- 
ral resources  and  demand  for  machinery,  ought  to  be  made  to  pro- 
pel a  large  amount  of  machinery  employed  in  the  manufacture  of 
agricultural  implements  and  woolen  goods,  which  will  doubtless 
be  done  in  time. 

The  railroad  facilities  of  the  county  are  good.  It  is  traveled 
from  east  to  west  by  the  Iowa  and  Dakota  division  of  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  and  St.  Paul  railway,  with  stations  at  New  Hampton, 
Lawler  and  Chickasaw,  affording  ready  access  to  the  best  wheat 
market  of  the  northwest — Milwaukee.  The  Cedar  Falls  and  Min- 
nesota branch  of  the  Illinois  Central  railroad  traverses  the  south- 
west corner,  with  an  important  station  at  Nashua.  Both  of  these 
roads  furnish  ready  communication  with  the  principal  pine  lum- 
ber districts. 

We  would  add,  however,  that  the  capability  of  the  county  for 
grazing  purposes,  is  largely  turning  the  attention  of  the  farming 
community  in  that  direction,  with  marked  success,  as  is  instanced 
by  an  improved  financial  condition  of  all  classes. 

Already  a  large  number  of  creameries  dot  these  fertile  prairies^ 
and  foreshadow  a  new  era  in  the  prosperity  of  the  county.  The 
population  is  largely  made  up  of  the  emigrants  from  the  over- 
crowded European  countries,  principally  fi'om  Ireland,  Germany 
and  Scandinavia,  with  many  from  the  older  states  of  our  own 
country,  but  all  blend  harmoniously  in  working  for  the  present 
and  future  good  of  this  their  adopted  home. 


HISTOEY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNUY.  125 


CHAPTER  II. 


Organization;  Original  Order  toR  the  Same;  First  Officers; 
Early  Records;  Division  into  Townships;  County  Elections; 
County  Officials;  Votes  on  Federal  State,  and  County 
Officers,  Etc. 


^) 


The  first  attempt  at  organizing  the  county  of  Chickasaw  was 
made  in  1853,  the  following,  which  relates  thereto,  being  the  first 
entry  in  the  records  of  the  county  judge: 

"The  county  of  Chickasaw  embraces  towns  94,  95,  96  and  97, 
ranges  11,  12,  13  and  14,  west  of  the  fifth  principal  meridian;  and 
by  order  of  the  county  judge  of  Fayette  county,  state  of  Iowa,  the 
same  was  on  the  30th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1853,  ordered  organized. 
John  Bird,  organizing  sheriff  in  the  election  held  on  the  13th  day 
of  August,  1853" 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  original  notice  to  the  organizing 
sheriff,  marked,  filed  December  31st,   1854,   in  the   office  of  the 
county  judge  of  Chickasaw  county,  by  J.  Lyon  county  judge: 
"STATE  OF    IOWA,) 
Fayette  OSunty.     | 

John  Bird — Sir:  Bv  virtue  of  power  vested  in  me  by  the  co  1^ 
of  Iowa,  I  have  this  day  appointed  you  organizing  sheriff  for  the 
organization  of  Chickasaw  county.  You  are  hereby  required  to 
post  up  at  least  five  Written  notices  in  said  county,  that  on  the  first 
Monday  in  August  there  will  be  an  election  held  at  the  house  of 
A.  E.  Haskel  in  the  town  of  Bradford,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing 
said  county  and  electing  county  officers  as  follows,  to-wit: 


126  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

"County  judge,  district'  clerk,  recorder,  and  treasurer,  school 
fund  commissioner,  prosecuting  attorney,  sheriff,  coroner,  and 
county  surveyor. 

"And  also  one  justice  of  the  peace,  one  constable,  three  township 
trustees  and  town  clerk.  And  make  due  returns  to  me  of  the  same 
at  my  office  in  West  Union. 

"The  above  mentioned  notices  to  be  posted  up  at  least  ten  days 
prior  to  the  election.  "Thomas  Woodle, 

"County  Judge." 

"June  30th,  1853. 

The  election  was  held  as  so  ordered,  and  so  far  as  can  be  defi- 
nitely ascertained,  G.  R.  Rowley  was  elected  county  judge;  Wil- 
liam Tucker,  school  fund  commissioner;  but  for  reasons  satisfac- 
tory, no  doubt,  to  himself,  this  result  was  not  in  accordance  with 
the  wishes  of  the  organizing  sheriff.  Bird,  who  it  would  seem, 
consequently  withheld  all  returns  on  his  warrant,  and  ordered  a 
new  election,  which  took  place  April  3d,  1854,  at  which  the  organ- 
ization of  the  county  was  duly  effected. 

The  only  record  showing  this  election  is  the  bond  of  John 
Campbell  as  treasurer  and  recorder  signed  by  G.  R.  Rowle}^  and 
James  S.  Frazee  as  bondsmen,  and  filed  in  the  office  of  James 
Lyon,  county  judge,  April  12th,  1854.  The  bond  was  in  the  sum 
of  five  thousand  dollars.  Tradition  has  it  that  S.  C.  Goddard 
resigned  as  clerk  of  the  districts  court,  and  his  place  was  filled 
by  J.  A.  J.  Bird.  To  the  filing  of  the  finding  of  the  commissioners, 
locating  the  county  seat  at  Bradford,  under  date  of  August  14th. 
1554,  we  find  Bird's  signature  attached.  An  entry  bearing  date 
September  5th,  1853,  records  a  session  of  county  court  held  that 
day.  Judge  James  Lyon  presiding,  at  which  no  business  was  tran- 
sacted, and  the  court  adjourned.  This  is  signed  by  S.  C.  Goddard 
as  clerk. 

The  county  of  Chickasaw,  as  appears  from  the  above,  was  organ- 
ized April  3d,  1854,  when  the  following  officers  were  elected: 
James  Lyon,  county  judge;  John  Campbell,  recorder  and  treasurer; 
S.  C.  Goddard,  district  clerk;  D.  A.  Babcock,  prosecuting  attorney ; 
Andrew  Sample,  sheriff;  Oscar  Cooley,  surveyor;  Dr.  S.  C. 
Haynes,  coroner. 

At  this  election  the  whole  county  was  treated  as  one  precinct, 
under  the  name  of  Bradford.  The  following  is  a  concise  account 
of  the  subsequent  township  organization: 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  127 

At  the  March  term  of  the  county  court,  1855,  it  was  or- 
dered that  the  county  of  Chickasaw  constitute  five  election  dis- 
tricts, viz:  1.  That  town  94-14  and  13  be  called  Bradford  district. 
2.  That  town  95-14  and  13  be  called  Chickasaw  district.  3.  That 
town  96-14  and  13  be  called  Brink  district.  4.  That  town  96  and 
one-half  of  97-11  and  12,  be  called  Obispc)  district.  5.  That  towns 
94  and  95-11  and  12  be  called  Yankee  district. 

At  the  March  term  of  the  county  court,  1856,  township  96,  range 
14,  and  the  south  half  of  97-14,  were  set  off  as  a  new  township  under 
the  name  of  Deerfield,  and  organized  at  the  ensuing  election. 

At  the  same  term,  township  94,  range  13,  was  set  off,  and  at  the 
ensuing  election  organized  under  the  name  of  Richland. 

At  the  same  term  an  order  was  made  to  organize  township  96-13 
and  the  south  half  of  97-13,  under  name  of  Washington,  and  the 
township  proceeded  to  organize;  but  the  organization  was  pro- 
nounced irregular,  and  it  was  attached  to  Deerfield. 

At  the  April  term,  1857,  township  95-12  was  ordered  organized 
under  the  name  of  New  Hampton;  also  96-13  and  the  south  half 
of  97-13,  under  the  name  of  Washington;  also  94-11  and  12  under 
the  name  Fredericksburg.  At  this  term  the  west  half  of  94-12 
was  attached  to  Richland,  and  95-11  was  organized  under  the 
name  of  Stephen. 

At  the  July  term,  1857,  township  95-13  was  ordered  organized 
under  the  name  of  Davton. 

At  the  March  term,  1858,  96-12  and  the  south  half  of  97-12,  were 
ordered  organized  under  the  name  of  Jacksonville,  and  at  the 
same  time  96-11  and  the  south  half  of  97-11,  were  ordered  organ- 
ized under  the  name  of  Utica. 

In  1859, 94-12  was  ordered  organized  under  the  name  of  Dresden. 
Subsequently,  the  east  tier  of  sections  of  Dresden  was  detached 
and  placed  in  Fredericksburg  township,  but  these  have  been  since 
replaced,  except  the  southeast  of  section  12  and  the  northeast 
of  13. 

A  part  of  Dayton  township  has  been  taken  from  it  and  placed 
in  New  Hampton  township,  viz:  the  east  half  of  northeast,  and 
the  northeast  half  of  tke  southeast  of  section  12. 

Precedent  to  its  organization  as  narrated  above,  Chickasaw 
county  was  first  created  as  a  political  subdivision  of  the   State  of 


128  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

Iowa,  in  1851,  by  chapter  nine  of  the  act  of  the  third  general  as- 
sembly, section  that  thirty -three  of  which  reads  as  follows :  "That 
the  following  shall  be  the  boundaries  of  a  new  country  which  shall 
be  called  Chickasaw,  to-wit:  Beginning  at  the  northwest  ©orner 
of  township  97,  range  10;  thence  west  to  the  northwest  corner  of 
township  97,  range  14,  thence  south  to  the  southwest  corner  of 
township  94,  range  14;  thence  east  to  the  southwest  corner  of 
township  14,  range  10;  thence  to  the  -place  of  beginning;"  which 
aot  was  approved  on  the  15th  day  of  January,  1851. 

A  chapter  one  hundred  and  twenty  of  the  acts  of  the  fourth 
general  assembly,  the  boundaries  were  changed  as  follows:  "Sec- 
tion 1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  general  assembly  of  the  state  of  Iowa, 
that  the  north  half  of  township  97,  of  ranges  number  11,  12,  13 
and  14,  following  the  line  of  the  United  States  subdivision  thereof, 
shall  be,  and  the  same  are  hereby  detached  from  Chickasaw 
county  and  attached  to  Howard. 

By  the  act  of  the  fourth  general  assembly,  chapter  twelve,  ap- 
proved January,  1843,  Chickasaw  county,  "attached  to  Fayette 
county  for  election,  revenue  and  judicial  purposes,"  and  it  was  by 
Thomas  Woodle,  county  judge  of  Fayette  county,  that  the  order 
appointing  John  Bird  organizing  sheriff  of  CTiickasaw  county,  was 
issued  June  30th,  1853,  as  related  in  preceding  pages. 

And  here  it  will  be  in  order  to  present  a  record  of  the 

SUCCEEDING   COUNTY   ELECTIONS 

in  Chickasaw  county,  beginning  with  the  first  canvass  of  election 
that  appears  of  record  in  the  election  book  in  the  office  of  the  county 
auditor  : 

AUGUST,  1856. 

The  first  canvass  of  election  recorded  is  that  of  the  election  held  in 
August,  1856.  For  State  Senator,  34th  District,  296  votes  were 
cast,  of  which  Jeremiah  T.  Atkins  received  219  and  Edward  Ellis 
seventy-seven  votes;  for  Representative,  48th  District,  E.  R.  Gillett 
received  205  and  William  Pattee  ninety-two  votes.  Timothy  Davis 
and  Shepherd  Lefiler  were  opposing  candidates  for  Congress  from 
this,  then  the  2d  Congressional  District.  Davis  received  225  votes, 
Leffler  eighty-one.  For  Secretary  of  State,  Elijah  Sells,  224  votes; 
George  Snyder,  'seventy -nine;  scattering,  three.  Clerk  of  district 
court,  George  W.  Reed,  166;  Wesley  Swazee,  140.  Prosecut- 
ing attorney, "Frederick  Hall,  219;  A.  G.  Case,  ninety -two. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  129 

For  county  purveyor,  C.  M.  Webster  received  164  votes  out  of  a 
possible  303,  H.  H.  Shaffer,  being  his  unsuccessful  competitor. 
Edwin  Cudworth  was  elected  coroner,  receiving  168  votes,  Elijah 
Gunn  receiving  ninety -one  and  C.  M.  Webster  forty-seven  votes 
for  the  same  ofiice.  Forty-five  votes  were  cast  against  the  "hog 
law"  to  236  in  its  favor,  this  beneficent  measure  being  thus  carried 
by  a  rattling  majority.  ^ 

SPECIAL   ELECTION,    OCTOBER.    15,    1856. 

A  special  election  in  aid  of  McGregor,  St.  Peter  and  Mississippi 
railroad.  Total  vote,  536;  "for  the  railroad  stock;"  352  "against 
the  railroad  stock,"  176;  ballots  incorrectly  worded,  eight. 

APRIL  6,  1857. 

At  this  election  D.  A.  Jackson  was  elected  assessor  by  a  vote  of 
381  out  of  a  total  of  579  votes,  M.  B.  Taylor  receiving  195,  J.  Jack- 
son one  and  F.  Padden  two.  At  the  same  election  309  votes  were 
cast  in  favor  of  granting  aid  to  the  Chicago,  Iowa  and  Nebraska 
railroad  and  216  votes  against  granting  such  aid.  L.  H.  Bugsbee 
received  329  votes  for  superintendent  public  instruction,  Maturin 
L.  Fisher  seventy -nine.  For  commissioner  of  Des  Moines  river 
improvement.  Edwin  Manning  received  329  votes  to  Gideon  S. 
Bailey's  eighty -nine.  For  Register  State  Land  Ofiice.  W.  H. 
Holmes,  328;  T.  S.  Parvin,  eighty-nine. 

AUGUST  3  1857. 

Lorenzo  Bailey  was  elected  county  judge,  receiving  438  votes 
against  I.  C.  H.  Miller's  338.  F.  D.  Bosworth  was  elected  recorder 
and  treasurer,  the  vote  standing  421  for  Bosworth  to  353  for 
Wesley  Swazee.  For  Sheriff,  Frederick  Padden,  414;  A.  E. 
Bigelow,  350.  Surveyor,  C.  M.  Webster,  430;  H.  H.  Shaffer,  349. 
F.  K.  Figons  was  elected  coroner  and  E.  D.  Filer,  drainage  com- 
missioner. On  the  question  of  the  ado])tion  of  the  new  constitu- 
tion 685  votes  were  cast,  389  in  favor  of,  and  296  against.  On 
striking  out  the  work  "white"  from  the  suffrage  clause — ninety-one 
votes  "yes,"  109  votes  "no." 

OCTOBER  31,  1857. 

In  question  of  railroad  tax — whole  number  of  votes  cast,  644; 
"yes,"  270;  "no,"  375. 

APRIL  5,  1858. 

School  fund  commissioner,  whole  number  of  votes  cast,  829; 
€.  A.  Oi-vis  was  elected.     A.    W.   Billings,   was   elected   surveyor; 


130  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

Dr.  J.  Mack  coroner;  P.  Green,  drainage  commissioner.  On 
the  question  of  locating  county  seat,  823  votes  were  cast 
the  returns  showing  that  Forest  City  received  432  votes 
and  New  Hamjiton  391.  At  this  election  a  vote  was  taken  on  the 
question  of  rescinding  the  votes  in  aid  of  the  McGregor,  St.  Peter 
and  Mississippi  and  the  Cedar  Valley  Branch  of  the  Chicago,  Iowa, 
and  Nebraska  railroads,  the  opponents  of  railroad  aid  coming  out 
victorious  by  decided  majorities.  A  proposed  tax  to  the  amount 
of  $1,300  to  aid  in  the  construction  of  a  bridge  across  the  Big 
Cedar  at  Nashua  was  defeated. 

OCTOBER  12,  1858. 

C.  O.  Case  was  elected  county  clerk  and  William  Tucker,  drain- 
age commissioner.  The  vote  for  secretary  of  state  was  as  follows  : 
Elijah  Sells,  427;  Samuel  Douglass,  322;  total  vote,  749.  For 
member  of  Congress,  2d  congressional  district,  \Vllliam  Vandever 
received  477  votes  and  W.  E.  Lelhngwell,  322. 

OCTOBER  11,  1859. 

There  Avere  730  votes  cast  for  county  judge,  E.  H.  Dore  receiv- 
ing 397,  C  A.  Orvis  333;  W.  E.  Beach  was  elected  recorder  and 
treasurer;  Patrick  Gilligan,  sheriff;  G.  J.  Tisdale,  superintendent; 
E.  W.  Davis  surveyor,  A.  E.  Bigelow,  drainage  conmiissioner  and 
A.  J.  Smith,  coroner. 

NOVEMBER,   1860. 

C.  0.  Case  was  elected  clerk  of  district  court,  receiving  the  entire 
vote,  854.  The  following  gentlemen  were  elected  members  of  the 
first  board  of  county  supervisors:  C.  D.  Johnson,  F.  D.  Bosworth, 
Vinal  Thayer,  E.  Perry,  E.  W.  Davis,  Gideon  Gardner,  E.  Darst, 
William  Tucker,  Almon  Harris,  .J.  H.  Vantassell,  M.  L.  Palmer, 
D.  R.  Kerby. 

OCTOBER    8,    1861. 

There  were  7(K)  votes  east  for  county  judge,  Caleb  Arnold  receiv- 
ing 483,  W.  C.  Mitchell  217.  Other  county  officers  were  elected  as 
follows:  Charles  Fitch,  surveyor;  J.  A.  Sawin,  superintendent; 
Buell  Sherman,  coroner;  EdwinCudworth,  drainage  commissioner. 
For  representative  685  votes  were  polled,  of  Avhich  J.  F.  Wilson 
received  440,  William  Tucker  244,  and  one  "scattering." 

FEBRUARY    25,    1862. 

This  was  a  special  election  for  state  senak)r,  40th  senatorial  dis- 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAAA'  COUKTY.  131. 

trict.     But  294  Yotes  were  cast,  of  which  G.  W.   Howard   received 
223,  A.  G.  Case  thirty-eight,  scattering  thirty-three. 

OCTOBER   14,  1862. 
C.  0.  Case  Avas  elected  clerk  of  the  district  court  and  Samuel  H-. 
Young,  surveyor.     There  were  112  votes  cast  by  Chickasaw  county 

volunteers  in  the  service  in  various  regiments.    - 

OCTOBER  13,  1863. 
For  representative,  49th  district,  927  votes  were  cast,  Henry  C 
Vinton  receiving  666  and  Daniel  Powd  261.  S.  G.  Meriam  was- 
elected  county  judge  his  competitors  being  Caleb  Arnold  and  B.  E^ 
Morton.  The  other  ofhcers  elected  were,  Samuel  H.  Young,  sur- 
veyor, F.  D.  Bosworth,  superintendent;  Buell  Sherman,  coroner;. 
Edwin  Cudworth,  drainage  commissioner.  ' 

NOVEMBER   8,    1864. 

C.  0.  Case  was  elected  clerk  of  district  court,  receiving  772  votes, 
the  entire  number  cast.  B.  E.  Morton  was  elected  recorder.  One 
hundred  and  35  votes  were  cast  by  soldiers  in  the  field.  The 
question  to  appropriate  funds  to  build  county  building  was  de- 
cided affirmatively  by  a  vote  of  497  to  270,  and  it  was  also  voted 
to  appropriate  funds  to  build  bridge  at  Nashua,   there    being   445- 

votes  for,  to  336  votes  against. 

OCTOBEK,   10,   1865, 
The    total    vote   for  representative,    49th   district,  was  908,   as- 
follows:     G.  -J.  Tisdale489,  D.'A.  Babcock409,  A.  G.  Case   nine^ 
W.  A.  Pitts  1.     G.  A.  Hanjilton   was   elected   county  judge,   his- 
competitors  l)eing  ^I.  C.  Ayres  and  John  Mays.     John  Dixon  was 
elected  sheriff,  J.  C.Johnson  superintendent,  S.  H.  Young  surveyor, 

John  A.  Green  drainage  commissioner,  L.  H.  Weller  coroner. 

■     OCTOBER   9,   1866. 
C.  0.  Case  was  unanimously  elected  clerk  of  district  court,  total 
vote  1,085;  B.  E.  jVIorton  was  elected  recorder,  and  C.  INI.  Webster, 
treasurer.     The  proposition  to  devote  the  swamp  land  fund  to  the 

erection  of  l)ridges  and  to  jjuldic  improvements,  carried. 

OCTOBEH,    1867. 
The  total  vote  cast  for  reiu-esentative,  4th  district,  was    1,074,  of 

which  William  Tucker  received  493.  His  unsuccessful  competi- 
tors were  G.  J.  Tisdale  and  Iv.  H.  AAVller.  G.  A.  Hamilton  waK 
elected  county  judge,  James  A.  Albertson,  sheriff,  W.  ^^^  Birdsall,, 
treasurer,  J.  C.  Johnson  superintendent,  H.  H.  Potter  surveyor,, 
William  Everingham  coroner,  J.  H.  Powers  drainage  commis-- 
sioner. 


132  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

NOVEMBEE,    1868. 

The  Iowa  Republican  presidential  electors  received  995  votes; 
Democratic  presidential  electors,  520;  total  votes,  1,515.  For  Sec- 
retary of  State,  Ed.  Wright  received  1,023  votes;  David  Hammer, 
492.  William  B.  Allison  received  960  votes  for  congress  (3d  con- 
gressional district);  W^illiam  Mills  529,  and  L.  A.  Thomas  4. 
"For  the  tax,"  725;  "against  the  tax,"  619."  Zelotes  Bailey  was 
elected  clerk  of  district  court  and  B.  E.  Morton  county  recorder. 

OCTOBER,  1869. 
Reijresentative,  57th  district,  total  vote,  1,268;  G.  W.  Butterfield 
506,  D.  B.  Hanan  441,  William  Tucker  311,  one  "scattering."  The 
"stock  act"  was  carried.  W.  W.  Birdsall  was  elected  county  treas- 
urer, G.  A.  Hamilton  auditor,  E.  W.  Beach  sheriff,  H.  H.  Potter 
surveyor,  W.  P.  Bennett  su-perintendent,  Dr.  Amos  Babcock, 
coroner. 

OCTOBER,     1870. 

At  this  election  1,480  votes  were  polled,  of  which  W.  G.  Don- 
nan  received  967,  and  J.  T.  Stoneman  517,  for  congress  ;  C.  C. 
Cole,  William  E.  Miller  and  James  F.  Day  received  majorities  for 
judges  of  the  supreme  court;  Ed.  Wright  received  988  for  secretary 
of  state,  and  county  officers  were  elected  as  follows:  C.  A.  Harris 
recorder,  Joseph  F.  Grawe  superintendent.  Zelotes  Bailey  was 
elected  clerk  of  district  and  circuit  court.  The  proposition  to  es- 
tablish a  high  school  at  Bradford  was  voted  down. 

OCTOBER  16,  1871. 
For  governor  C.  C.  Carpenter  received  1,001,  and  J.  C.  Knapp 
694;  for  representative,  57th  district,  1,677  votes  were  cast,  of 
which  D.  B.  Hanan  received  889,  his  competitor  being  G.  W. 
Butterfield.  John  Foley  was  elected  treasurer,  G.  A.  Hamilton 
auditor,  R.  O.  Sheldon  sheriff,  C.  Seeber  Surveyor,  J.  F.  Grawe  su- 
perintendent. Dr.  A.  Babcock  coroner,  John  A.  Green  members  of 
board  of  supervisors.  The  proposition  to  restrain  stock  from  run- 
ning at  large  was  voted  down.  The  proposition  to  levy  a  tax  of 
two  mills  to  purchase  a  county  poor  farm,  was  decided  affirmatively 
by  a  vote  of  1,003  to  435. 

NOVEMBER  12,    1872. 

Total  number  of  votes  cast  1,660.  For  president.  Grant  received 
1,122  and  Greeley  501.     Z.  Bailey  was  elected  clerk  of  courts,   C. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  133 

A.  Harris  recorder,  W.  D.  Stafford  member  of  the  board  of  super- 
visor. 

OCTOBER    14,    1873. 

For  representative,  total  vote  1,832;  D.  B.  Hanan  received  894 
votes,  F.  D.  Bosworth  641,  William  Tucker  296,  and  Daniel 
Pond  one.  George  A.  Hamilton  was  elected  auditor,  John  Foley 
treasurer,  R.  0.  Sheldon  sheriif,  J.  F.  Grawe  superintendent,  W. 
R.  Geeting  surveyor,  Dr.  I.  K.  Gardner  coroner,  E.  R.  Dickinson 
and  E.  C.  Abbott  member  of  board  of  supervisors.  The  county 
jail  tax  was  defeated  by  a  vote  of  1,018  to  176. 

OCTOBER  14,  1874. 
Total  vote,  1,500;  J.  M.  Gilliland  was  elected  clerk  of  the  courts, 
C.  A.  Harris  Recorder  and  E.  C.  Abbott  member  of  Board  of  Su- 
pervisors. 

OCTOBER  18,   1875. 

The  total  vote  for  representative,  63d  district,  was  1,811;  John 
McHugh  was  the  successful  candidate.  Lee  Chapman  was  elected 
auditor,  John  Foley  treasurer,  R.  0.  Sheldon  sheriff,  W.  D.  Col- 
lins superintendent,  W.  R.  Geeting  surveyor,  I.  K.  Gardner  coro- 
ner, Thomas  Kenyon  member  of  board  of  supervisors. 

NOVEMBER   7,    1876. 

J.  M.  Gilliland  was  elected  clerk  of  the  courts,  C.  A.  Harris  re.- 
corder,  W.  A.  Eastman  surveyor,  E.  R.  Dickinson  member  of 
supervisors. 

OCTOBER  9,  1877. 

William  B.  Perriii  was  elected  representative,  63d  district;  total 
vote  polled,  2,471.  The  following  county  officers  were  elected: 
Lee  Chapman  auditor,  John  Foley  treasurer,  R.  0.  Sheldon,  sher- 
iff, W.  D.  Collins  superintendent,  W.  A.  Eastman  surveyor,  I.  K. 
Gardner  coroner,  John  Houser  member  of  the  board  of  super- 
visors. 

OCTOBER  8,    1878. 

Total  vote,  2,539.  J.  M.  Gilliland  was  elected  clerk  of  the 
courts,  C.  A.  Harris  recorder,  George  W.  Cotant  surveyor,  Thos. 
Kenyon  supervisor. 

OCTOBER  14,  1879. 

Total  vote,  2,974.  W.  B.  Perrin  was  elected  representative, 
67th  district;  E.  P.  Sheffield  auditor,  John  A.  Green  treasurer,  R. 
O.  Sheldon  sheriff,  Henry  A.  Simons  superintendent,  A.  E. 
Quaife  surveyor,  I.  K.  Gardner  coroner.      At  this  election  it  was 


134 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


voted  to  increase  the  members  of  the  board  of  county  supervisors 
from  three  to  five. 

NOVEMBER   2,    1880. 

Total  vote,  2,758.  J.  M.  Lynch  was  elected  clerk  of  the  court, 
A.  H.  Wight  recorder,  John  Hauser,  Hiram  Bailey  and  Charles 
Cummerford  supervisors.  The  act  restraining  stock  from  running 
at  large  was  voted  down. 

OCTOBER  11,  1881, 

The  total  number  of  votes  cast  for  representative,  67th  district, 
was  1,763,  of  which  James  F.  Babcock  received  1,005,  and  Buell 
Sherman  758.  E.  P.  Sheffield  was  elected  auditor,  John  A.  Green 
treasurer,  Horton  Mandeville  sheriff,  J.  A.  l!;apham  superinten- 
dent, C.  L.  Gabrilson  supervisor,  Geo.  W.  Cotant  surveyor,  I.  K, 
Gardner  coroner. 

JUNE  27,  1882. 

The  vote  on  the  Prohibition  Amendment  in  Chickasaw  county 
was  as  follows:  Total  vote,  2,450;  for  the  amendment,  1,382;  against 
the  amendment  1,068 — majority  in  favor  of  the  amendment,  314. 


Wm^' 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  135 


CHAPTER  III. 


First  Things  ;  First  Settlers  ;  First  Births  ;  First  Sermons  ; 
First  Store  ;  First  Court  ;  First  Marriage  License  ;  First 
Road  ;  First  Tax  Levy  ;  First  Naturalization  Papers  ; 
Early  Treasurer's  Report  ;  First  Board  of  County  Super- 
visors ;  First  County  Officers  ;  Records  from  Minutes  of 
Meetings  of  Board  of  Supervisors  ;  Building  of  Court 
House. 


While  the  question  of  who  has  the  lionor  of  being  the  first  white 
settler  within  the  borders  of  what  now  constitutes  the  county  of 
Chickasaw,  lies  clothed  in  doubt,  misty  tradition  hath  it,  that 
several  parties  during  the  year  1840,  came  to  the  Indian  Reserva- 
tion, at  or  near  where  Bradford  now  stands,  and  staid  all  summer, 
breaking  land,  fencing,  etc,  (see  Bradford  township).  Still,  as 
they  did  not  remain  permanently,  they  can  hardly  be  considered 
in  the  light  of  first  settlers.  Tne  balance  of  evidence  seems  to 
point  to  the  fact  that  Truman  Merritt,  who  settled  near  Greenwood 
in  the  year  1848,  is  entitled  to  the  name  of  being  the  first  Avho 
brought  his  family  into  the  county  with  the  intention  of  re- 
maining. 


136  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

The  first  child  born  was  a  daughter  of  the  above  Merritt,  who 
first  saw  light  during  the  year  1850. 

The  first  male  child,  however,  was  Elmer  Case,  whose  birth  in 
1851,  near  Greenwood,  brought  joy  to  his  family  and  a  prospective 
voter  to  the  county. 

The  first  sermons  preached  were  delivered  in  the  year  1853,  by  a 
Mr.  Ingam,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  John  Bird,  at  the  village  of 
Bradford. 

The  first  store  ever  opened  in  the  county  we  are  credibly  inform- 
ed was  owned  by  J.  A.  J.  Bird  at  Bradford  and  the  date  of  its  initia- 
tion was  probably  1853. 

For  fuller  particulars  of  all  these  events,  we  would  respectfully 
refer  our  readers  to  the  history  of  Bradford  township,where,  as  that 
being  the  first  settled  portion  of  the  county,  these  matters  have 
been  treated  more  in  detail. 

The  first  entry  in  the  records  of  the  county  judges  of  Chickasaw 
county  describes  the  boundaries  of  the  county,  and  recites  the  or- 
der for  organization  and  the  appointment  of  John  Bird  "organizing 
Sheriff'"  in  the  election  held  on  the  13th  day  of  August,  A.  D., 
1853.  This,  together  with  the  entry  recording  the  session  of  court 
held  Sept.  5th,  1853,  at  which  no  business  was  transacted,  signed 
by  J.  Lyons  as  county  judge,  and  attested  by  S.  C.  Goddard  aa 
clerk,  has  been  already  quoted. 

On  the  5th  of  September,  1853,  appears  the  first  record  of  a 
marriage  license  granted,  the  contracting  parties  being  Joseph 
Aving  and  Elizabeth  Jarrard. 

October  10,  court  again  convened,  but  no  business  Avas  trans- 
acted. At  the  session  held  November  7th,  a  petition  signed  by 
John  Bird,  Andrew  Sample,  E.  A.  Haskell  and  others,  for  a  county 
road,  to  be  called  the  West  Union  and  Bradford  road,  was  refer- 
red to  E.  A.  Haskel  as  commissioner,  to  report  at  the  next  term 
of  court. 

On  the  31st  of  December,  1853,  a  marriage  license  was  granted  to 
John  Kerr  and  Loraine  Philps. 

On  the  2d  of  January,  1854,  Joseph  Andrews  was  appointed  se- 
lecting agent  for  swamp  lands.  On  the  10th  of  February,  1854, 
S.  E.  Hackleton  was  granted  license  to  peddle  for  three  months, 
and  on  the  same  date  a  marriage  license  Avas  granted  to  C.  Rowley 
and  Mary  A.  Tliouraman.  After  this  date  matrimonial  permits 
are  of  increasingly  frequent  occurrences. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  137 

At  the  April  term,  1854,  a  petition  of  D.  A.  Babcock,  S.  C. 
Haynes  and  Joseph  Andrews  for  a  county  road,  to  be  called  the 
West  Union  and  Greenwood  road,  was  referred  to  Samuel  Thompson 
as  commissioner  ;  road  petitions  and  proceedings  consequent  there- 
on, forming  a  very  considerable  portion  of  the  business  transacted 
fromx  and  after  this  date.  At  the  May  term  it  was  "ordered  that 
the  West  Union  and  Bradford  road  become  a  road  sixty -six  feet 
wide,  and  that  all  roads  hereafter  be  of  the  same  width." 

At  a  special  term,  August  28th,  1855,  [From  the  connection  of 
this  paragraph  with  others,  it  is  evident  that  this  date  should  be 
1854,]  it  was  ordered  that  a  tax  on  the  taxable  property  in  this 
county  should  be  levied  as  follows  :  for  state  purposes,  3  mills  ; 
Tor  county  purposes,  4^  mills  ;  for  school  purposes,  i  mill ;  and  a 
poll  of  50  cents  on  each  person  liable  thereto. 

August  29th,  1854,  "ordered  that  E.  A.  Haskell  receive  the  ap- 
pointment of  recorder  and  treasurer." 

Applications  for  county  roads  were  especially  numerous  during 
the  year  1855. 

At  a  sj^ecial  term  held  July  23d,  1855,  the  following  tax  rates 
were  established  for  the  current  year:  for  state  purposes,  li  mills; 
for  county,  6  mills;  for  scliools,  1^  mills;  for  roads,  3  mills;  and  a 
poll  tax  of  50  cents.  An  order  was  issued  for  an  election  of  county 
officers,  a  vote  for  or  against  restraining  hogs  from  running  at 
large  after  April  1st,  1856,  and  a  vote  for  or  against  vacating  Green- 
wood village,  the  election  to  be  held  on  the  first  Monday  in  Au- 
gust; and  that  Brink  precinct  be  attached  to  Chickasaw  for  elec- 
tion purposes. 

On  the  20th  of  August  the  village   of  Greenwood   was   ordered 
vacated.     On  the  same  date  appear  the  following  entries: 

"Ordered  that  Hazzard  Green  be  appointed   to  sell   intoxicating 
liquors  for  medicinal,  sacramental  and  mechanical   purposes  only, 
for  the  salary  of  $50  per  year,  to  sell  in  the  Obispo  precinct  only;" 
and  a  similar  entry  with  reference  to  J.  A.  J.  Bird  in    the   town  of 
Bradford. 

The  first  entry  of  B.  E.  DePuy  as  county  judge,  is  of  date  Octo- 
ber 1st,  1855,  and  has  reference  to  the  appointment  of  a  commis- 
sioner to  locate  a  road  to  be  known  as  the  Waucoma  road. 

November  5th,  1855,  James  Lyons  qualified  as  a  justice  of  the 
peace. 


138  HISTORY  OV  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

At  the  February  term,  1856,  a  petition  was  presented  by  Osgood 
Go  wen  from  J.  C.  H.  Miller  and  224  others,  for  the  selection  of  the 
county  seat  at  New  Hampton,  in  the  geographical  center  of  the 
county,  and  an  order  was  granted  for  a  vote  to  be  taken  at  the 
April  election. 

At  the  ■May  term,  1856,  W.  E.  Andrews,  county  judge  ex-oflicio^ 
"Samuel  P.  Elder  was  appointed  liquor  agent  for  the  town  of 
Bradford,  at  an  annual  salary  ol  $100,  and  it  was  ordered  that  any 
liquor  agent  now  acting  in  said  county,  or  hereafter  appointed, 
shall  charge  25  per  cent,  profit  on  the  cost  of  any  intoxicating 
liquor  sold  by  any  such  agent,  until  otherwise  ordered  by  the 
court." 

At  the  July  term,  1856,  it  was  ordered  that  a  "road  poll  tax  ot 
$2  be  laid  on  each  person  liable  to  pay  county  poll  tax."  The 
total  tax  levy  for  1856  was  8i  mills.  One  mill  of  the  tax  levied 
for  road  and  bridge  purposes,  was  "for  building  bridges  too  expen- 
sive to  be  constructed  from  the  ordinary  road  tax. 

"In  pursuance  of  the  code  of  Iowa,  and  by  request  of  the  people 
of  Chickasaw  county,  an  election  was  called  for  the  15tli  day  of 
October,  1856,  to  vote  upon  the  following  question  :  '-Whether  tli& 
said  county  of  Chickasaw  will  take  $100,000  of  the  stock  of  the 
McGregor,  8t.  Peters  ami  Missouri  river  railroad  company;  said 
road  to  run  by  the  way  of  Bradford;  and  issue  bonds  in  payment 
therefore,  bearing  interest  at  tlie  rate  of  ten  per  cent,  per  annum, 
the  principal  sum  payable  in  twenty  years;  and  that  a  tax  be  levied 
on  the  taxable  i)roperty  of  said  county,  for  the  payment  of  interest 
and  princi}ial;  said  railroad  company  to  pay  the  interest  on  said 
bonds  until  said  road  is  in  operation  to  the  west  line  of  said  county. 
The  form  of  the  vote  shall  be:  'For  the  railroad  stock,'  or, 'Against 
the  railroad  stock.'  " 

By  reference  to  the  record  of  elections,  it  will  be  seen  that  at  the 
election  called  for  the  above  purpose,  the  question  was  decitkxl  in 
the  affirmative,  by  a  vote  of  356  to  176;  but  at  a  subsequent  elec- 
tion, held  April  5th,  1858,  this  vote  was  rescinded  by  a  majority  as 
decisive. 

The  first  record  of  naturalization  is  of  date  October  22d,  1856^ 
when  James  Prior,  a  native  of  England,  declared  liis  intention  to 
become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

At  the   November  term,   1856,   S.  B.  Carpenter  was  appointed 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNUY,  139 

liquor  agent  for  Richland  and  adjoining  townships,  at  a  salary  of 
$70. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  settlement  with  the  county  treas- 
urer of  Ciiickasaw  county,  from  »September  1st,  18G5,  to  March  ISth, 
1856: 

G.  W.  Howard,  County  Treasurer, 

To  Chickasaw  County,  Dr. 

To  tax-list  for  1855 $  5,853  14 

"     281polls 140  50 

"     marriage  fees 10  00 

"     lines -         10  00 

"     balance  for  1854 '      183  43 

Total $  G,197  07 

Cr. 

By  delinquent  tax $  1,635  72 

"     county  warrants  paid 787  97 

"     road  "  "  212  77 

"     error  in  tax  list 21  83 

"     payment  to  state  treasurer 500  00 

"  "        "  school  fund  commissioners 486  65 

a  u  ((  a  a  a  -i  r    rvr\ 

Total S  3,659  94 

The  amount  of  taxable  j^roperty  as  returned  by  the  assessors  for 
1856,  was  $1,071,726. 

There  was  j^laced  in  the  hands  of  the  county  treasurer  for  collec- 
tion, on  the  1,5th  day  of  tSeptemljcr,  1856,  the  sum  of  $9,045.74, 
divided  as  foUown:  Amount  of  tax  on  property,  $8,841.74;  amount 
of  poll  tax,  $204.00. 

At  the  March  term,  1857,  a  proclamation  was  issued,  calling  an 
election,  to  be  held  on  the  6th  day  of  April,  1857,  to  vote  upon  the 
question  of  taking  $100,000  of  stock  of  the  Cedar  Valley  branch  of 
the  Chicago,  Iowa  and  Nebraska  railroad  company;  said  road  to 
be  run  on  the  east  side  of  the  Little  Cedar  river,  from  a  point  near 
Brad'ford  t(j  a  point  at  or  near  the  village  of  Chickasaw;  issuing 
bonds  bearing  10  per  cent,  interest  and  running  twenty  years 
therefor.  This  proposition  prevailed  at  the  election  by  a  vote  of 
309  to  216,  but  was  also  subsequently  rescinded. 


140  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

At  the  May  term,  1857,  the  commissioners  appointed  by  an  act 
of  the  legislature  to  relocate  the  county  seat  of  Chickasaw  county, 
reported  in  favor  of  the  geographical  center  at  New  Hampton. 

The  total  tax  levy  for  1857  was  lis  mills.  A  road  poll  of  one 
dollar  was  levied,  in  addition  to  a  poll  tax  of  fifty  cents,  for  county 
purposes. 

We  find  under  date  of  June  2d,  1857,  that  the  county  judge  is- 
sue two  marriage  licenses,  one  to  C.  W.  Taylor,  and  one  to  Geo.  B. 
Holcomb,  both  to  marry  the  same  lady,  and  tradition  hath  it  that 
the  old  adage  in  regard  to  two  stools  was  borne  out  in  this  case  as 
the  lady  remains  unmarried  to  this  day. 

The  first  ni(?ntion  of  Nashua  in  the  county  judge's  record  is, 
under  date  of  December  15th,  1857,  as  follows:  "Ordered  that 
$1,000  of  the  special  property  tax  be  expended  to  construct  a 
bridge  across  the  Big  Cedar  at  Nashua." 

At  Forest  City,  May  12th,  1858,  the  board  of  equalization  reduc- 
ed the  assessment  of  1857  upon  real  estate  fifty  per  cent.  The  tax 
levy  for  1858  was  91  mills. 

Frederick  Padden  resigned  as  sheriff  November  3d,  1858,  and 
Charles  E.  Zwicks  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy. 
W.  S.  Mower  was  appointed  deputy  sherift'  and  E.  M.  Aiken  was 
appointed  deputy  clerk  by  C.  O.  Case.  For  1859,  a  county 
tax  of  4  mills,  and  a  school  tax  of  1  mill  were  levied.  On  the  27th 
of  October,  1859  the  official  bond  of  the  county  treasurer  was 
placed  at  $8,000.  For  1860,  the  tax  rates  for  county  and  school 
purposes  were  the  same  as  for  the  previous  year. 

The  records  of  the  board  of  county  supervisors  begin  with  the 
first  meeting  held  at  New  Hampton  on  the  7th  day  of  January, 
1861.     The  following  is  a  list  of  the 

FIRST   BOARD   OF   SUPERVISORS: 

C.  D.  Johnson,  Bradford  twp.       E.    Darst,    Dayton    twp. 
F.  D.  Bosworth,  Richland    "         Win.  Tucker,  Chickasaw  twp. 
Vinal  Thayer,  Dresden         "         Almon  Harris,  Deerfield     " 
E.  Perry,  Fredricksburg       "         J.  H.  Vantassell,  Washington  twp 
E.  W.  Davis,  tStapleton         "         W.  L.  Pahuer,  Jacksonville 
Gideon  Gardner,  New  Hampton  D.  B.  Kerby,   Utica  *     " 

M.  L.  Palmer  was  elected  president  of  the  board,  but ,  resigned, 
and  William  Tucker  was  elected  in  his  place.  The  appropriate 
committees  were  then  appointed.     On  the  following  day  rules  and 


HISTORY    OF   CHICKASAW    COUNTY.  141 

regulations   were  adopted,   and  miscellaneous  business  proceeded 
with. 

At  this  term  H.  C.  Baldwin  was  allowed  ten  cents  per  night  for 
sleeping  in  the  county  office  until  further  arrangements  were 
made.  The  sheriff  was  instructed  to  move  the  safe,  books,  sta- 
tionery and  wood,  for  the  use  of  the  county  officers,  from  the 
school  house  in  New  Hampton  to  the  court  room,  and  was  given 
general  charge  of  the  few  effects  of  the  county.  Blank  books,  to 
cost  not  more  than  seventy -five  cents  per  copy,  were  voted  the 
justices  of  the  peace  in  each  township,  to  be  used  as  dockets.  The 
total  expense  of  this  session,  including  pay  of  the  supervisors,  was 
$141.40. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1861,  the  total  amount  of  money  in  the 
county  treasurer's  hands  for  disbursement,  was  $3,302.93. 

At  the  June  term,  1861,  it  was  ordered  that  the  partition  of  the 
school  building  be  removed,  that  the  room  be  also  used  for  dis- 
trict court  purposes,  and  that  Cotant  &  McCullow's  building  be 
rented  for  county  offices,  for  one  year  at  $60  per  year. 

At  the  same  term  the  clerk  was  authorized  to  advertise  for 
sealed  proposals  for  the  purchase  of  a  farm,  to  be  used  as  a  county 
poor  farm.  At  the  October  term,  it  was  reported  inadvisable,  in 
the  then  condition  of  the  county  finances,  to  purchase  a  poor 
farm. 

In  the  proceedings  of  the  January  term,  1862,  appears  the  fol- 
lowing entry:  "Wam-no-cat  and  Mich-a-gan  (Indians)  presented 
accounts  for  bounty  on  wild  cats.  It  was  moved  and  seconded 
that  the  said  accounts  be  allowed.  The  yeas  and  nays  being  call- 
ed for,  resulted  nine  yeas,  and  three  nays.  The  members  voting  in 
the  negative,  said  they  did  so  on  account  of  the  oath  of  an  Indian 
not  being  considered  valid  by  our  laws." 

A  resolution  was  introduced  at  this  session,  authorizing  the  em- 
ployment of  an  attorney  to  represent  the  county  in  the  case  of 
Chickasaw  county  vs.  Lorenzo  Bailey,  in  the  supreme  court  of  the 
state,  and  reccoinmending  J.  0.  Crosby. 

A.  W.  Billings  was  appointed  county  surveyor  in  place  of  Chas. 
Fitch,  who  had  left  the  state.  The  appointment  of  D.  A.  Jackson 
to  be  deputy  sheriff  was  approved. 

H.  C.  Baldwin,  dejmty  recorder  and  treasurer,  was  requested 
and  authorized  to  sleep  in  the  county  ofHce,  the  records  and 
moneys  of  the  county  being   deemed   liable  to  robbery   and   de- 


142  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

Btruction,  and  Mr.  B.  was  authorized  to  choose  a  person  "as  his 
company  nights  in  said  office,"  both  to  receive  a  suitable  compen- 
sation, and  accommodations  to  be  furnished  them  by  the  county. 

At  the  June  term,  1862,  citizens  of  Nashua  asked  an  appropri- 
ation of  $1,000  to  build  a  bridge  across  the  Big  Cedar,  which  peti- 
tion was  referred  to  the  committee  on  roads  and  bridges. 

At  the  September  term,  1862,  Eli  Darst  was  appointed  county 
surveyor,  vice  E.  W.  Davis  resigned,  and  Emily  Stebbins  was  ap- 
pointed deputy  recorder  and  treasurer.  At  the  October  term,  T. 
N.  Skinner  was  appointed  to  fill  vacancy  as  county  superintendent 
occasioned  by  the  removal  of  J.  H.  Sawin  from  the  state.  At  this 
term,  also,  C.  O.  Case  Avas  authorized  to  purchase  a  county  seal; 
and  the  salary  of  the  clerk  was  fixed  at  $500  per  year,  deducting 
therefrom  the  amount  of  fees  received. 

At  the  September  meeting  of  the  board,  1863,  the  salary  of  the 
clerk  was  fixed  at  $600,  exclusive  of  pay  for  assistance. 

At  the  January  term,  1864,  the  county  treasurer's  bond  was 
fixed  at  $16,000.  A  petition  from  Nashua  for  $3,000  to  build  a 
bridge  across  the  Big  Cedar  at  that  point,  was  denied,  on  the  ground 
that  the  law  prescribed  the  course  to  be  pursued  in  such  cases. 

As  an  indication  of  the  mighty  onward  march  of  progressive 
civilization,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  the  board  at  this  term  au- 
thorized the  clerk  to  purchase  two  kerosene  lamps,  one  for  the 
clerk's  and  the  other  for  the  treasurer's  office. 

At  the  June  meeting,  1864,  Mary  Case   was   appointed   deputy 

clerk. 
J.  H.  Powers,  for  many  citizens  of  the  county,  asked  that,  at  the 

next  regular  election,  the  question  of  a  sufficient  appropriation 
from  funds  accruing  out  of  the  school  lands  to  construct  a  bridge 
across  the  Big  Cedar  at  Nashua,  be  submitted  to  the  voters,  and 
also  asked  that  action  be  taken  in  the  matter  of  providing  a  suita- 
ble county  building,  the  latter  of  which  requests  is  treated  of  in 
detail  elsewhere  in  this  book.  The  board  arranged  for  ascertain- 
ing the  amount  necessary  to  construct  a  suitable  bridge  at  Nashua, 
preparatory  to  submitting  the  matter  to  the  voters. 

The  following  bounties  were  fixed  for  scalps  of  wild  animals; 
gray  gophers,  three  cents;  pocket  gophers,  five  cents;  wild  cats,  $3; 
prairie  wolves,  $5;  timber  wolves,  $5. 

At  the  September  meeting,  1864,  it  was  decided  to  submit  to  the 
voters,  at  the  November  election,  the  question  of  appropriating 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  143 

$4,000  out  of  the  swamp  land  fund,  to  construct  a  bridge  over  the 
Big  Cedar,  at  Nashua. 

The  tidal  wave  of  progress  still  sweeps  onward,  over  the  bosom 
of  the  mighty  west,  and  the  sheriff  is  authorized  to  "procure  a 
stove-pipe  and  fit  a  room  for  holding  court." 

At  the  meeting  of  the  board  of  supervisors  in  June,  1865,  the 
clerk  was  authorized  to  draw  a  warrant  for  fifty  cents  to  pay  for 
recording  the  deed  given  for  the  land  donated  by  G.  Gardner  for 
the  site  of  a  court  house,  also  a  resolution  was  passed,  apjDointing 
Messrs.^  Palmer  of  Jacksonville,  Haslam  of  Dayton,  and  Wood- 
bridge  of  Bradford,  a  committee  to  enter  into  a  contract  on  the  part 
of  the  county,  with  some  party  or  parties  to  build  a  court  house. 

The  above  contract  was  immediately  placed  before  the  board  and 
bears  date  of  June  6,  1865,  and  recites  that  the  said  court  house 
was  to  be  completed  by  November  25,  1865,  and  the  terms  of  pay- 
ment, according  to  the  contract,  were  to  be  $840  cash  down,  $500 
when  the  frame  was  raised,  $500  when  enclosed  and  finally  eleven 
hundred  and  forty  dollars  when  the  building  was  completed  and 
accepted  by  the  county.  The  three  last  sums  to  be  paid  out  of  the 
funds  known  as  the  swamp  land  fund.  J.  H.  Powers  was  the  con- 
tractor, who  filed  his  bond  for  the  faithful  performance  of  said 
contract,  June  7th  of  the  same  year. 

The  tax  assessments  for  the  year  are  set  as  follows:  state  tax,  2 
mills;  county,  4  mills;  school,  1  mill;  bridge,  j  mill,  and  volunteer 
fund,  6  mills. 

A  resolution  was'passed  by  the  board  of  supervisors  at  the  Sep- 
tember meeting,  1865,  whereby  W.  B.  Grant,  W.  Tucker  and  N.  F. 
Lighthall  were  appointed  a  committee  to  oversee  and  take  charge 
of  the  building  of  a  bridge  across  the  Cedar  at  Nashua,  the  erection 
of  which  was  at  that  time  being  canvassed. 

In  October,  1865,  a  resolution  was  brought  before  the  board,  and 
by  them  passed,  appointing  to  the  office  of  county  judge,  G.  A. 
Hamilton,  to  fill  the  vacanc^'^^occasioned  by  the  removal  from  the 
county  of  S.  G.  Merriam. 

In  January,  1866,  at  a  regular  session  of  the  board  of  supervis- 
ors, W.  E.  Beach,  E.  D.  Woodbridge  and  E.  K.  Morrill  were  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  ascertain  the  present  .and  prospective  in- 
debtedness of  the  county,  and  devise  some  honorable  means  to  re- 
store the  warrants  of  said  county  to  par  ancl  preserve  the  credit 
thereof. 


l44  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

At  this  meeting,  the  committee  appointed  at  the  September 
term,  1865,  to  oversee  the  building  of  the  Nashua  bridge,  reported 
that  the  amount  appropriated  for  that  purpose  would  not  be 
enough  by  two  thousand  dollars,  and  asked  the  appropriation  of 
that  sum,  but  after  much  discussion  the  matter  was  laid  over  un- 
til more  prosperous  times  would  allow  it. 

The  indebtedness  of  the  county  as  reported  to  the  board,  Jan, 
1866,  was  as  follows: 

Outstanding  unpaid  warrants $  8,510  98 

Account  of  volunteers  presented  this  session 13,315  51 

Ordinary  accounts '. 991  12 

Probable  additions.-. '. 100  00 

Total  indebtedness $22,917  61 

Again  at  the  meeting  of  the  board  of  supervisors  in  June,  1866, 
the  matter  of  the  bridge  at  Nashua  comes  to  the  front  and  E.  D. 
Woodbridgc,  Michael  Cagley^  and  H.  Case  were  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  let  the  contract  to  build  it  if  possible,  and  adding  the 
sum  of  five  hundred  dollars  to  the  four  thousand  dollars  already 
appropriated  for  tliat  purpose  and  to  be  helped  by  a  private  sub- 
scription of  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  the  said  bridge  to  be  finished 
by  March  1,  1867. 

The  tax  rate  fixed  by  the  board  for  1866,  was  as  follows:  state 
tax,  2 J  mills;  county  tax,  4  mills;  with  a  poll  tax  of  fifty  cents; 
school,  1  mill;  bridge,  3  mills,  and  volunteer  fund,  10  mills. 

According  to  a  report  made  b}''  the  assessors  of  the  several  town-- 
ships,  to  the  board,  the  total  valuation  of  the  county  for  the  year 
1867  was  $1,177,959.00. 

At  the  June  session,  1867,  we  find  a  report  signed  by  A.  G. 
Case,  S.  F.  Eastman  and  E.  H.  Hall  as  commissioners,  that  they 
had  let  the  contract  for  building  the  bridge  over  the  Big  Cedar  at 
Nashua,  to  A.  Spaulding,  and  that  he  had  complied  with  the  terms 
of  the  contract,  and  that  the  bridge  was  finished  or  so  nearly  so  as 
to  warrant  them  in  pronouncing  the  contract  complete. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  board,  September,  1868,  a  resolution  was 
adopted,  wherein  it  is  recited  that  as  "Chickasaw  county  was  in 
debt  over  seven  thousand  dollars,  in  the  county  fund,  its  warrants 
were  depreciated  to  a  ruinous  rate,  and  as  it  is  best  to  pay  as 
promptly  as  possible  to  restore   credit.     Resolved,   That   a  special 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  145 

levy  of  tax  be  made,  of  2  mills  on  the  dollar,  to  be  levied  from, 
year  to  year  until  such  debt  be  wiped  out,"  which  measure  was  to 
be  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  people  at  the  regular  election  in  No- 
vember, 1868,  said  tax  to  be  levied  for  1869,  and  subsequently  at 
the  election  above  mentioned,  the  people  of  the  county  endorsed 
the  action  of  the  board  and  the  tax  was  levied. 

At  the  June  meeting,  1869;  a  petition  was  presented,  asking  that 
the  board  take  some  steps  toward  building  a  jail,  but  on  its  being 
referred  to  a  committee  it  was  returned  with  the  report,  that  in. 
their  opinion  there  was  no  necessity  for  one,  and  this  action 
seems  to  have  been  final,  for  the  county,  although  owning  very 
fine  buildings,  still  does  not  possess  a  jail,  but  send  its  prisoners 
to  Decorah  for  safe  keeping. 

At  the  June  term,  1872,  the  board  consummated  the  buying  of 
the  farm  now  used  as  the  poor  farm,  together  with  all  the  improve- 
ments, and  offered  to  receive  bids  for  the  erectiop  of  suitable  build- 
ings. 

They  also  contracted  with  Mosler,  Bahrman  &  Co.,  of  Chicago, 
111,  for  two  large  safes  for  county  records,  at  a  cost  of  $2,450. 

At  a  special  session  of  the  board  held  October  7th,  1872,  the  con- 
tract was  let  to  A.  W.  Utter  of  New  Hampton  to  erect  the  house  on 
the  poor  farm  at  an  expense  of  $1,360.80 

The  following  report  shows  the  condition  of  the  revenue  in  said 
county  from  Jan.  1st  to  June  2d,  1873. 

STATE   FUND. 

Cash  in  treasury $     266  37" 

Total  collections 3,706  16 

Total 3,972  53- 

Disbursement 2,914  82 

Balance  in  treasury 1,057  71 

COUNTY    FUND. 

Cash  in  treasury  173  21 

Total  collections 9,502  5& 

Total 9,675  79 

Disbursements 9,675  79 


146  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

WAREANTS. 

Amount  of  outstanding  warrants,  last  report  2,708  05 

"          "  warrants  issued  since      "        "  6,769  09 

Treasurer's  salary 1,388  65 

Total 9,865  79 

Amount  warrants  reduced  since  last  report...  9,673  98 

Amount  of  outstanding  warrants 191  81 

BOND    FUND. 

Cash  in  treasury.  January  report 419  93 

Total  collections .' 1,487  72 

Total 1,907  65 

Disbursements 1 ,642  64 

Balance  in  treasur}^ 265  01 

SCHOOL    FUND. 

Cash  in  treasury,  January 798  81 

Total  collections 1,593  38 

Total .'.....  2,392  19 

Disbursements 939  10 

Balance  in  treasury 1,453  09 

ROAD   FUND. 

Cash  in  treasury 295  41 

Total  collections 2,555  94 


Total , 2,851  35 

Disbursements  1,587  13 


Balance  in  treasury 264  22 

SCHOOL    HOUSE    FUND. 

Cash  on  hand,  January 1,193  35 

Total  collections  6,727  43 

Total 7,920  78 

Disbursements  6,203  58 

Balance  in  treasury 1,717  20 


V 


history  of  chickasaw  county.  147 

teacher's  fund. 

Cash  on  hand,  January 2,870  37 

Total  collections 10,819  85 

Total 13,690  22 

Disbursement 11,243,63 


..ciii 


On  hand  2,446  59  .^,, 

contingent  fund. 

Cash  on  hand,  January 1,140  26 

Total  collections 4,586  70 

Total 5,726  96 

Disbursements  4,713  53 

Balance  in  treasury 1,013  43 

bridge  fund. 

Cash  in  treasury,  January 765  40 

Total  collections 2,374  80 


Total 3,140  20 


Disbursements 1.092  15 


■■t 


Balance  in  treasury 2,048  05  .;^ 

insane  fund. 

Cash  on  hand,  January 178  42 

Total  collections 668  69 

Total 847  11 

Disbursements 829  12 

Balance  in  treasury 17  99 

poor  farm  fund. 

Cash  in  treasury,  January 160  15 

Total  collections 1,823  95 

Total 2,984  10 

Disbursements  2,115  51     '^ 


xa 


Balance  in  treasury 868  59 


148  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

interest"  ON   PERM  AN  ANT    SCHOOL   FUND. 

Cash  on  hand,  January 912  35 

Total  collections 1,592  01 

Total 2,504  36 

Disbursements 882  43 

Balance  in  treasury 1,621  93 

PERMANENT  SCHOOL   FUND. 

Cash  on  hand,  January 47  00 

Total  collections 1,478  68 

Total 1,525  68 

Amount  loaned 1,175  68 

Balance  in  treasury 350  00 

RAILROAD   TAXES. 

1868  on  hand 20  85 

1870    ''      "     126  86 

1872    "      "     74  20 

Total  collections 113  40 

Total. 336  61 

Total  disbursements 117  41 

Balance  in  treasury 117  90 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  149 


CHAPTER  IV. 


County  Seat  Contest;  The  First  Contest;  "Battle  of  Bailey's 


Lane;"  The  Conflict  of  1880. 


"Commissioners'  report.  Filed  in  the  office  of  the  clerk  of  the 
district  court,  August  14th,  A.  D.  1854.     J.  A.  J.  Bird,  clerk. 

"To  the  Hon.  County  Judge  of  Chickasaw  county,  Iowa: 

"The  undersigned  commissioners  appointed  by  the  judge  of  the 
second  judical  district  for  the  state  of  Iowa,  to  locate  and  establish 
the  county  seat  of  said  county  of  Chickasaw,  respectfully  report 
that,  having  had  the  same  under  the  due  consideration,  they  have 
selected  the  town  of  Bradford  in  the  county  and  state  aforesaid, 
as  the  point  at  which  said  county  seat  is  hereby  located  and  estab- 
lished. 

"Given  under  our  hands  at  Bradford  in  the  county  of  Chickasaw 

and  state  of  Iowa  this  fourteenth  day  of  August,  A.  D.  1854. 

,,r,         ■    ■  \  Wm.  McClintock, 

"Commissioners  j  j^^^  ^    Onstine." 

At  the  February  term  of  the  county  court,  1856,  a  petition  of 
J.  C.  H.  Miller  and  two  hundred  and  twenty-four  others  was  pre- 
sented, praying  "that  at  the  next  April  election  to  be  holden  there- 
after in    said  county,  a  vote    shall  be  taken  between    Bradford, 


HL^TOLY  or  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

the  existing  county  seat  of  said  county  and  New  Hampton,  for  the 
county  seat." 

The  prayer  of  the  petitioners  was  granted,  and  in  accordance 
therewith  an  election  was  held,  and  at  the  canvassing  of  the  votes, 
the  vote  of  Washington  township  was  rejected,  and  the  board  of 
canvassers  declared  that  "Bradford  received  203  votes  and  New 
Hampton  received  203  votes."  On  the  6th  day  of  June,  1856,  an 
information  was  filed  by  Osgood  Gowen  in  the  office  of  the  clerk 
of  the  district  court,  asking  for  a  writ  of  mandamus,  and  in  accord- 
ance with  the  prayer  a  writ  was  issued  against  the  board  of  county 
canvassers  on  the  same  day.  On  the  day  following,  two  of  the 
members  of  the  board,  W.  E.  Andrews,  ex-officio  county  judge, 
and  John  Bird,  justice  of  the  peace,  filed  the  following  response, 
which  is  given  in  full,  as  it  contains  nearly  a  full  history  of  the 
case,  and  is  moreover,  a  unique  specimen  of  that  legal  explicit- 
ness  which  is  supposed  to  be  attained  only  through  a  multiplicity 
of  technical  verbage: 

"THE  STATE  OF  IOWA,  1  In  the  District  Court  of  said  county." 
"Chickasaw  County.       j  To  June  term  thereof,  A.  D.  1856." 

"In  the  matter  of  the  information  of  Osgood  Gowen  for  man- 
damus against  the  board  of  canvassers  of  Chickasaw  county  afore- 
said, in  the  matter  of  an  election  between  Bradford  and  New 
Hampton,  for  the  establishment  of  the  county  seat  of  said  county. 

"And  the  said  W.  E.  Andrews  and  John  Bird,  canvassers  of 
election  in  said  information,  mentioned,  come,  and  answering,  say 
that  they  admit  that  at  the  February  term  of  the  county  court,  of 
aid  county  of  Chickasaw,  A.  D.  1856,  a  petition  was  presented  to 
said  county  court,  by  J.  C.  H.  Miller  and  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  citizens,  as  alleged  in  said  information,  upon  which  said  peti- 
tion an  order  was  made  by  said  county  court  that  the  question  of 
a  relocation  of  said  county  seat  of  Chickasaw  county  be  submitted 
to  a  vote  of  the  legal  voters  of  said  county  in  the  year  A.  D.  1856; 
and  that,  in  pursuance  of  said  order  submitting  the  question  of  a 
relocation  of  said  count}^  seat  to  a  vote  of  the  legal  voters  of  said 
county  at  the  April  election  A.  D.  1856,  said  question  was  sub- 
mitted and  voted  on  at  the  said  election.  And  your  respondents, 
further  answering,  say  severally  and  respectively,  that  in  the  re- 
turns of  said  election  and  according  to  the  same,  it  did  appear  that 
the  town  of  New  Hampton  had  received  the  number  of  two  hun- 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  151 

dred  and  thirteen  votes  for  the  county  seat  of  said  county,  "and  that 
the  town  of  Bradfoi'd  received  two  hundred  and  six  votes  for 
the  county  seat  of  said  county  as  appeared  on  the  face  of  the 
papers  purporting  to  be  said  returns  of  the  said  election.  And  your 
respondents  aver,  and  so  they  answer,  that  all  the  returns  so  made 
to  the  count}'  judge  of  the  county  of  Chickasaw,  embracing  to-wit: 
all  the  returns  from  the  several  townships  and  precincts  of  said 
county  of  Chiclcasaw  at  the  election  so  held  in  and  for  said  county, 
were  then  and  there,  to-wit:  at  Bradford  in  said  county,  duly  ex- 
amined and  canvassed  as  the  law  directs,  by  said  board  of  can- 
vassers; and  that  after  such  canvass  and  examination  as  aforesaid 
it  was  found  that  the  said  election  returns  at  the  election  held  as 
aforesaid  for  the  purpose  aforesaid,  were  duly  and  properly  made 
in  compliance  with  law,  with  the  exception  of  the  township  of 
Washington  in  said  county ;  and  after  duly  examining  and  can- 
vassing the  returns  of  said  election  so  held  as  aforesaid,  for  the 
purpose  aforesaid  for  all  the  townships  and  precincts  in  said 
county,  it  was  found  that  returns  of  the  votes  for  the  said  town- 
ship of  Washington  were  insufficient,  irregular  and  of  no  effect, 
and  uttcrl}'  null  and  void  in  law.  And  so  said  respondents, 
answering  as  aforesaid,  aver  that  said  votes  of  the  town  of  Wash- 
ington, given  at  said  election,  having  been  found  and  decided  by 
the  said  board  of  canvassers,  after  due  examination  and  canvass, 
to  be  insufficient,  irregular  and  of  no  effect,  and  utterly  null  and 
void,  were  then  and  there,  to-wit:  at  Bradford,  aforesaid 
within  the  time  required  by  law,  duly  canvassed  and  exam- 
ined by  said  board  of  canvassers,  and  were  then  and 
there  within  the  time  aforesaid  duly  and  legally  rejected  by  said 
boar(^  of  canvassers,  after  a  legal  canvass  of  the  said  votes  and 
returns,  then  and  there  held  for  insufficiency,  irregularity  and 
nullity,  and  for  no  other  reason. 

"And  your  respondents,  further  answering,  say  that  after  said 
returns  of  all  the  said  townships  and  precincts  of  the  said  county 
of  Chickasaw,  were  so  canvassed  as  aforesaid,  and  the  returns  of 
the  votes  of  the  said  township  of  Washington  were  so  rejected  as 
aforesaid,  the  state  of  the  canvass  was  as  follows,  to-wit: 

<  Bradford  received  two-hundred  and  three  votes,  and  New  H  amp- 
tqnreceived  two  hundred  and  three  votes;  and  of  the  votes  so  rejected 
after  said  canvass  as  aforesaid   by   the   canvassers   aforesaid,    ten 


152  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

votes  were  cast  for  New  Hampton  and  three  votes  for  Bradford; 
and  that  your  respondents  there  made  out  and  signed  a  statement 
of  the  canvass  aforesaid,  specifying  the  said  number  of  votes  so 
cast  for  the  respective  places  aforesaid,  which  remains  of  record  in 
in  the  office  of  the  county  judge  of  said  county,  by  reference  to 
which  will  more  fully  appear. 

"And  your  respondents,  further  answering,  deny  that  they  have 
done  aught  in  the  premises  aforesaid;  they  have  acted  fairly,  hon- 
estly and  in  good  faith,  and  as  they  believed,  and  still  believe,  in 
strict  accordance  with  law  and  their  duty  as  canvassers  as  afore- 
said. And  your  respondents,  having  fully  answered  herein,  beg  to 
be  discharged. 

"W.  E.  Andrews, 
"John  Bird." 
It  was  claimed  by  the  relator,  that  the  board  of  canvassers  hav- 
ing decided  the  returns  from  Washington  township  irregular,  were 
in  duty  bound  to  return  them  to  the  township  officers  for  correc- 
tion, and  to  stay  the  canvassing  until  the  returns  were  completed 
as  corrected.  The  cause  was  never  prosecuted  to  a  final  result.  A 
change  of  venue  was  applied  for,  and  the  case  fell  between  the 
courts  as  it  was  claimed  that  the  proper  fees  were  not  paid  for  the 
transcript,  and  the  county  seat  remained  at  Bradford  under  the 
decision  of  the  board  of  canvassers. 

On  the  5th  day  of  April,  1858,  another  vote  was  taken  upon  the 
county  seat  question,  and,  according  to  reputable  authority  "the 
board  of  canvassers,  by  excluding  the  returns  of  Washington  town- 
ship for  informality,  and  counting  ten  less  than  were  actually  cast 
in  the  township  of  Deerfield,  decided  that  Forest  City  had  received 
a  legal  majority." 

The  same  authority  continues:  "The  vote  of  Washington  town- 
ship was  excluded  on  the  ground  that  the  poll  list  was  wanting, 
and  the  ten  from  Deerfield  on  account  of  the  returns  not  showing 
the  full  amount,  they  having  been  changed  from  fifty-three  to 
forty -three  in  favor  of  New  Hampton.  Immediately  on  the  result 
of  this  canvass  being  known  the  county  judge  adjourned  court  to 
meet  at  Forest  City  at  2  o'clock  p.  m. 

"Within  a  few  minutes  the  books,  papers  and  furniture  of  the 
office  were  in  transit  for  Forest  City,  as  teams  were  in  readiness, 
and  a  long  string  of  oxen  attached  to  a  wooden  "drag"  for  the  pur- 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  153 

pose  of  moving  the  safe.  During  this  time,  and  while  all  was 
activity  in  the  removal  of  the  county  offices,  a  meeting  of  citizens 
claiming  that  their  rights  had  been  invaded,  was  being  held  in  an 
adjoining  building,  to  take  into  consideration  the  course  to  be 
pursued. 

"This  meeting  was  addressed  by  some  who  were  in  a  perfect  frenzy 
of  excitement,  and  who  were  in  favor  of  taking  possession  of  the 
office  and  retaining  it  where  it  of  right  belonged.  Others  more  dis- 
creet counseled  milder  measures;  the  cooler  ones  finally  triumphed, 
and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  commence  legal  proceedings  to 
reclaim  rights  that  were  claimed  to  have  been  taken  from  them  by 
those  in  power.  In  accordance  with  instructions,  a  suit  was  com- 
menced at  the  next  term  of  the  district  court,  and  on  the  3d  day 
of  June,  1858,  an  information  was  filed  in  the  clerk's  office,  asking 
for  a  w:it  of  mandamus  compelling  the  board  of  canvassers  to 
count  the  votes  that  had  been  cast,  including  those  of  Washington 
and  the  ten  in  Deerfield.  A  special  term  of  the  distiict  court  was 
called  to  meet  in  August  to  hear  the  case  at  the  August  term  on 
alternative  writ,  and  after  hearing,  a  peremptory  writ  was  issued 
as  prayed,  and  respondents  appealed. 

"At  the  same  time  of  filing  the  information  for  a  writ  of  man- 
damus, an  information  was  filed  asking  for  a  writ  of  certiorari. 
At  the  special  sesion  of  the  district  court  these  papers  were  lost, 
and  leave  was  granted  to  file  new  ones  at  the  next  term  of  the 
court. 

"The  mandamus  case  was  reversed  in  the  supreme  court  as  be- 
ing an  improper  remedy,  and  in  the  opinion  it  was  intimated  that 
the  proper  remedy  was  an  injunction.  On  the  12th  day  of  April, 
1859,  an  application  was  made  to  the  district  judge  for  an  injunc- 
tion restraining  the  county  officers  from  holding  their  offices  at 
any  other  place  than  at  New  Hampton. 

"The  writ  was  granted,  final  hearing  to  be  had  at  the  next 
term  of  district  court.  At  the  spring  term  of  the  court  the 
injunction  and  the  certiorari  cases  both  camse  up  for  hearing,  and 
were  decided  in  favor  of  New  Hampton,  whereupon  the  records 
and  county  offices  were  again  returned  to  New  Hampton. 

"This  episode  in  the  history  of  the  county,"  continues  our  in- 
;formant,  "was  marked  with  many  interesting  scenes,  such  as  civil 
and    criminal    prosecutions,    indictments,   informations,  etc.,    in 


154  HISTOEY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUKTY. 

which  some  of  our  prominent  citizens  found  themselves  under 
bonds  to  appear  at  the  term  of  the  district  court,  or  in  durance 
vile.  At  one  time  an  attempt  was  made  to  resist  a  warrant,  and 
subsequently  a  Avrit  of  habeas  corpus,  and  a  large  number  on  either 
side  came  in  collision  in  the  lane  in  front  of  Judge  liOrenzo 
Bailey's  and  a  general  fight  ensued,  in  which  both  parties  were 
considerably  damaged.  This  encounter  has  been  humorously 
termed  the  "l^attle  of  Bailey's  Lane." 

"The  curtain  has  fallen,  the  scene  has  closed,  and  many  of  those 
who  were  then  the  bitterest  of  foes  are  now  th*e  warmest  of 
friends." 

The  election  of  April   7th,    1856,  in  addition  to  the  county  seat- 
struggle,  developed  a  contest  over  the  election  of  officers  that  for  a 
time  seriously  threatened  the  peace  of  the  inhabitants  and  engen- 
dered bitter  personal  quarrels-  that  were  slow  to  subside.      An   ac- 
count masnly  taken  from  the  records,  is  here  in  order: 

As  before  slated,  the  difficulty  occurred  in  consequence  of  in- 
formality in  the  returns  from  the  townshij)  of  Washington.  The 
original  order  for  the  organization  of  Washington  precinct  is  as 
follows : 

"COUNTY    OFFICE,! 
•'Chickasaw  County,  j 

Mr.  Thomas  Steveks — Sir:  You  will  take  notice  that  the  county 
judge  of  this  county  has  formed  a  precinct  to  be  known  as  the 
precinct  of  Washington,  out  of  the  following  described  territory 
viz:  township  *.)G,  north  of  range  13  west,  and  the  south  half  of  97 
north  of  range  18  west;  and  you  are  hereby  authorized  and  ap- 
pointed a  special  constable  to  organize  the  same,  by  posting  up 
notices  in  three  of  the  most  public  places  in  said  township,  that 
the  first  election  in  said  precinct  will  be  held  on  Monday,  the  7th 
day  of  April  1856,  at  the  house  of  S.  W.  Byers,  for  the  election  of 
the  following  officers  and  the  transaction  of  other  business  named 
in  the  warrant: 

:  "Officers,  county :  One  county  judge,  to  fill  vacancy;  one  clerk 
of  district  court:  one  county  surveyor,  one  school  fund  commis- 
sioner, full  term. 

"Also  that  a  vote  shall  be  taken  on  the  relocation  of  the  county 
seat  of  this  county,  between  the  present  site,  Bnidford,  and  New 
Ham]jton,  or  the  geographical  center  of  Chickasaw  county. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNUY.  155 

"Officers,  township:  Three  township  trustees;  one  toAvnship 
clerk;  two  justices  of  the  peace;  two  constables;  one  assessor;  one 
•one  superintendent  of  roads. 

"Notice  should  be  given  at  least  fifteen  days  previous  to  the 
day  of  the  election,  and  the  electors  must  elect  by  ballot  or  other- 
wise a  chairman,  and  proceed  to  elect  three  persons,  having  the 
■  qualification  of  voters  as  judges  of  the  election,  who  shall  appoint 
two  clerks;  and  both  judges  and  clerks  must  be  sworn  by  you  to 
faithfully  discliarge  the  duties  of  their  respective  offices. 

"Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  14th  day  of  March,  A.  D. 
1856.  •  B.  E.  De  Puy, 

County  Judge." 

At  the  contest  of  the  election,  Osgood  Gowen  filed  the  following 
istatement: 

"That  the  county  canvassers  declared  Lorenzo  Bailey  elected 
to  the  office  of  judge,  George  W.  Reed  elected  to  the  office  of  dis- 
trict clerk,  and  William  F.  Wright  elected  to  the  office  of  school 
fund  commissioner;  and  that  there  was  a  tie  vote  as  between  John 
A.  Billings  and  C.  M.  Webster  for  office  of  county  surveyor; 
whereas,  in  fact,  J.  C.  H.  INIiller  was  duly  elected  to  the  office  of 
county  judge;  Thomas  A.  Jacobs  was  duly  elected  to  the  office  of 
district  clerk;  William  Tucker  was  duly  elected  to  the  office  of 
school  fund  commissioner,  and  C.  M.  Webster  was  duly  elected 
to  the  office  of  county  surveyor,  each,  having  received  a  majority 
of  the  legal  votes  cast  in  said  county  at  said  election  for  his  said 
office." 

Among  other  things  as  causes  of  contest,  the  following  were   set 
forth : 

"1st.  That  the  judges  of  election  of  Washington  precinct  in  said 
county,  neglected  to  sign  the  returns  sent  up  to  the  judge,  and 
left  the  same  otherwise  informal;  by  reason  of  which  informality 
and  neglect,  the  county  canvassers,  or  a  majority  of  them,  cast  out 
the  entire  returns  and  vote  of  said  Washington  precinct,  in  which 
precinct  there  were  fourteen  votes  polled,  and  all  for  the  said  J.  C. 
H.  Miller  for  county  judge;  and  all  for  Thomas  A.  Jacobs  for  dis- 
trict clerk;  and  also  twelve  votes  were  given  to  William  Tucker 
for  school  fund  commissioner;  and  all  to  C.  M.  Webster  for  county 
surveyor." 


156  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  ' 

And  then  he  charges  the  canvassing  board  with  error  in  not 
counting  the  vote  of  Washington  township. 

The  contesting  board  consisted  of  W.  E.  Andrews,  prosecuting 
attorney  and  ex-officio  county  judge,  and  a  resident  of  Bradford; 
George  W.  Howard,  selected  on  the  part  of  tlie  incumbents  in 
ollice,  at  that  time  treasurer  and  recorder,  and  a  resident  of  Brad- 
ford; and  Henry  H.  Shafer  selected  by  the  contestant,  Osgood 
Gowen,  and  a  resident  of  Obispo  township,  now  Jacksonville. 
The  contesting  board  decided  adversely  to  the  contestant,  and  af- 
firmed the  decision  of  the  board  of  canvassers.  No  further 
legal  proceedings  appear  of  record,  and  the  incumbents  held  under 

the  election. 

"The  public  mind  was  in  a  high  state  of  excitement,   and    local 

party  feeling  ran  high.  A  public  meeting  was  called  to  meet  at 
the  Brink  House — a  well  known  hotel  on  the  banks  of  the  East 
Wapsi,  about  one  and  one-half-miles  northeast  of  New  Hampton — 
the  objects  and  i)roceedings  of  which  will  be  more  fully  under- 
stood by  a  personal  of  the  following  gem  of  the  past." 

INDIGNATION    MEETING. 

Pursuant  to  notice,  the  citizens  of  central,  western  and  the' 
northern  parts  of  Chickasaw  county,  assembled  at  the  Brink 
house,  on  Wednesday,  April  23d,  1856,  and  organized  by  calling 
the  Hon.  J.  C.  H.  Miller  to  the  chair,  and  electing  E.  R.  Gillett, 
Esq.,  secretary. 

The  chairman  stated  the  object  of  the  meeting  in  a  few  words. 
"It  seems,  he  said,  "that  we  are  called  together  again  to  deliberate 
upon  the  ways  and  means,  whereby  the  people — the  majority  of 
the  people — claiming  to  be  republicans,  shall  be  heard,  and  the 
'elective  franchise'  vindicated."  On  motoin,  a  report  (minority), 
from  G.  R.  Rowley,  one  of  the  county  board  of  canvassers,  was 
read,  and  ordered  to  be  printed  in  the  Dubuque  Tribune.  On 
motion,  a  committee  of  three  were  appointed  to  procure  counsel. 
Osgood  Gowen,  T.  A.  Jacobs  and  David  Edwards  were  appointed 
said  committee.  Mr.  Cutler  inroduced  the  following  resolution, 
which  was  unanimously  adopted: 

Resolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting,  and  the  report  of 
Mr.  Rowley  (together  with  200  circulars  struck  off,)  be  published 
in  the  Dubuque  Tribune. 

On  motion,  the  meeting  adjourned  sine  die, 
E.  R.  Gillett,  Secretary.  J.  C.  H.  Miller,  Chairman. 


HISTORY    OF   CHICKASAW    COUNTY.  157 

A    MINORITY    REPORT    P 

To  THE  Electors  of    Chickasaw   County,    Iowa, — As   one   of 
the  canvassers  of  the  election  held  in  ChickasaAV  Co.  on  April  7th, 
deem  it  my  duty  injustice  to  you;  to  inform  you  of  the    number 
of  votes  cast  at  that  time  for  the  different  county  officers,  and  also 
for  the  county  seat.     They  were  as  follows : 

Whole  number  of  votes  cast  for  county  judge  was 426 

Mr.  Miller  received  of  these  votes 215 

Mr.  Bailey  received  of  these  votes 210 

Leaving  a  majority  in  Miller's  favor  of 5 

Whole  number  of  votes  cast  for  county  clerk  was 423 

Mr.  Jacobs  recived  of  these  votes., 216 

Mr.  Reed  received  of  these  votes 207 

Leaving  a  majority  in  Mr.  Jacob's  favor  of 9 

Whole  number  of  votes  cast  for  county  surveyor  was.  .423 

Mr.  Webster  received  of  these  votes 196 

Mr.  Billings  received  of  these  votes 183 

Leaving  a  majority  in  Mr.  Webster's  favor  of 13 

Whole  number  of  votes  cast  for  school  fund  commis- 
sioner was 412 

Mr.  Tucker  received  of  these  votes 219 

Mr.  Wriiiht  received  of  these  votes 206 


"j^^ 


Leaving  a  majority  in  Mr.  Tucker's  favor  of 6 

[Note. — It  is  evident  that  there  is  an  error  in  the  figures   as  to 
the  above  office,  probably  a  blunder  of  the  printer's. — Ed.] 

Whole  number  of  votes  cast  for  county  seat,  was 420 

New   Hampton,   or   geograpliical   center,   received   of 

these  votes 213 

Bradford  received  of  these  votes 206 

Leaving  New  Hampton,  or  center,  a  majority  of..      7 

The  Hon.  W.  E.  Andrews,  then  acting   as   county  judge,   John 
Bird,  Esq,  and  myself,  constituted  the  board.     We  diflered  on  the 


158  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

validity  of  the  returns  from  North  Washingington  precinct.  [The 
reason  assigned  by  the  canvassers  for  tlirowing  out  Washington 
precinct,  was  this :  all  the  board  of  election   in   that   j)recinct   did 

not  sign  the  returns,  and  lience  this  ousting  business.  .  Washing- 
ton is  a  new  precinct,  having  only  organized  at  the  last  election, 
and  they  had  not  the  code  to  guide  them.]  But  there  being  two  to 
one,  they  overruled  me,  and  threw  out  those  returns,  even  after 
having  had  them  down  on  the  clerk's  tally  list,  which,  if  not  de- 
stroyed, can  yet  be  seen  in  the  office;  they  were  crossed  off,  and 
the  remaining  precincts  counted,  which  changed  the  result  of  the 
election.  If,  fellow  citizens,  this^was  the  first  time  that  Bradford 
and  its  hirelings  had  polluted  the  sanctity  of  the  ballot  box  we, 
might  overlook  it.  It  is  no  longer  ago  than  last  August,  that  we 
elected  this  same  J.  C.  H.  Miller  as  our  county  judge  by  over 
fifty  majority.  Then  the  Hon.  Judge  Lyons  and  E.  A.  Haskell, 
Esq.,  perverted  the  will  of  the  majority  of  the  votes  of  this  county 
by  throwing  out  a  precinct  with  over  sixty  votes  to  obtain  their 
ends  without  any  just  cause,  as  I  verily  believe,  and  so  the  court 
decided,  before  whom  the  Hon.  Judge  was  taken,  and  it  saw  fit  to 
bind  him  over  to  answer  for  fraud  and  corruption  in  changing  the 
result  of  the  election.* 

But  what  do  we  see  now?  The  same  prosecuting  attornay,  who 
took  such  an  active  part  against  the  Hon.  Judge  Lyons,  and  had 
him  bound  over;  now  he  is  called  upon  to  act  as  judge  and  can- 
vasser. How  much  does  he  lack  of  perverting  the  will  of  the  peo- 
ple? Has  he  not  also  taken  advantage  of  ignorance  or  oversight, 
and  changed  tne  result  of  the  election,  when  it  was  in  his  power 
to  have  avoided  it?     "O  consietency  thou  art  a  jewel." 


Fellow  citizens,  the  day  of  our  freedom  and  independence,  has 
gone  by  in  this  far-famed  county  of  Chickasaw;  the  will  of  the 
majority  has  to  succomb  to  a  meagre  minorit5^  The  democratic 
will,  "the  greatest  good  to  the  greatest  number,"  is  perverted,  and 
its  glorious  ])recepts  trampled  on  with  impunity.  Again,  the 
American  princii)les,  "the  majority  shall  rule,"  is  cast  aside,  and  a 
new  plank  is  instituted,  thus :  "The  minority  shall  rule  hi  Chickasaw 
Co.  henceforth  and  forever."  Fellow  citizens,  was  ever  so  })alpable 
gross  a  fraud  perpetrated,  as  this  ?  Were  ever  inconsistenciciS  so 
glaring,   as  those   of   our   Bradford  neighbors  ?      We  may  boast 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  159 

of  our  love  of  lil)erty,  and  expatiate  with  owlish  gravit}^  upon  the 
wrongs  of  Kansas;  but  I  Avill  tell  you,  the  home  ruffians  in  this 
county  tower  in  brutal  atrocity  and  unmitigated  villainy  above 
the  Kansas-Missouri  brigands.  We  may  talk  of  going  to  Kansas 
to  defend  the  ballot  box  from  a  Missouri  mob;  but  we  know  little 
of  our  duty  when  we  thus  talk  and  act;  we  little  think  the  same 
thing  is  transpiring  in  our  very  midst;  the  ballot  box  is  wrested 
from  us, — -the  palladium  of  our  liberties  asj^aulted — the  voice  of 
the  majority  slighted — the  rights  of  the  people  taken  away  ! 

Fellow  citizens,  how  long  shall  we  be  slaves  to  the  minority  in 
this  land  of  liberty,  in  this  "land  of  the  free  and  home  of  the 
brave  ?"  If  our  voice  is  not  to  be  heard  and  heeded  at  the  ballot 
box,  what  security  have  we  for  our  lives  and  our  property?  Are 
they  not  in  jeopardy  ?  Are  they  not  in  the  hands  of  those  that 
could  barter  them  away  for  a  "mess  of  pottage?"  What!  The 
minorty  to  rule  ?  If  the  minority  continue  to  rule,  how 
long  before  we  are  burdened  with  taxes.  How  long  before 
we  are  called  upon  to  build  county  buildings  in  Bradford? 
The  minority  rules,  and  we  must  submit  !  Shall  we  let  this 
wrong  pass  unnoticed  and  unrebuked?  Is  there  any  assurance 
that  there  will  not  be  a  repetition  of  the  same  offence  next 
yep.r?  and  tlie  next?  and  so  on,  for  a  series  of  years?  In  the 
language  of  Patrick  Henry,  "shall  we  gain  strength  by  inaction 
and  irresolution  ?  shall  we  lay  supinely  on  our  backs,  and  hug  the 
delusive  phantom  of  hope,  until  our  enemies  shall  have  bound  us 
hand  and  foot?"  Answer  these  questions,  fellow  citizens,  upon 
the  altars  of  your  hearts.  Answer  them  with  an  eye  single  to  the 
welfare,  happiness  and  prosperity  of  this  beautiful  county. 

As  3';our  canvasser,  fellow  citizens,  I  have  laid  the  subject  before 
you  for  your  consideration.  Hoping  that  you  will  take  notice  of 
such  facts  as  I  have  submitted  to  you,  I  am,  respectfully,  your 
humble  servant.  G.  R.  Rowley, 

"The  seed  thus  sown,"  continues  our  chronicler,  "was  destined 
to  become  prolific  of  bitter  personal,  partisan  and  local  feeling, 
arousing  the  strongest  jealousy  and  bitterest  animosity. 
The  first  and  leading  question,  on  the  advent  of  a  settler,  was,  'is 
he  a  northern  or  southern  man?'  Now  that  the  mantle  of  peace 
has  fallen  upon  the  county,  we  can  but  look  back  and  suppress  a 
emile  at  these  intestine  wars  and  rumors  of  wars,  that  so  absorbed 


160  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

public  interest,  and,  in  passing,  express  no  opinion  as  to  the  jus- 
tice of  either  party,  for  a  majority  of  the  actors  are  still  upon  the 
stage  of  life." 

Years  have  passed  since  the  above  was  first  written,  and  the 
solacing  hand  of  time  has  further  smoothed  the  wrinkles  in  the 
front  of  war,  until  the  asperities  of  conflict  have  been  softened  into 
heahng  retrospect  and  quiet,  kindly  amusement;  but  it  is  not  for 
the  editor  of  this  work  to  pry  into  the  motives  of  men,  or  take 
sides  in  a  cause  that  is  dead.  Sufficient  it  is  to  know,  that  these 
conflicts  form  part  of  the  history  of  the  county,  and  without  men- 
tion of  them,  the  history  would  be  essentially  incomplete. 

With  reference  to  the  exciting  county  seat  fight  of  1858,  a  few 
additional  facts  may  be  stated  by  way  of  completing  this  record  of 
early  struggles  for  political  supremacy.  The  more  essential  facts 
have  already  been  given.  The  records  in  the  auditor's  office,  hve 
peculiarly  silent  concerning  this  interesting  era.  An  entry  in  the 
county  judge's  book  under  date  of  March  2d,  1858,  states  that  "a 
petition  of  Hiram  Bailey  and  398  others,  for  a  vote  on  the  reloca- 
tion of  the  county  seat  at  a  place  known  as  Forest  City,  situated 
on  sections  12  and  13,  township  94,  range  10,  "was  granted  by 
Lorenzo  Bailey,  county  judge.  Another  entry  states  that  the 
election  was  "canvassed  April  12th,  1858,  and  Forest  City  was 
found  to  have  a  majority  for  the  county  seat."  "I  hereby  de- 
clare Forest  City  to  be  the  county  seat  in  and  for  Chickasaw 
county,  Iowa.  Lorenzo  Bailey,  County  Judge,"  On  the  op 
opsite  page  another  entry  recites  the  same  alleged  facts,  and  also 
orders  that  the  "court,  adjourn  to  meet  at  Forest  City  at  2  o'clock 
p.  M.,"  and  the  county  ofiicers  are  "ordered  to  remove  their  records 
to  Forest  City.     Signed.  Lorenzo  Bailey, 

[Attest.]     J.  H.  Powers,  County  Judge. 

Deputy  Clerk. 

Out  of  this  order  grew  the  excitement  and  complications  here- 
tofore mentioned,  which  led  to  the  scenes  of  disorder  and  the 
celebrated  "Battle  of  Bailey's  Lane."  An  old  and  responsible 
citizen,  an  eye  witness  to  the  scenes,  thus  briefly  relates  some  of 
the  occurrences: 

"You  see,"  said  he,  to  his  inquisitor,   "Judge   Bailey  lived   at 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  161 

Forest  City,  had  property  there,  and  was  naturally   interested  in 

the  growth  of  the  place.     Immediately  after  the  canvassing  of  the 

election  and  the  throwing  out  of  enough  votes  to   give   a  majorty 

to  Forest  City,  a  posse  was  brought  to  New   Hampton   to   remove 

the  records.     The  posse  numbered  about  seventy -five  persons  who 

came  principally  from  Forest  City  and  Bradford.     The   people   of 

New  Hampton  at  first  refused   to  submit  to   a   removal   of  the 

records,  and  made  preparations  to  resist,   many    coming   in   from 
this  vicinity  to  fight  against  the  removal  if  necessary. 

"The  opposing  forces  met  over  Gurley's  store,  where  the  county 
safe  and  books  were.  The  Forest  City  people  first  went  up,  and^ 
were  followed  by  the  opposing  faction.  For  a  time  there  was  the 
wildest  excitement,  and  it  looked  as  if  trouble  was  imminent. 
But,  under  peaceable  advice,  the  Forest  City  people  were  per- 
mitted to  take  the  records.  They  threw  the  safe  out  of  the  second 
story  window,  removed  the  records,  an  !  carried  the  effects  of  the 
county  to  Forest  City. 

"New  Hampton  then  began  to  fight  through  the  courts.  A  war- 
rant was  issued  for  the  arrest  of  Judge  Bailey,  and  a  posse  went 
to  his  house  and  arrested  him.  Tliere  was  a  good  deal  of  ex- 
citement and  considerable  delay,  the  judge  and  his  family  making 
various  pretexts  to  that  end,  until  up  came  a  man  with  what 
purported  to  be  Avrit  of  habeas  corpus,  and  took  the  prisioner 
away  from  his  captors.  This  writ  purported  to  liave  been  issued 
from  the  ofl&ce  of  the  clerk  of  the  court,  but  it  is  claimed,  was  it 
in  reality  issued  by  the  deputy  clerk.  Bailey  was  Released,  but  in 
the  interval  during  which  he  was  held  for  consultation,  a  general 
fight  ensued.  The  judge  found  it  convenient  to  disappear,  and 
for  a  time  the  conflict  waged  warm  and  the  fighting  dangerous. 
This  was  in  front  of  the  judge's  house,  and  there  were  probably 
seventy-five  persons  present.  Several  were  hurt,  Daniel  Shook 
perhaps  the  most  severely.  He  was  injured,  I  think,  in  the  side,, 
and  marked  in  the  face,  which  mark  he  will  carry  to  his  dying, 
day." 

It  is  unnecessary  to  add  that  the  invaders  came  away  without 
their  intended  prisoner.  Many  of  them  were  arrested  and  taken 
to  Williamstown,  and  thence  to  Nashua,  where  a  show  of  prosecu- 


•162  HISTORY  OP  (CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

tion  was  made,  but  nothing  resulted  therefrom  other  than  their 
ultimate  discharge.  It  was  while  going  home  from  the  scenes  of 
intestine  strife  that  Lawyer  Babcock,  of  Bradford,  lost  his  horse, 
the  animal  being  drowned  in  a  slough  of  the  Wapsie.  It  is  but  fair 
to  state  that  the  gentleman  from  whom  the  above  information  was 
obtained,  was  a  staunch  supporter  of  New  Hampton's  claim.  To 
mention  the  "Battle  of  Bailey's  Lane"  at  this  day,  only  creates 
a  smile  of  retrospective  amusement,  although,  it  is  easy  to  imag- 
ine, the  affair  was  sufficiently  serious  at  the  time. 

COUNTY  SEAT  CONTEST  1880. 

Almost  of  a  necessity  a  county  seat  controversy,  in  its  progress 
provoked  mach  bitterness  and  wrangling,«o  active  and  zealously  does 
partizafiship  become,  so  prone  is  man  to  magnify  or  belittle  facts  on 
eitlier  side,  that  it  becomes  doubly  hard  for  the  historian  to  calmly 
and  dispassionately  sum  up  the  various  evidence,  and  try  and 
place  cleaiiy  before  the  reader  the  true  inwardness  of  the  matter, 
but  we  will  endeavor  to  make  as  plain  a  statement  of  the  facts  as 
they  occurred. 

The  old  court  house,  located  at  New  Hampton,  took  fire  and 
burned  to  ashes  on  the  evening  of  March  26th,  1880.  The  cause 
of  the  fire  has  been  ascribed  to  incendiarism,  but  this  has  never  been 
fully  proven.  However  on  the  31st,  of  the  same  month  the  New 
Hampton  Tribune  in  an  editorial  suggested  that  now  as  the  old 
land  mark  had  gone  up  in  flames  that  the  county  should  build  a 
substantial  court  house  that  would  be  an  honor  the  county.  On 
the  sanie  day,  viz:  March  Slst,  1880,  the  following  paper  was  cir- 
culated and  sign  by  good  and  substantial  citizens  of  Nashua  and 
Bradford  township,  to-wit: 

To  the  Honorable   board  of  supervisors  of  Chickasaw  county, 

low : 

We  the  undersigned  residents  and  tax-payers  of  said  Chickasaw 
county,  respectfully  petition  you  that  you  take  necessary  steps  to 
build  a  court  house,  upon  the  court  house  square.  New  Hamp- 
ton, as  soon  as  the  same  can  legally  be  done.  Dated  March  31st, 
1880. 

A.  U.  Lawrence,  M.  Stewart,  Jr., 

C.  A.  Greely,  S.  E.  Preston, 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW    COIKTY.  163 

A.  A.  Turner,  J.  W.  Kellogg, 

Amos  Case,  J.  P.  Parrish, 

Jos.  F.  Grawe,  B.  A.  Billings, 

Wni.  B.  Perriii,  Hazlett  and  Sons, 

F.  Hollenbeck,  anci  125  others. 

However  many  of  the  citizens  of  Nashua  and  vicinity  retro- 
graded from  the  above  peition  on  the  question  on  the  agitation  of 
many  people  in  the  balance  of  the  county,  who  suggested  the  loca- 
tion of  the  county  seat  at  Nashua,  and  the  building  of  the  court 
house  at  that  place. 

On  the  3d  day  of  April,  at  a  meeting  held  in  the  town  of  Lawler 
a  resolution  was  passed  protesting  against  appropriation  of 
any  money  by  the  county  to  build  a  court  house  until  the  town 
where  it  was  built  should  make  liberal  appropaiation  therefor. 

This  resolution  seemed  to  cast  a  liiebrand  in  to  the  hitherto 
peaceful  question,  and  to  set  the  county  in  a  blaze  and  every  man 
seemed  to  take  some  part,  for  one  side  or  the  other. 

However,  the  citizens,  of  New  Hampton,  met  the  question,  by 
appointing  A.  E.  Bigelow,  H.  M.  Mixer  and  Jno.  Foley,  as  trustees 
to  raise  and  hold  a  fund,  of  $5,000,  to  be  given^ to  the  county  of 
Chickasaw,  or  as  much  of  it  as  was  needed  to  complete  the  court 
house  building,  provided,  the  county  appropriated  the  sum  of 
$5,000  in  addition. 

To  this  liberal  offer  it  was  raised  in  objection,  that  the  sub- 
scribers were  only  bound  for  a  small  sum  in  reality,  as  but  little 
more  than  the  S5,000  of  the  county  would  be  needed  to  build 
the  court  house,  according  to  plans  adopted  by  the  board  of  super- 
visors. This  led  to  much  dispute  and  mangling.  The  citizens  of 
Nashua,  agreed  on  their  part,  that,  if  the  county  seat  was  located 
in  that  place,  they  would  erect  a  building  suitable  for  the  pur- 
pose, at  a  cost  of  $25,000,  which  the  county  might  occupy  as  a 
court  house,  at  a  nominal  rent  of  $1.00  per  annum,  but  which 
building  they  would  not  donate  to  the  county. 

Finally  at  the  September  meeting  of  the  board   of  supervisors, 
the  question  of  locating  the  county  seat  was  taken  up,  and  a   peti- 
tion signed  by  a  large  number  of  the  voters  of  the  county,  was  pre- 
sented, asking  the  honorable  board  to  relocate  the  same  at  Nashua, 


164  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

in  the  township  of  Bradford.  Also  a  remonstrance,  signed  by  a 
larger  number  of  votes  of  said  county,  was  presented  remonstrat- 
ing against  the  board  relocating  the  county  seat  at  Nashua,  and 
we  find  the  following  upon  the  records  of  the  board. 

"The  question  of  the  relocation  of  the  county  seat  was  taken  up 
by  the  board,  and  the  following  action  taken  by  them:" 

We,  the  board  of  supervisors  of  Chickasaw  county,  Iowa,  at  the 
suggestion,  and  by  the  expressed  consent  of  the  petitioners,  by 
their  attorney,  without  a  close  investigation  of  either  the  petition 
or  remonstrance,  but  taking  the  names  as  they  appear  upon  the 
face  of  said  petition  and  remonstrance,  and  being  satisfied  that  the 
names  upon  the  remonstrance  exceed  the  names  upon  the  petition, 
therefore  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners  is  hereby  declared,  not 
granted." 

This  ended  the  matter  and  the  county  seat  still  remaining  at  New 
Hampton,  the  building  of  the  court  house  was  proceeded  with;  for 
account  of  which  we  refer  to  chapter  on  county  buildings. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  165  I 


CHAPTER  V. 


The  Pkess;  The  Printer;   Journalism  in   Chickasaw   County 
IN  Early  Days — Railroads;  Their  History   and   Extent. 


The  inception  of  journalism  dates  from  remote  ages.  The  insti- 
tution now  known  as  the  newspaper  was  preceded  nearly  a  thou- 
sand years  by  manuscript  publications,  in  which  the  accounts  of 
public  occurrences  in  Rome  were  made  knoAvn  to  the  public,  these 
were  known  by  the-  name  of  "Acta  Diurna;"  but  their  issues,  in 
time  of  scarcity  of  news,  was  irregular,  the  editor  either  engaging 
in  some  other  calling  or  indulging  in  the  sports  of  the  day. 

But  little  progress  was  made  from  this  until  1622,  the  date  of 
the  first  publication  worthy  of  the  name  of  newspaper.  Prior  to 
that  time,  the  mental  appetite  of  modern  Europe  had  subsisted 
upon  periodical  manuscript  literature.  In  England,  the  written 
news-letter,  fui-nished  only  at  fabulous  prices,  was,  for  a  long  time, 
in  vogue.  The  news  pamphlet  was  the  nearest  approach  to  the 
newspaper  that  had  obtained  up  to  1622;  when,  as  has  been  said, 
the  first  regular  series  of  newspapers  was  born.  It  was  about  that 
time  that  the  "Weekly  News  from  Italic  and  Germanie"  made  its 
salutatory  to  the  London  public.  It  was  printed  upon  a  mechani- 
cal contrivance — perfected  by  one   Nathanial  Butler,   who  is  th« 


167  HISTOEY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

progenitor  of  the  newspaper  proper.  The  first  attempt  at  the  pub- 
lication of  parlimentary  reports  was  made  in  1G41,  when  the 
parties  of  the  reahn  first  occupied  a  plac^in  the  paper.  The  first 
advertisement  was  inserted  in  1648,  and  was  in  verse  form,  and  tra- 
dition truly  says  that  it  paid  then  as  now. 

The  first  daily  morning  newspaper  was  the  "London  Courant," 
published  in  1709  and  consisted  of  only  one  pago  or  two  columns, 
each  five  paragraphs  long;  and  was  made  up  from  translations 
from  foreign  journals.  Fifty  years  had  not  elapsed  l^efore  there 
was  over  seven  ndllion  papers  sold  in  England  annually. 

The  revolutions  in  journalism  during  the  present  century  have 
been  of  so  stupendous  a  type  as  to  be  almost  beyond  comprehension 
were  we  not  brought  face  to  face  with  the  fact  day  by  day.  Nor 
has  the  press  failed  to  increase  in  power  and  usefulness.  It  is  an 
instrument  calculated  to  elevate  and  enlighten  the  people,  as  well 
as  aid  in  the  enforcement  of  the  laws  and  the  perpetuation  of  good 
government.  It  is  its  mission  to  make  wrong  doing  odious,  by 
airing  the  misdeeds  of  those  guilty  of  crimes  agoinst  law  and  so- 
ciety j  and  to  point  the  admiring  finger  at  the  good  and  pure  deeds 
of  men  of  nobility  of  soul,  who  are  worthy  of  respectful  homage. 

And  th^ printer,  whose  ceaseless  placing  of  type  on  type  makes 
possible  these  labors  of  tlie  brain  of  men;  the  printer  who  garners 
up  the  thoughts  and  actions  of  men  and  spread  them  upon  the 
snow  white  page  and  send  them  to  your  very  door,  is  he  not  wor- 
thy a  place  in  the  history  of  our  time. 

To  use  the  beautiful  words  of  that  gifted  journalist,  Benj.  F. 
♦  Taylor,  when  speaking  of  the  printer: 

"The  printer  is  tlie  adjutant  of  thought,  and  this  explains  the 
mystery  of  the  wonderful  word — that  can  kindle  a  hope  as  no 
Bong  can — that  can  warm  the  heart  as  no  hope — that  word  'we,' 
with  a  hand  in  hand  warmth  in  it,  for  the  author  and  printer  are 
engineers  together.  Engineers,  indeed  !  when  the  little  Corsican 
bombarded  Cadiz  at  the  distance  of  five  miles,  it  was  deemed  the 
very  triumph  of  engineering.  But  what  is  that  range  to  this> 
whereby  they  bombard  the  age  yet  to  come. 

"There  at  the  case  he  stands  and  marshals  into  line  the  forces 
armed  for  truth,  clothed  in  immortality  and  English.  And  what 
can  be  nobler  than  the  equipment  of  a  thought  in  sterting  Saxon — 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  167 

Saxon  with  the  ring  of  spear  and  shield  in  it,  and  that  commis- 
sioning it,  when  we  are  dead,  to  move  gradually  on  to  the  — 'latest 
syllable  of  recorded  time'.     This  is  to  win  a  victory   from   death, 

for  this  has  no  death  in  it. 

"The  printer  is  called  a  laborer,  and  the  office   he  performs,  toil. 

Oh,  it  is  not  work,  but  a  sublime  rite  that  he  is  performing,  when 
he  thus  sights,  the  engine  that  is  to  fling  a  worded  truth  in  grand- 
er curve  than  missle  e'er  before  described — flung  it  into  the  bosom 
of  an  age  yet  unborn. 

"He  throws  oif  his  coat  indeed  !  we  but  wonder,  the  rather,  that 
he  does  not  put  the  shoes  from  off  his  feet,  for  the  place  whereon 
he  stands  is  holy  ground. 

"A  little  song  was  uttered  somewhere,  long  ago— it  wander- 
ed through  the  twilight  feebler  than  a  star — it  died  upon  the  ear. 
But  the  printer  caught  it  up  where  it  was  lying  there  in  the  silence 
like  a  wounded  bird,  and  equips  it  anew  with  wings,  and  he  sends 
it  forth  from  the  ark  that  had  preserved  it,  and  it  flew  forth  into 
the  future,  with  the  olive  branch  of  peace,  and  round  the  world 
with  melody,  like  the  dawning  of  a  spring  morning. 

"How  the  types  have  built  up  the  broken  arches  in  the  bridge  of 
time  !  How  they  render  the  brave  utterances  beyond  the  Pilgrims 
audible  and  eloquent — hardly  feeling  the  free  spirit,  but  moving 
not  a  word,  not  a  syllable  lost  in  the  whirl  of  the  world — moving 
in  connected  paragraph  and  period  down  the  lengthening  line  of 
years." 

The  first  newspaper  published  in  the  county,  was  the  Chickasaw 
County  Republican,  which  made  its  appearance  at  Jacksonville  in 
May,  1857,  under  the  proprietorship  of  Isaac  Watson,  who  brought 
the  material  from  Missouri.  Watson  was  subsequently  killed  by 
the  rebels  in  Missouri  during  the  war.  Following  the  Republi- 
can very  closely,  in  the  same  month,  and  during  the  succeeding 
week — the  Cedar  Valley  News  was  issued  at  Bradford,  with  A.  J. 
Felt  as  editor.  Felt  sold  to  a  Mr.  Bushnell,  and  he  to  D.  A.  Bab- 
oock,  who  represented  a  stock  company.  The  stock  company  sold 
to  G.  M.  Reynolds,  who,  in  connection  with  Babcock,  ran  the  paper 
for  some  time.  The  News  finally  succumbed  to  adverse  circum- 
stances, and  after  a  flickering  existence,  its  "light  went  out."  It 
was  neutral  in  politics,  and,  says  our  informant,  "was  published 
for  a  republican  constituency  by  a  democratic  editor." 

The  Jacksonville  newspaper  enterprise  was  republican  in  poli- 
tics, and  it,  too,  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  stock   company,   which,  as 


168  HISTORY  QF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

in  the  case  of  the  Cedar  Valley  News,  also  proved   to  be  the   pre- 
cursor of  death.     We  have  before  us  as  we  write,  the  paper  relat- 
*  ng  to  the  organizing  of  the  stock  c(  n.j  suy,  purchase  of  the  paper 

etc.,  which  we  herewith  present  in  full: 

"In  pursuance  of  a  call  of  individuals  that  have  prcpcsed  taking 
shares  and  forming  a  joint  stock  association  for  the  purpose  of  pur- 
chasing the  press,  fixtures,  furniture  and  books  of  the  Chickasaw 
County  Republican,  under  t  he  name  of  the  Chickasaw  County  Re- 
publican Association,  a  meeting  was  held  at  Jacksonville  on  the 
7th  day  of  November,  1857,  and  on  motion  William  Little  was 
"called  to  the  chair  and  J.  H.  Powers  appointed  secretary.  On  mo- 
tion the  articles  that  had  been  circulated  for  the  purpose  of  elicit- 
ing stock  were  presented,  the  blanks  filled,  and   were  unanimously 

adopted  as  follows: 

"  'The  stock  of  the  associati  on  shall  consist  of  shares  of  ten  dol- 
lars each,  and  each  share  shall  be  entitled  to  one  vote.  The  stock 
shall  be  paid  in  installments  as  follows,  to  wit:  one-half  dollar  down, 
two  dollars  in  four  months,  and  the  remainder  in  six  months. 

"  'The  stockholders  shall  at  the  annual  meeting  on  the  second  Wed- 
nesday of  November,  elect  by  ballot  a  president,  vice-president^ 
secretary  and  treasurer,  and  an  executive  and  such  other  commit- 
ties  as  they  shall  see  fit,  whose  duties   shall  be   as   prescribed  by 

the  by-laws  of  the  association. 

"  'The  treasurer  shall,  before  entering  upon  the  duties  of  his  of- 
fice, give  bonds  in  the  sum  of  two  thousand  dollars,  said  bonds  to 
be  approved  by  the  president  and  filed  with  the  secretary. 

"  'The  stock  holders  shall  have  power  to  make  by-laws  not  in- 
consistent with  these  articles. 

"  'No  share  shall  be  entitled  to  a  vote  after  an  installment  be- 
comes due,  until  paid. 

"  'One-half  of  the  shares  taken,  represented  by  at  least  five  stock- 
holders, shall  constitute  a  quorum  for  transaction  of  business. 

"  'These  articles  may  be  amended  at  any  annual  meeting  by  a 
majority  of  shares  represented,  by  giving  two  months'  notice  prior 

to  said  meeting.' " 

These  articles  were  signed  as  follows:  D.  A.  Babcock,  3  shares, 
$30;  R.  C.  Horton,  3  shares,  $30;  G.  W.  Howard,  3  shares,  $30;  B. 
E.  DePuy,  2  shares,  $20;  A.  W.  Billings,  3  shares,  $30;  M.  B. 
Taylor,  1  share  $10;  Thomas  Poolr  &  Co.,  5  shares,  $50;  Luthan 
Morgan,  1  share,  $10;  L.  L.  Morse,  3  shares,  $30;  W.  W.  Foster,  1 
share,  $10;  A.  E.  Bigelow,  1  share,  $10." 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


169 


The  proceedings  of  the  meeting  were  continued  as  follows : 

"On  motion  they  proceeded  to  ballot  for  ofiicers,  which  resulted 
afl  follows:  President  Hazard  Green;  vice-president,  D.  A.  Bab- 
cock;  secretary,  J.  H.  Powers;  treasurer,  J.  H.  Dickens;  executive 
committee,  G.  W.  Howard,  F.  D.  Bosworth,  J.  Cole;  committee  on 
by-laws,  W.  E.  Beach,  J.  H.  Dickens,  J.  Cole,  J.  H.  Powers,  G. 
W.  Howard." 

Shares  were  limited  to  two  hundred  at  ten  dollars  each,  and  the 
installments  were  made  payable  as  follows :  five  dollars  down,  two 
dollars  in  three  months  and  three  dollars  in  six  months.  The  cor- 
poration began  its  existence  on  the  14th  day  of  November,  1857' 
and  was  to  continue  ten  years,  subject,  however,  to  dissolution  by 
a  two-thirds  vote  of  all  the  shares  taken.  Private  property  was 
exempt  from  the  incorporate  debts,  and  the  indebtedness  of  the 
association  was  never  to  exceed  three  hundred  dollars  at  any  one 
time. 

Isaac  Watson's  assignment  of  the  property  is  as  follows:  "For 
the  consideration  of  the  sum  of  six  hundred  dollars  in  hand  paid, 
I  hereby  assign  and  sell  to  the  Chickasaw  County  Republican  As- 
sociation, all  the  material  and  fixtures  of  the  office  of  the  Chick- 
asaw County  Republican;  also  the  stock  and  books  on  hand,  the 
job  type  now  at  the  river,  and  all  the  stock  now  on  hand  connected 
with  the  office;  and  authorize  the  association  to  appropriate  the 
same  to  the  use  of  the  association."  '^ 

Isaac  Watson. 

The  following  is  also  from  the  records  kept  by  the  association: 

NAMES.  ,  NO.    SHARES.  AMOUNT. 


Cole  

H.Green    

20 
15 

W.  E.  Beach 

A.  Vaughn 

WilUiam  Little 

1 
2 
5 

J.  H.  Powers 

J.  P.  North 

F.  Coover 

H.  H.  Brakeman 

1 
3 

2 

C.  Fitch 

1 

E.  R.  Gillett 

D.  A.  Babcock 

J.  H.  Powers  (for  Gurley) 

1 
1 
1 

$200  Receipted 
150 

10 

u 

20 

a 

50 

a 

10 

a 

30 

li 

20 

u 

60 

u 

10 
10 
10  ] 
10 

Receipted 

170  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

"The  amount  of  shares  set  against  the  names  above  will  call  for 
shares  in  the  Chickasaw  County  Republicon  Association,  on  pre- 
senting the  receipt  of  Isaac  Watson.  J.  H.  Powers, 

"Sec.  of  C.  C.  R.  A." 

Reed,  on  the  above  the  amount  set  opposite  each  name  in  full, 
in  payment  on  account  of  the  Chickasaw  County  Republican  of- 
fice, with  the  exception  of  A.  Vaughn,  Charley  Fitch  and  E.  R. 
Gillett,  and  $40  on  H.  H.  Brakeman. 

"Jacksonville,  December  18th,  1857. 

"Isaac  Watson." 

Certificates  of  stock  appear  to  have  been  issued  as  follows : 
names.  nos.  no  of  shares. 

F.  D.  Bos  worth 1         1 

D.  A.  Babcock 2         1 

J.  H.  Powers 3         1 

W.E.Beach 4        1 

J.Cole 5  to  25  20 

H.  H.  Brakeman 25to31  6 

G.W.Howard 31        '. 1 

J.  P.  North 33to36 3 

Little  &  Wood 36to41 5 

A.  Vaughn 41to42 2 

Coover 43to44 2 

The  certificates  of  stock  were  in  form  as  follows,  being  a  copy  of 
^n  origonal  one  now  before  us : 


/~ 


No.  5.  CERTIFICATE   OF  STOCK,  $10. 

OF   THE 

CHICKASAW    COUNTY    REPUBLICAN  ASSOCIATION. 

Ten  Dollars. 
Issued  to J.  Cole. 

December  25th,  A.  D.,  1857. 

' ^ 

Chickasaw    County     '\ 
Republican   Association  [■ 

Seal.  3 

. / 

^  J.  H.  Powers,  Sec.  H.  Green,  Pres.  ^ 


HISTORY   OF   CHICKASAW    COUNTY.  171 

After  a  brief  and  unsatisfactory  existence  the  Chickasaw  County 
Kepublican  Association,  which  had  been  started  with  such  careful 
preparation,  sold  the  Republican  to  L.  J.  Young,  who  moved  the 
material  to  New  Hampton  and  with  it  began  the  publication  of  the 
New  Hampton  Courier,  in  connection  with  W.  E.  Beach.  In  pay- 
ment for  the  material  Young  executed  the  following  instrument: 

"Be  it  remembered  that  I,  L.  J.  Young,  for  a  valuable  considera- 
tion in  hand  paid  by  J.  H.  Powers,  as  agent  of  the  Chickasaw 
County  Republican  association,  do  hereby  sell  and  deliver  unto 
the  said  powers  as  the  said  agent,  one  yoke  of  white-faced  oxen» 
now  used  by  me,  and  one  spotted  cow;  and  make  and  deliver  unto 
the  Chickasaw  County  Republican  association  a  good  and  suffi- 
cient warrantee  deed  of  lot  number  three  in  block  eighteen  in  the 
village  of  Chickasaw,  Chickasaw  county,  Iowa,  or  at  their  request 
to  any  other  person  that  they  may  direct  instead  thereof;  and  to 
give  over  to  him  the  following  donations,  to- wit: 

"Gardner  &  Hamlin,  $20;  D.  Edwards,  one  lot  in  New  Hamp- 
ton; H.  Gurley,  $10;  S.  Cotant,  $10;  D.  A.  Jackson,  $10;  E.  T. 
Runion,  $10;  Powers,  balance  due  him  on  note  holden  by  H. 
Gurley ;  said  donation  to  be  collected  by  the  said  agent. 

"Witness  my  hand  and  seal  this  11th  day  of  November,  A.  D., 
1859.  L.  J.  Young." 

The  New  Hampton  Courier  made  its  first  appearance  on  the 
16th  day  of  January,  1860,  as  a  six  column  folio,  Beach  &  Young 
editors  and  proprietors.  The  first  number  was  evidently  put  to- 
gether under  difficulties,  not  the  least  of  which  was  the  scarcity  of 
proper  type.  On  the  fourth  page  the  proceedings  of  congress  are 
set  in  double  column  measure,  in  great  primer  type,  but  the  pro- 
ceedings not  "filling  out"  the  double  column,  capitals  of  the  Ger- 
man text  alphabet  are  inserted  to  fill  the  vacancy.  An  item  from 
the  Charles  City  Intelligencer,  predicting  the  early  demise  of  the 
new  venture,  is  quoted  in  this  number,  with  appropriate  comments 
to  the  effect  that  the  Courier  has  come  to  stay,  etc.,  an  assertion 
which  has  proven  more  than  usually  correct  as  regards  such  en- 
terprises, the  Courier  being  at  this  writing  in  its  twenty -third  year 
and  so  far  from  showing  signs  of  decay  as  to  evince,  on  the  con- 
trary, increased  vigor,  ability  and  prosperity  with  its  increasing 
years. 

Of  the  home  advertisers  in  this  first  issue  of  the  Courier,  we  note 


172  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

the  following,  doing  business  at  that  time  in  New  Hampton,  ex- 
cept where  otherwise  stated:  Waite  &  Albertson,  dry  goods  and 
groceries;  A.  &  N.  Vaughn,  general  merchandise,  Jacksonville;  H. 
Green,  tavern  stand,  Jacksonville;  William  Beebe,  blacksmith 
"clocks  and  watches  cleaned,  guns  and  gun-locks  repaired,"  Jack- 
sonville; H.  Gurley,  general  merchandise;  Cotant  &  McCuUow, 
general  merchandise;  J.  H.  Powers,  counselor  at  law;  W.  E. 
Beach,  notary  public;  Caleb  Arnold,  justice  of  the  peace. 

W.  E.  Beach  subsequently  sold  his  interest  to  G.  M.  Reynolds, 
who,  after  a  time,  purchased  Young's  interest  also.  Mr.  Reynold's 
continued  to  publish  the  Courier  until  his  death  in  1878,  on  June 
22d,  of  which  year  the  paper  passed  into  the  hands  of  W.  R.  Ed- 
wards and  J.  R.  Carleton,  who  continued  its  publication  until  Oct. 
11,  1882,  when  Mr.  Edwards  sold  his  interest  to  C.  F.  Geer.  The 
Courier  is  now  published  by  Carleton  &  Geer,  editors  and  proprie- 
tors, is  an  eight-column  folio,  republican  in  politics,  and  in  every 
way  creditable  to  its  owners  and  the  county  of  Chickasaw. 

RAILROADS. 

In  the  days  when  the  feet  of  the  pioneer  first  pressed  the  prairie 
sod  of  Chickasaw  county,  no  guiding  road  had  they  on  which  they 
could  travel  to  reach  their  destmation.  A  pocket  compass,  the 
North  star,  the  course  of  the  streams,  or  often  blind  chance  were 
their  only  guide.  Before  their  coming,  to  select  their  lands  and 
build  their  cabins,  the  prairie  grass  and  flowers  had  never  known 
the  disturbing  feet  of  the  white  man.  Few  railroads  were  their  in 
any  parts  of  the  United  States,  and  in  this  country  they  lay  as  yet 
in  the  bosom  of  the  unborn  years.  The  hardy  pioneer  seeking  out 
a  new  home,  came  by  wagon,  on  horseback.;  yea,  often  on  foot; 
the  ferries  across  the  streams  were  rude  enough  when  there  were 
any;  but  often  the  immigrant  was  compelled  to  ford  the  creeks  or 
raft  himself  over  the  rivers.  Sometimes,  wagons  were  transported 
across  the  river  in  small  Indian  canoes,  that  were  lashed  together 
at  a  width  to  accommodate  the  width  of  the  wagons;  the  wheels 
of  one  side  of  the  wagon  being  placed  in  one  canoe,  and  the  wheels 
of  the  other  side  in  the  other  canoe  and  then  "paddled"  across. 
The  horses  and  exen  being  swam  by  the  side  of  the  canoes,  and 
another  voyage  being  made  to  "set  over"  the  family  of  the^^emi- 
grant  who  shared  his  toil  and  privation. 

As  the  country  settled  up,  the  needs  of  the  pioneers  began  to  in- 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNUY.  17S 

crease,  stores  and  trading  places  to  spring  up,  goods  and  merchan- 
dise were  hauled  by  wagons  from  McGregor  and  Dubuque,  the 
nearest  landing  places  on  the  Mississippi.  In  those  days,  and  un- 
til the  railroads  crossed  the  Mississippi  river — and  followed  the  set- 
tlements into  the  interior,  freighting  and  staging  was  a  prosperous 
business,  and  laid  the  foundation  for  fortunes  to  the  men  who  en- 
gaged in  it.  The  old  four-horse  stage  are  still  remembered  with 
much  pleasure,  as  being  the  joy  of  their  early  days,  when  the 
farmer  stopped  the  horse  in  the  furrow,  the  mechanic  dropped  his 
tools,  and  the  merchant  came  from  behind  his  counter,  all  to  see 
the  stage  go  by.  What  a  hero — a  man  to  be  envied — was  the 
driver.  The  young  man's  mind  could  conceive  no  higher  ambi- 
tion than  to  drive  a  four-in-hand  stage.  And  in  fact,  it  made 
many  of  the  fathers  and  men  in  middle-life  feel  wonderfully 
proud,  when,  for  the  first  time,  they  took  a  seat  in  one  of  those  old 
coaches  to  be  whirled  back  to  the  east,  from  which   he  had   so  la- 

borously  toiled  with  plodding  oxen  but  a  few  years  ago. 

In  1856,  the  people  of  Chickasaw  first  began  to  agitate  the  sub- 
ject of  railroads.  The  McGregor,  St.  Peters  and  Mississippi  rail- 
road company  being  then  in  process  of  formation  with  headquar- 
ters at  Decorah  and  McGregor,  a  special  election  was  held  in 
Chickasaw  county  on  the  question  as  to  whether  the  county  should 
subscribe  to  the  stock  of  said  company  to  induce  them  to  run  their 
line  through  the  county.  The  election  was  hel4  on  October  15th, 
1856,  and  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast  were  536,  of  these  352 
voted  for  the  subscription  for  the  stock  an  d  176  against  it,   with  8 

ballots  rejected  on  account  of,  being  incorrectly  worded. 

On  October  6th,  1857,  a  vote  was  taken  in  the  county  as  to 
whether  the  county  should  aid  in  the  construction  of  the  Cedar 
Valley  branch  of  the  Chicago,  Iowa  and  Nebraska,  and  resulted  in 
309  votes  being  cast  in  favor  of  so  doing  and  216  against  it.  But 
the  McGregor,  St.  Peter  and  Mississippi  railroad  having  collapsed 
about  1860,  the  county  held  another  election  and  recinded  all  votes 
cast  in  aid  of  both  the  above  roads,  by  very  large  majorities. 

The  first  company  who  broke  ground  within  the  limits  of  the 
county,  was  the  Cedar  Valley  and  Minnesota,  who  during  the  sum- 
mer of  1868  graded  the  road  and  laid  the  rails  through  the  south- 
western part  of  Bradford  township.  The  station  at  Nashua  was 
erected  in  July  of  that  year.  Immediately  on  the  completion  of  the 
roadjit  was  leased  to  the  Illinois  Central  railroad,  who  furnished  the 


174  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

necessary  rolling  stock  to  transact  the  business  and  who  operate 
the  road  now  under  the  name  of  the  Cedar  ITalls  and  Minnesota 
branch  of  the  Illinois  Central.  There  are,  however,  but  seven 
miles  and  a  small  fraction  lying  within  this  county. 

On  the  9th  day  of  September,  1868,  however,  ground  was  broken 
at  Calmar,  Winnesheik  county,  by  the  McGregor  and  Sioux  City 
railroad,  and  in  the  early  summer  of  1869  had  entered  the  bounda- 
ries of  Chickasaw  county.  This  road  traverses  the  entire  breadth 
of  Chickasaw  county,  crossing  the  townships  of  Stapleton,  New 
Hampton,  Dayton,  Chickasaw  and  a  small  fraction  of  Utica,  and 
having  stations  at  Lawler,  New  Hampton,  Chickasaw  and  Bassett 
It  is  now  under  the  control  of  the-  Chicago,  Milwaukee  and  St.  Paul 
railroad,  and  designated  the  Iowa  and  Dakota  division. 

Several  attempts  have  been  made  to  induce  the  building  of 
other  roads,  notably  those  running  north  and  south,  to  secure  ad- 
ditional facilities  and  produce  competition,  and  thereby  cheapen 
freight,  but  at  present  nothing  has  come  of  it,  although  there 
seems  to  be  a  prospect,  in  the  future,  for  at  least  one  to  be  com- 
pleted. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  175 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Education. — Early  School  Laws,  Tax  Rates,  and  Reports; 
School  Superintendents;  Present  Status;  Reports  of 
Schools:;  Report  of  School  Superintendent;  and  Teachers, 
Etc. 


educational. 
The  United  States,  although  the  youngest  in  the  bright  brother- 
hood of  nations  may  in  truth  be  said  to  be  the  parent  of  the  public 
school.  Two  hundred  years  ago,  the  stern  and  rigid  Puritan,  on 
the  bleak  and  rocks  shores  of  New  England,  originated  the  district 
school  for  the  inculcation  of  ideas,  to  the  j  youthful 
mind,  and  it  exists  to  this  day  in  that  far  away  portion  of  our  great 
republic.  Our  forefathers,  in  the  mighty  emgrations  which  they 
made  toward  the  setting  sun,  brought  with  them  the  germs  of  t  he 
precious  seed,  and  where  ever  they  settled  planted  it  in  a  fruitful 
soil.  Some  came  to  our  own  noble  state,  and  though  the  seed 
was  in  small  quantity,  verily  the  harvest  is  abundant.  It 
can  now  witliout  any  tear  of  contradiction,  be  said, 
that      Iowa      possesses      the      best      school     system      in      th  e 


176  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

world;  and  Chickasaw  county  is  by  no  means,  in  the  rear  of  the 
other  counties  of  the  state,  in  this  respect.  Let  the  following  exhibit 
of  the  use  of  the  educational  system  vouch  for  the  truth  of  this. 

The  first  school  opened  in  the  county,  was  one  at  the  old  village 
of  Bradford  in  the  year  1852,  and  from  this  small  beginning, 
in  thirty  years  it  has  grown  into  a  mighty  tree,  whose  outreaching 
branches  overshadow  every  part  of  it.  The  first  schools  were  ap- 
parently independent  movements  brought  about  by  the  commun- 
ities in  which  they  were  planted  for  we  find  no  records  of  any 
thing  approaching  to  concerted  action  or  system  until  1855,  from 
that  period  until  1858,  there  are  no  records  at  all  owing  partially  to 
the  loose  manner,  in  which  all  the  early  papers  were  kept.  After 
that  date  there  seems  to  be  more  effort  to  keep  them  in  proper 
form,  and  from  them  we  collate  the  following: 

In  1858  the  secretaries  of  the  several  school  districts,  returned 
the  following  tax  rates  for  school  purposes:  New  Hampton  town- 
ship, seven  mills;  Richland  township,  five  mills;  North  Washing- 
ton, one  mill;  Bradford,  one  mill;  Dayton,  five  mills;  Jackson- 
(or  Jaxonville,  as  here  spelled,)  five  mills. 

September  12th,  1859,the  permanent  school  fund,  and  the  school 
•.tax  collected  in  Chickasaw  county   were  apportioned   as  follows: 

PERMANENT  CO.  TAX 

TOWNSHIP.  SCHOOL  FUND.       COLLECTED. 

Jacksonville $  62  12        $  39  15 

Utica 66  86  42  11 

Washington 31  32  19  44 

Deerfield 56  38  35  53 

Chickasaw 104  40  65  80 

Dayton 32  88  20  92 

New  Hampton 49  59  31  26 

Stapleton 33  41  '21  06 

Fredricksburg 51  68  32  57 

Dresden 34  97  22  04 

Richland 53  77  33  89 

Bradford 143  03  90  15 

Totals mo  41        $453  92 

October  3d,  1859,  J.  C.  Strong,  county  superintendent  of  Chick- 
asaw county  schools,  filed  the  following  abstract  of  the  number  of 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


177 


youths,  between  the  ages  of  five  and.  twenty-one  years,  residing  in 
each  township  and  school  district: 

TOWNSHIP.                                                                   MALES.          FEMAES.  TOTALS. 

Bradford 143                144  287 

Chickasaw 125                  90  215 

Dayton 22                  23  45 

Deerfield 51                  60  111 

Dresden 25                  43  68 

Fredericksburg 47                  32  79 

Jacksonville, 62                  56  118 

New  Hampton, 71                  57  128 

Richland, 33                 57  90 

Stapleton 35                  34  69 

Utica 73                 73  146 

Washington 33                 30  63 

Total 720               699  1,419 

Apportionment  of  school  moneys  April,  1860: 

TOWNSHIPS.                                              PERMANENT  SCHOOL  FUND.  CO.  TAX. 

Bradford $  170  38  $  163  14 

Chickasaw 127  55  122  21 

Dayton 26  70  25  58 

Deerfield 65  87  63  10 

Dresden 40  35  38  65 

Fredricksburg 46  88  44  90 

Jacksonville 70  03  67  07 

New  Hampton 76  00  72  75 

Richland ! 53  40  51  15 

Stapleton 40  94  39  22 

TItica 86  64  82  99 

Washington 37  39  35  81 

Totals $842  13  $806  57 

Report  of  G.  J.  Tisdale,  county  superintendent,  for  1860: 

TOWNSHIPS.                                                             MALES.           FEMALES.  TOTAL. 

Bradford 144                149  293 

Richland 31                 53  84 

Dresden 35                  40  75 

Fredricksburg 52                  50  102 

Stapleton 33                 37  70 


« 


178  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


New  Hampton 81  66  147 

Dayton 27  25  52 

Chickasaw 118  101  219 

Deerfield 51  54  105 

Washington 37  35  72 

Jacksonville 51  60  111 

Utica 82  78  161 

Totals 743  748  1,491 

PUPILS  1880. 

-^          h  U  1^ 

'-<i     ^                                                -  l-j  CD  1-1.  M 

^  S                      Ho  •  t--^- 

JO     CD                                             <^     ti  M ' 

f^    P                                    ►S    CD^  ^  O 

TOWNSHIPS.  MALES.       FEMALES. 

Bradford 213            233            299  153  1.60 

Chickasaw 169            121            240  122  1.85 

Deerfield 224            191            286  182  1.60 

Jacksonville 231            239            282  177  1.64 

Utica 254            240            443  177  1.24 

Dayton 188            130            198  99  2.33 

Dresden 126            138            252  115  167 

Fredricksburg 148            124            236  128  1.69 

New  Hampton 112            118            203  95  2.08 

Richland 145            169            237  122  y^f 

Stapleton 150            136            221  124  1.49 

Washington 259            224            298  169  1.33 

Ind.  Districts. 

Chickasaw 47             49             78  33i  .79 

Fredricksburg 36              38              86  62  .95 

Ionia ^,54              72              82  62  .95 

Lawler 145            125            166  116  1.04 

Nashua 194            188            354  214  1.03 

New  Hampton 195            228            311  178  3.23 

The  earliest  records  in  the  office  of  the  county  suj^erintendent 
of  schools  begin  on  the  20th  of  October,  1862,  on  which  date  it  ap- 
pears of  entry  thatHhe  board  of  supervisors  appointed  Thomas  N. 
Hkinner,  superintendent  in  the  place  of  J.  A.    Sawin.       Skinner 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  179 

entered  upon  the  discharge  of  his  duties  the  same  day, 
and  went  to  Bradford  to  attend  a  teachers'  institute.  Skinner's 
last  entry  is  of  date  January  6th,  1864,  and  the  first  entry  by  his 
successor,  F.  D.  Bosworth,  apjDears  on  the  blank  day  of  January, 
1864. 

Records  of  examinations  for  teachers'  certificates  comprise  the 
greater  portion  of  Skinner's  entries,  together  with  itemized  ac- 
counts of  his  expenses  and  sums  due  for  official  services.  The 
enterics  show,  however,  a  very  fair  degree  of  energy  on  his  part 
and  quite  a  number  of  visitations  upon  the  schools  of  the  county. 
In  the  light  of  latter-day  blank  forms  and  other  facilities  for  mak- 
ing out  reports,  etc.,  these  early  records  appear  somewhat  primi- 
tive, but  none  the  less  evince  the  progressive  spirit  which .  has 
paved  the  way  to  the  present  orderly  system. 

The  first  entry  of  an  official  visit  by  superintendent  Skinner  is 
given  below  precisely  as  it  appears  in  the  records,  as  a  specimen 
report  of  the  more  or  less  simelar  memoranda  which  follows : 


''June    2,    1863, 

journalized  from 

memorandum 

Teacher 

Miss  Rose  Doud, 

wages  $12  per 

month. 


Faulty    ortho- 
graphy. 


Stapleton    school    district,    May    20,     1863. 
Visited  school  in  sub-district  No.   2  in  Staple- 
ton.  School  taught  by  Miss  Rose  Doud.    School 
room  neat  and  in  order.     Vase  of  flowers. 
Pupils  enrolled 8 

Pupils  2  in  first  grade 2 

Pupils  2  in  3  grade 2 

Pupils  4  in  4  grade 4 

8 
Wages  $12  per  month.      A  first-class  school 
for  a  small  one.     Rented  room  for  school." 

Mr.  Skinner  is  not  always  so  complimentary  in  his  reports, 
however;  "faulty  in  orthography"  is  a  comment  which  frequently 
appears,  and  there  are  other  criticisms  set  forth  with  a  chaiming 
degree  of  frankness  unusual  in  our  day  of  apologetic  literature.  Mr. 
S.  evidently  believed  in  calling  a  spade  a  spade.  One  teacher  is 
"not  well  qualified;"  in  one  school  the  room  contained  "no  flowers 
or  anything  to  make  it  pleasant;  another  is  "too  full  a  school 
for  the  house;"  one  school  house  is  in  "common  order,"  and  the 
school  under  "medium  government."  Then  there  are  "a  poor 
teacher,  not  fitted  for  the  school;"  a  school  that  is  "not  neat;"  a 
teacher  that    "hasn't  energy  enough   for  teaching  successfully," 


180  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

*nd  a  teacher  who  "needs  more  education."  Indeed,  according  to 
Mr.  Skinner,  there  is  quite  a  number^of  the  latter  class.  We  learn 
also  of  a  "good  teacher"  who  is  "conceited"  and  "does  not  stimu- 
late to  higher  standards;"  a  "national"  teacher;  a  "nervous" 
teacher;  a  "middling"  school,  and  are  informed  that  "every  school 
in  the  county  is  deficient  in  books" — better  supplied,  hewever,  than 
the  superintendent  had  anticipated." 

The  wages,  it  will  be  ol)served,  were  generally  less  than  one-half 
the  wages  paid  at  the  present  time,  twelve  dollars  per  month  being 
the  usual  sum,  and  fifteen  dollars  the  highest  paid  save  in  the 
Bradford  schools,  where  the  principal,  A.  M.  Mott,  received  forty- 
five  dollars  and  his  assistant.  Miss  Louisa  Robinson,  twenty  dol- 
lars per  month. 

According  to  a  resolution  of  the  board  of  supervisors  of  the 
county,  adopted  at  the  June  term  1863,  the  county  superintendent 
was  directed  to  visit  and  grade  the  various  schools  of  the  county 
agreebly  to  the  instructions  of  the  secretary  of  the  state  board  of 
education,  and  that  the  schools  be  so  graded  that  the  pupils  may 
advance  in  any  one  study  when  found  to  be  so  qualified. 

SCHOOL   SYSTEM    A   NUSIANCE. 

At  the  same  term  of  the  board  of  county  solons  it  was:-  "Re- 
solved, That  the  board  of  supervisors  of  Chickasaw  county,  Iowa, 
deem  after  long  expcrince  and  mature  reflection,  the  present 
school  of  the  state  of  Iowa  a  nusiance — a  conglomerate  of  misun- 
derstandings and  inconsistencies,  having  a  direct  tendency  to 
squander  the  school  fund  and  not  benefiting  the  youth  of  our  state 
but  very  little;  and  that  we  woukVrecommend  and  use  our  influence 
to  have  the  present  school  law  remodeled,  and  each  sub-district 
made  a  body  corporate,  thereby  allowing  each  sub-district  of  the 
townships  to  have  the  exclusive  control  and  management  of  their 
own  school  matters,  and  that  the  county  superintendent  be  in- 
structed to  forward  a  copy  of  this  resolution  to  the  secretary  of  the 
board  of  education." 

The  first  teachers  institute  recorded  convened  October  3d,  1864. 
The  principal  portion  of  the  entry  is  as  follows: 

"Agreeable  to  notice,  teachers  met  at  New  Ham])ton  to  open  an 
institute.  Institute  opened  at  2  p.  m„  and  organized  by  selecting 
F.  D.  Bosworth,  chairman,  and  D.  F.  Callender,  secretary.  J.  L. 
Enos  had  been  selected  as  lecturer,  and  to  conduct  the   exercises 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  181 

during  the  session  of  the  institute.     The   order  of  exercises    was 
then  read,  and  the  meeting  adjourned." 

Upon  reassembly  on  the  following  day,  the  meeting  was  con- 
ducted in  accordance  with  the  programme  read  on  the  preceeding 
day,  as  was  also  the  case  on  the  5tli,  6th,  and  7th,  and  on  ■  the  8th 
resolutions  were  adopted  and  oflicers  selected  for  the  ensuing  year. 
The  session  closed  at  12  m.  on  the  8th. 

J.  C.  Johnson  succeeded  Mr.  Bosworth  in  1866,  and  in  1870  W. 
P.  Bennett  appears  as  successor  to  Johnson.  In  October  of  the 
latter  year  the  name  of  Jos.  F.  Grawe  appears  as  succeeding  Mr. 
Bennett.  And  at  the  election  of  October  11th,  1870,  Jos.  F.  Grawe 
was  reelected  to  fill  the  same  office  by  almost  the  unanimous  voice 
of  the  people,  there  being  but  three  votes  cast  against  him.  The 
same  gentleman  seemed  to  be  as  great  a  favorite  at  the  election  of 
October  10th,  1871,  and  continued  to  hold  the  office  at  the  bidding 
of  the  great  majority  of  his  fellow  citizens,  until  January  4th,  1875, 
and  O.  A.  Truman  wha  appointed,  by  the  board  of  supervisors,  to 
fill  the  vacancy;  which  he  filled  until  superceded  liy  Major  W.  D. 
Collins,  who  was  elected  October  12th,  1875.  He  was  succeeded 
by  H.  A.  Simons  who  was  elected  October  18th,  187*),  and  was 
replaced  by  J.  A.  Lapham  the  present  incumbent  whose  election 
occurred  on  the  11th  day  of  October,  1881,  his  opponent  being  a 
very  popular  man,  Oscar  A.-  McFarland  now  principal  of  the 
Lawler  school: 

Compensation  of  Teachers  of  County,  1880-81. 

No.  Employed.       Compensation  yev  Mo. 

TOWNSHIP.  MALES.      FEMALES.      MALES.  FEMALES. 

Bradford 7  16  $28  77  $23  47 

Chickasaw 5  14  27  34  19  05 

Deerfield 2  23  23  75  24  46 

•Jacksonville 4  20  21  75  20  14 

Utica 7  14  22  36  18  85 

Dayton 4  11  29  50  20  60 

Dresden 3  10  22  33  23  27 

Fredericksburg. 6  9  26  66  19  46 

New  Hampton 7  10  24  54  20  19 

Richland 5  8  28  25  21  70 

Stapleton : 4  5  22  15  19  90 

Washington 3  8  24  25  24  74 


182 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


Ind.  Districts. 

Chickasaw 2 

Fredricksburg 0 

Ionia 1 

Lawler 1 

Nashua 1 

New   Hampton 2 

The  number  and  value  of  school  houses  according  to  the  report 
of  county  superintendent  for  1881. 

Number  School  House. 

BRICK. 


2 
4 
1 
2 

4 

7 


27  50 

35  00 
53  33 

80  00 
50  00 


25  00 
28  50 
25  66 
32  50 
35  00 
25  63 


TOWNSHIP.  FRAME 

Bradfoad 11 

Chickasaw 8 

Deerfield 10 

Jacksonville 6 

Utica 10 

Dayton 7 

Dresden  8 

Fredericksburg.  9 

New  Hampton.  8 

Richland 6 

StajDleton 7 

Washington 7 

Ind.  Dist's. 

Chickasaw 1 

Fredericksburg.  1 

Ionia 1 

Lawler 1 

Nashua 

New  Hampton..  .. 


STONE. 


VALUE. 

$  6  600 


Value  of 

APPARATUS. 


2 
2 
1 
3 
2 
3 
4 
2 
3 
2 
2 


200 
825 
300 
150 
450 
210 
475 
150 
300 
450 
275 


30. 
43. 
135 
186 
156 
337 
65 
60 


2  100 

.  700 

2-000 

4  000 

12  000 

700 


In  1882,  according  to  the  reports,  as  filed  with  the  county  audi- 
tor, it  is  found  that  there  are  in  the  county  5,257  children,  between 
the  ages  of  five  and  twenty-one  years,  divided  among  the  several 
townships  as  follows: 


TOWNSHIP.  NO.    OF   MALES. 

Bradford 367 

Chickasaw 233 

Deerfield  180 

Jacksonville 210 


NO.    OF    FEMALES. 

372 

•       293 

163 

234 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


185 


Utica 226 

Fredericksburg 180 

Stapleton 259 

New  Hampton 336 

Dayton 128 

Dresden 106 

Richland 139 

Washington 250 

Total 2614 

2643 

Grand  total 5257 

Report  of  number  of  schools  in  each  sub-district  for  the 
1880  and  1881: 

1880.  1881. 

TOWNSHIP.  NO.  SUB-DIST.       NO.  ROOM.        NO.  SUB-DIST.      NO 

Bradford 10                12  10 

Chickasaw 8                  8  8 

Deerfield 12                11  12 

Jacksonville 11                12  11 

Utica 10                10  10 

Dayton 7                  7  7 

Dresden 8                  8  8 

Fredericksburg 9                  9  9 

New  Hampton 8                  8  8 

Richland 6                  6  6 

Stapleton 7*7  7 

Washington..... 6                  8  8 

Ind.  districts. 

Chickasaw 12  1 

Ionia 12  1 

Lawler 13  1 

Nashuar. 15  1 

New  Hampton 1                  5  1  . 

Fredericksburg 12  1 

Bradford  high  school.  ..                  ..  1 

Total 108  125  111 


.  196 
156 
275 
395 
116 
110 
123 
210 

2643 


years, 


ROOM. 

11 

8 
11 
12 
10 

7 
8 
9 
8 
6 
7 
8 

2 
2 
3 
6 
5 
2 
1 

126 


184  HISTORY  OF  CHICKA.SAW  COUNTY. 

The  following  is  condensed  from  a  report  of  J.*A.Lapham,  county- 
superintendent,  for  1882. 

There  are  at  present  one  hundred  and  twenty -nine  teachers  em- 
ployed in  the  public  schools  of  Chickasaw  county.  There  are  one 
hundred  and  five  county  school  houses,  leaving  twenty  four  teach- 
ers employed  in  the  towns  and  villages.  Of  these  New  Hampton 
has  eight,  Nashua  seven,  Lawler  Ionia,  Chickasaw  and  Fredricks- 
burg  tw-o  teachers  each.  Bradford  township  sustains  a  high  school. 
Deerfiield  and  Jacksonville  each  hired  another  teacher  in  the  sum- 
mer season,  making  a  total  requisite  of  one  hundred  thirty-one 
teachers  to  supply  our  public  schools. 

Of  this  corps  of  teachers  two  (Profs  Simons  and  Felker)  hold 
professional  certificates.  Thirty-eight  hold  firstclass  certificates* 
Eighteen  of  these  are  employed  in  the  towns  and  villages  and 
twenty  are  in  the  country  schools.  Sixty-five  have  second-class 
certificates  and  twenty -seven  have  third-class  certificates. 

The  number  of  scholars  in  the  county  between  the  ages  of  five 
and  twenty -one,  as  indicated  by  secretaries'  reports,  is  4999.  2564 
are  males,  2435  are  females.  This  statement  may  vary  from  the 
facts  somewhat,  as  in  a  number  of  instances  the  secretaries  wrote 
that  they  had  failed  to  ascertain  the  exact  number  in  their  respec- 
tive districts.  I  regret  that  this  should  be  true.  A  little  effort  on 
the  part  of  each  officer  will  give  a  correct  report.  Further  informa- 
tion from  the  same  source  shows  the  average  attendance  to  be  2325, 
or  about  forty -six  per  cent  of  the  number  of  school  age.  Of  course 
many  of  school  age  do  not  attend  at  all,  so  that  the  average  daily 
attendance  compared  with  the  enrollment  is  much  larger.  It,  how- 
ever in  some  instances  falls  below  fifty  per  cent. 

The  average  cost  per  month  for  each  pupil  is  about  SI. 68.  This 
refers  to  the  amount  paid  teachers.  Contingent  expenses  raise  it 
to  more  than  two  dollars  per  scholar.  In  one  district  the  amount 
per  scholar  per  month  was  $4.57;  in  another  $4.50.  In  a  number  of 
instances  it  amounted  to  over  three  dollai"8. 

Not  unfrequently  this  record  is  made  where  there  are  enough 
children  in  the  disti«t  for  a  good  school  if  they  would  (or  could) 
•attend. 

When  we  remember  that  our  public  schools   cost  us   between 


\        '    ■  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  185 

$8,000  atid  $10,000  yearly,  in  addition  to  the  amount  permaiieiitly 
invested  in  school  property,  it  is  a  question  of  deep  interest 
whether  they  are  giviurg  us  the  results  we  have  a  right  to  ex- 
pect. 

In  instances  not  a  few,  a  good  teacher  is  devoting  her  time  to 
five  or  six  pupils  while  there  are  eight,  ten,  or  fifteen  more  in  the 
neighborhood  who  ought  to  be  in  school. 

Of  our  teachers,  about  forty  are  males  and  ninety  are  females. 
Cases  of  trouble  in  school  have  been  very  rare  indeed  within  the 
last^year.  In  many  of  the  country  schools  ladies  are  doing  as  effi- 
cient work  as  the  men  (in  winter  as  well  as  in  summer). 

We  have  at  present  many  good,  true  teachers  in  the  county. 
On  them  do  we  depend  largely  for  the  successful  issue  of  the  graded 

system. 

The  subject  of  wages  has  received  some  attention  the  last  year. 
A  willingness  to  pay  good  teachers  for  their  labor  is  more  manifest. 
In  the  district  townships  Utica,  Jacksonville  and  Deerfield  have 
taken  the  lead,  Utica  pays  $24,  $27  and  $30,  according  to  grade  of 
certificate.  Jackson^dlle  is  but  S3  behind  on  first-class  certificates 
and  $2  on  the  others 

Deerfield  pays  thirty  dollars  to  most  of  her  teachers  indiscrim- 
inately. We  know  of  three  teachers  in  independent  districts 
(country  schools)who  receive  thirty-five  dollars  per  month.  A  few 
received  thirty-two  dollars,  and  many  thirty  dollars.  We  respect- 
fully suggest  that  it  would  be  well  to  grade  the  wages  in  all  the 
districts  in  the  county.  Where  this  is  done  a  manifest  injustice  is 
frequently  worked. 

I  am  pleased  to  note  that  our  first  class  teachers  are  in  stronger 
demand.  They  are  found  to  be  far  cheaper  even  when  paid  five  to 
ten  dollars  more  per  month. 

There  have  been  three  new  school  houses  built  within  the  last 
year.     One  in  Jacksonville,   one   in   New   Hampton,   and  one  at 

North  Washington.     Better  houses  are  being  built. 
Our  annual  institute  had   an  enrollment   of  one   hundred   and 


186 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


three.  Young  men  find  it  almost  impossible  to  attend  in  the 
Bummer  season.  They  furnish  part  of  the  money  to  sustain  the 
institute,  and  (by  their  request)  I  think  an  arrangment  for  a  session 
of  one  week  in  March  for  those  who  cannot  attend  next  summer, 
and  for  young  aspirants  who  will  enter  the  work  for  the  first  time 
next  spring.  In  many  cases  they  have  had  no  preparation  for 
teaching  whatever. 

I  have  endeavored  in  this  annual  report  to  state  the   condition 
and  prospects  of  our  public  schools  as  nearly  as  possible. 


HISTORY   OF   CHICKASAW   COUNTY.  18T 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Census    at  Various    Dates;    Abstract  of    Assessment    Rolls; 
Value  op  Property  in  County,  Etc. 

The  census  returns  of  the  assessors,  as  made  at  a  special  term  of 
the  county  court,  July  21st,  1856,  were  as  follows: 

Bradford 589 

Chickasaw 508 

Deerfield 325 

Obispo 488 

Richland Ill 

Yankee ; 522 

Total  enumeration  of  Chickasaw  county 2  543 

The  returns  for  1857  were: 

Deerfield 263 

North  Washington 179 

Obispo  (part) 333 

Stapleton 225 

Obispo  (part) 335 


188  HISTORY  OF  CHICKLASAW  COTXNTY. 

New  Hampton 256 

Dayton 136 

Chickasaw 504 

Bradford 987 

Richland  and  Fredericksburg 786 

Total  enumeration  of  Chickasaw  county 4  024 

ABSTRACT   OF   THE   CENSUS   OP    CHICKASAW    COUNTY    FOR   1859. 

No.  of  males 2  033 

No.  of  females 1  783 

Total  population 3  816 

No.  entitled  to  vote....: 914 

No  of  militia 793 

No.  of  foreigners  not  naturalized 144 

No  of  children  between  the  ages  of  five  and  t-wenty- 

one  yeai-s , 1  249 

No.  of  acres  of  improved  lands 12  754^ 

No.  of  acres  of  unimproved  lands 299  570  J 

No.  of  acres  of  sorghum 461 

No.  of  gallons  of  mollasses  from  sorghum 2  887 

No  of  acres  of  orchards 81i 

No  of  tons  of  hay  from  Hungarian  grass 3 

No.  of  acres  of  meadow 639 J 

No.  of  tons  of  hay 8  684 

No.  of  bushels  of  grass  seed 29i 

No  of  acres  of  spring  wheat 3  032 

No.  of  bushels  of  spring  wheat  harvested 10  425 

No.  of  acres  of  winter  wheat 10 

No.  bushels  of  winter  wheat  harvested 13 

No.  of  acresof  oats'. 1  711 J 

No.  of  btishels  of  oats  harvested 14  514 

No.  of  acres  of  coriu 3  153i 

No.  of  bushels  of  corn  harvested 53  821 

No.  of  of  acres  of  potatoes 317 

No.  of  bushels  of  potatoes  harvested 13  519 

No.  of  hogs  sold 569 

Value  of  h-ogs  sold $2  81840 

No.  of  cattle  sold, 674 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  189 

Value  of  cattlesold , $14  292 

No.  of  pounds  of  butter  manufactured 71  234 

No.  of  pounds  of  cheese  manufacture ^ 10  111 

No.  of  pounds  of  wool  grown 2  226 

Value  of  domestic  manufactures $363 

Value  of  general  manufactures $4  020 

Value  of  agricultural  implements f $17  390 

No.  of  dwelling  houses 772 

No.  of  families 772 

The  whole  number  of  inhabitantants  in  Chickasaw  county,  ac- 
cording to  the  return  of  the  United  States  mxirshal,  appointed  to 
take  the  census  of  the  county,  in  1860,  was  4,740. 

The  following  is  a  consolidated  report  from  the  assessment  of 
the  county  as  returned  for  the  year  1879: 

Polls. 2,910 

Acres  of  land 316,070 

Town  property 

No.  of  cattle. 15,420 

No.  of  horses 6,790 

No.  of  mules 127 

Na.  of  sheep 1,740 

No.  of  swine 7,995 

No.  of  vehicles  taxable 311 

Merchandise 

M9,nulactures 

Monies  and  credits 

Other  taxabl  property 

Or  a  total  of  all  property  of  $2,401,242.00  to  which 
added  those  articles  of  p^^oj^erty  exempt  from  taxation,  viz:  $67,- 
748-.00  making  a  grand  total  of  $2,468,990.00  as  being  the  wealtli 
of  the  county  for  that  year. 

The  report,  from  the  assessment  sheet,  for  1881,  shows  as  fol- 
lows: 

No.  of  pons 2,874  Value 

Aci-esofl»iid 3H315  "  $1725    724 

Town  property...., "  134  934 

No.ofcattle 16,244  "  159  755 

No.  of  lK)i-ses , .     7,241  "  186  456 


alue   $1 

809  475  00 

■U 

156  632  00 

107  926  00 

187  275  00 

3  863  00 

1  261  00 

7  911  00 

5  311  00 

51  477  00 

4  490  00 

73  315  00 

7  194  00 

to  which 

should  be 

190  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

No.  of  mules 103 

No.  of  sheep 1,601 

No.  of  swine 6,796 

No  of  vehicles  taxable. . . .        299 

Merchandise 

Maufactures 

Monies  and  credits 

Other  property 

$23  537  41 
According  to  the  report  of  the  census  marshal  who  took  the 
census  of  1880 — there  were  in  the  county  in  that  year  14,537  in- 
habitants of  all  ages,  sex  and  color.  The  town  of  New  Hampton 
being  credited  with  1,147,  Nashua  1,116,  and  Lawler  487,  the  bal- 
ance being  distributed  throughout  the  rural  districts  and  smaller 
towns. 


cc 

3  022 

<c 

1  601 

(( 

9  772 

tt 

4  787 

44  288 

3  140 

67  754 

12  508 

HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  191 


CHAPTET  VIII. 


Bradford  Township;  Location;  Early  Settlement;  Village 
OF  Bradford;  Nashua;  Settlements;  Churches;  Schools; 
Societies;  Etc. 


BRADFORD   TOWNSHIP. 

The  history  of  Bradford  township,  in  the  days  of  the  pioneers, 
is  closely  allied  to  that  of  the  county,  and  the  history  of  the  latter 
is  the  history  of  the  former,  inasmuch  that  there  we  find 
the  first  hardy  settlers,  who  located  in  that  vicinity,  when  aU  the 
balance  of  the  county  lay  in  its  primeval  solitude. 

Its  territory  embraces  all  of  township  94  north,  14  west,  and  com- 
prises 36  sections.  It  is  plentifully  watered  by  the  Cedar  and 
Little  Cedar,  with  their  affluents  in  the  west,  and  Two  Mile  run 
and  its  branches,  in  the  east.  On  the  former  are  several  very  fine 
mill  sites,  which  have  been  improved.  The  Cedar  Falls  and 
Minnesota  branch  of  the  Illinois  Central  railroad,  traverse  a  small 
part  of  it  having,  a  depot  at  the  city  of  Nashua;  the  only  impor- 
tant, but  not  the  oldest  town  in  the  district. 

Long  prior  to  any  settlement,  within  the  boundary  of  the  present 
county,  there  was  a  trading  post  and  station,  and  an  Indian  bury- 


192  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

ing  ground,  near  where  the  town  of  Bradford  now  stands,  and 
about  the  year  1840,  a  Mr.  Wheeler  had  obtained  a  contract 
from  the  government,  to  break  up  and  fence,  some  400  acres  of 
land  for  the  Indians  to  cultivate;  it  being  the  intention  of  the  go v- 
ermnent  to  treat  it  as  a  reservation  for  some  Winnebago  Indians. 
The  breaking  being  done,  during  the  summer  of  that  year.  His 
employes,  who  did  the  work  were,  Barber,  McCormick,  Gilmore, 
two  brothers  named  Benson,  Joe  Parsons  and  of  the  latter  we  have 
gained  the  knowledge  of  these  facts.  Parsons  reports  that,  at  that 
time,  the  country  abounded  in  all  kinds  of  large  game;  bears,  elk, 
and  deer,  and  the  streams  were  filled  with  fish;  he  shortly  left  the 
county  and  went  back  to  Illoinis,'  where  he  staid  until  about  1861, 
when  be  returned,  and  settled  in  the  southern  part  of  Richland 
township,   where   he  still  resides. 

In  the  following  winter  Mr.  Wheeler  and  his  sons  returned,  and 
engaged  in  making  the  rails  and  fencing  in  the  ground.  It  was  a 
moet  beautiful  tract  of  land,  and  well  fenced.  The  next  year  the  In- 
dians were  brought  on  to  the  land,  but  the  experiment  indulged 
in  by  the  government,  like  many  others  proved  a  failure,  the 
Indians  being  unprovident  and  disinclined  to  work.  Prairie  fires 
destroyed  the  fences,  and  soon  all  went  to  decay  and  ruin.  The 
trading  post  referred  to  above  was  a  log  house  and  stood  at  the 
south  end  of  the  grove  on,what  is  now  known  as  the  Cagley  estate. 
The  above  could  hardly  be  called  a  settlement,  as  no  white  fami- 
liee  located  then,  bu-t  in  the  year  1848,  Truman  Merritt  settled, 
with  his  family,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Little  Cedar,  near  where 
Greenwood  now  is.-  Here  then  he  built 'his  family  mansion,  of  the 
logs  from  the  trees  that  surrounded  him  and  settled  down  a 
pioneer  of  pioneers;  here  then  was  born  unto  him  a  daughter,  in 
1850,  the  first  white  child  born  in  the  county,  who,  after  grow- 
ing to  womanhood,  married  Avery  Earl,  and  still  resides  near  the 
city  of  Nashua.  About  1851  some  other  settlers  came  into  thje 
township  among  whom  we  find  the  names  of  John  and  J.  A.  J. 
Bird  and  Wm.  Tucker,  and  followed  shortly  after  by  Edward 
Jones  arvl  his  sons  Alexander  and  John,  and  Andrew  Sample, 
(.Ullet,  Case  and  others.  A  son  of  Mr.  Case,  Elmer  by  name, 
having  been  born  in  1851,  near  Greenwood  enjoys  th§  distinction 
of  being  the  first  male  child  born  in  the  county.      Tradition  hath 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  193 

it  that  about  the  year  1850  there  came  into  the'county  a  man  "by 
the  "vame  of  DeForest,  he  was  an  old  bachelor  and  lived  as  a 
heiu.it  in  the  woods,  and  pursued  the  avocation  of  hunter,  and 
trapper,  he  afterwards  moved  into  Bradford,  where  he  died,  but 
in  what  year  "deponent  saith  not."  The  brothers  John  and  J.  A. 
J.  Bird  settled  at  the  place  where  the  town  of  Bradford  was  subse- 
quently platted,  and  the  emigrants  that  arrived  during  1851  and 
'52  seem  for  the  most  part  to  have  S'elected  that  vicinity,  here  then 
grew  a  town  just  above  the  junction  of  the  two  Cedar  rivei-s,  which 
was,  by  the  expectation  of  those  early  settlers  to,  be  the  com- 
ing metropolis  of  the  west,  a  Chicago  of  the  Iowa  prairies,  but 
their  hopes  were  far  from  realization,  and  although  the  town  has 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  locations  in  the  county,  still  its  glory 
has  departed,  and  it  hides  its  diminished  head  and  awaits  calndy 
the  end.  Here  in  1854  was  located  the  county  seat  which  distinc- 
tion Bi'adford  held  until  1857  when  the  seat  of  justice  was  taken 
to  New  Hampton. 

We  find  that  in  tbie  year  1852  Peter  Perkins  and Kaufman 

located  at  Bradford,  and  should  be  enrolled  among   the   names  «f 
those  early  settlers,  we  liave  tried  to  rescue  from  oblivion,  as  should 
also  that  of  Samuel  Brink,  who  can?e  in  1853.  In  1852,  according  to 
most  accounts,  the  first  school  was  opened,  but  by   whom  tauglit 
has  passed  from  the  memory  of  the  oldest  inhabitant. 

The  first  court  house  was  built  at  Bradford,  in  1854,  and  was 
the  primitive  log  house,  without  ceiling,  common  to  the  ai'^hitec- 
ture  of  those  early  days,  and  in  it  were  held  all  the  public  meet- 
ings.    James  Lyon  was  the  first  county  judge. 

The  first  and  second  sermons  ever  preached  in  Chick- 
asaw county  were  by  an  itinerent  Methodist  minist(n-,  by  the 
name  of  Ingam,  at  the  house  of  John  Bird,  tlie  tliird  by 
a  Mr.  Coleman,  a  Congregational  minister, — these  in  the 
year  1853.  Afterwalds  a  few  sermons  were  preache<i  by  A.  D. 
Babcock,  a  Baptist  minister,  but  the  first  church  society  oi-gan- 
ized  was  at  Bradford,  in  the  fall  of  1855,  and  was  Congregational 
in  denomination,  and  of  which  tiie  Rev.  O.  Littlefield  was  the  first 
pastor.  This  church  being  the  oldest  in  the  county,  will  be  more 
fully  referred  to  elsewhere.  A  good  story,  illustrating  the  rough- 
ness of  the  times,  is  told  regarding  the  second  sermon,  of  Mr.   In- 


194  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

gam.  It  serins  that  a  portion,  and  a  large  one  at  that,  of  the 
men  seemed  to  take  offence  at  something  he  had  reproved  them 
for  in  in  his  first  sermon,  gave  out  that  if  he  attempted  to  repeat 
it,  he  should  receive  a  drubbing,  but  not  detered  by  their  threats, 
he  assayed  to  speak  the  second  sermon,  as  we  have  said,  at  the 
house  of  John  Bird,  as  soon  as  he  liad  begiin  an  ominous 
gathering  of  men  was  seen  to  approach,  each  armed  with  a  club 
and  headed  by  Andrew  Sample,  a  typical  frontiersman,  who  could 
out  swear,  out  drive,  wade  through  more  snow,  and  was  fuller  of 
energy  than  "any  other  man,"  and  who  hnd  been  loudest  in 
in  his  denunciations.  The  crowd  approached  and  instead 
of  at  once  proceeding  to  hostilities — remained  to  listen  awhile, 
and  something  the  speaker  said  so  touched  the  firey  heart,  of  their 
leader,  that  on  the  conclusion  of  the  services,  he  approached  Mr. 
Ingam,  and  putting  out  his  brawny  fist,  swore  that  he  s  hould 
preach  there  when  ever  he  d — ned  pleased,  and  he  would  lick  the 
man  who  dared  deny  him,  and  throwing  away  his  club  called  on 
his  companions  to  do  likewise,  and  Mrs.  Bird  gathered  up  enough 
of  them,  next  day  to  answer  for  stove  wood  for  sometime. 

The  above  Andrew  Sample  was  the  first  sheriff,  of  the  county, 
and  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  men  in  the  infant  settlement, 
having  done  as  much  or  more  than  any  other  man,  in  developing 
that  region  of  country,  he   finally   returned   to   his    native   state, 

Missouri,  where  he  now  resides. 
In  1854  it  was  the  only  town  in  the  county,  and  continued  to  be  the 

leading  one  until  1860,  since  which  time  it  has  steadily  retrograd- 
ed, until  it  has  become  almost  the  "deserted  village"  of  the  plains. 
The  town  was  platted  on  land  belonging  to  the  Birds,,  and  they  for 
many  years  were  the  most  prominent  citizens.  The  township  was 
organized  by  Jno.  and  J.  A.  J.  Bird  and  others  by  order  of  the  county 
court,  in  March,  1855,  and  comprised  of  township  94  ranges  13  and 
14  or  what  now  are  known  as  Bradford  and  Richland  townships, 
but  at  the  March  term  of  said  court  in  1856,  the  latter  was  sepera- 
ted  from  Bradford,  and  organized  as  Richland  township. 

Here  we  should  notice,  that  the  church,  erected  in  Bradford  in 
the  early  days  of  the  county's  history,  by  the  Congregational 
society,  still  stands  one  of  the  landmarks  of  that  section — still  its 
spire  pointing  upward  seems  the  monitor  bidding  all  prepare  for 
that  journey  all  must  take. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  195 

W.  S.  Pitts,  M.  D.,  of  Fredericksburg,  has  made  it  immorta 
through  that  beautiful  song,  "The  Little  Brown  Church  in  the 
Vail."  Sevices  are  still  held  in  it,  the  Rev.  C.  A.  Marshal,  of 
Nashua,  being  the  ofliciating  clergyman. 

According  to  the  best  accounts  the  first  store,  in  the  village  of 
Bradford,  was  kept  by  J.  A.  J.  Bird  who  afterwards  sold  it  out  to  a 
Mrs.  Chapman ;  it  was  but  a  small  affair  at  the  best,  and  was  noted 
for  never  having  much  of  any  stock,  but  it  deserves  a  place  in  his- 
tory, as  the  first  attempt  at  merchandising  in  the  township;  the 
date,  however,  when  it  was  opened  is  in  considerable  doubt,  but 
was  probably  about  1853.  After  this  Pooler  and  Nicholas  opened 
a  lai-ger  and  more  pretentious  store,  followed  shortly  by  Fritcher 
and  Marinus,  both  kept  dry  goods,  groceries,  boots  and  shoes, 
hardware,  drugs,  and  everything  else.     There  was  also  about  this 

time  a,  store  by Eastman  of  the  same  general  charcater.     We 

have  been  assured  that,  the  first  store  after  Mr.  Bird's  was  kept  by 
Haskell  and  Mandeville,  but  of  this  there  seems  to  be  S(ime  doubt; 
but  in  1855  they  were  among  the  merchants,  along  with  Leland 
and  Sample,  the  latter  firm  however  confining  themselves  to  cloth- 
ing and  groceries,  Haskell  and  Hubbell,  A.  W.  Billings  and 
Lonson  Covey,  were  also  among  the  merchants  of  those  early 
days. 

These  were  succeeded  by  several  others,  but  E.  R.  Dickerson 
alone  remains  of  all,  and  at  the  present  writing,  is  the  sole  merchant 
in  the  village. 

A  saw  mill  was  erected,  at  Bradford,  by  Andrew  Sample,  in  the 
year  1854,  but  which  was  afterwards  moved  aAvay  on  the  dam 
being  washed  out  by  a  freshet.  Two  steam  mills  were  afterwards 
erected,  one  by  the  Bird  Bros,  and  the  other  by  Haskell  and 
Mitchell,  but  both  were  destroyed  by  fire  in  a  few  years. 

A  hotel  was  erected  by  Geo.  Brunson  in  1854,  and  has  been 
known  as  the  Brunson  House  to  this  day,  it  was  originally  a  small 
frame  building,  but  has  liad  numerous  additions  built  on.  Prior 
to  this  Dan'l.  Fritcher  had  a  log  building,  where  he  had  day 
boarders,  and  sold  meals  to  the  weary  travellers,  who  came  into 
town,  for  in  those  days  this  town  was  the  general  stopping  j^lace 
for  all  of  the  stage  lines,  and  for  emigrants,  seeking  a  home  in  the 
boundless  west. 


196  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

The  first  Blacksmith  and  wagon  maker,  was  Wm.  Dow,  who  wai 
the  foreman  in  a  shop  erected^and  o^med  by  the  hotel  keeper,  Geo, 
Brnnson,  but  almost  simiiltaneousl}^,  the  Ellis  Bros.,  opened 
another  shop  for  the  same  business,  and  Peter  Perkins  an- 
other; it  is  in  considerablekiispute  which  of  these  last  named  was 
first. 

"Pigs  Eye"  was  the  euphonious  name  of  the  leading  saloon  of 
those  early  days,  was  kept  by  a  man  by  the  name  of  Dodge,  a 
small,  detbrmed  individual,  ^since  dead.  Although  prior  to  hi» 
establishing  himself,  a  man'*|by^the  name  of  Herbert  had  a  small 
saloon,  which  is  belived  to  have  been  the  first  in  the  town- 
ship. 

About  1856,  when  the  minds  of  all  were  excited,  with  the 
growing  importance  of  the  toAvn,  a  large  three  story  hotel  was 
partially  erected,  but  it  was  never  enclosed,  and  long  stood,  a 
monument  to  the  fallacy  of  human  foresight,  and  was  known  to 
all  for  many  years,  as  "Brink's  Folly,"  after  the  man  who  essayed 
to  build  it.  It  finally,  was  torn  down  and  used  for  kindling 
wood. 

Henry  Johnson  was  the  first  justice  of  the  peace,  and  a  rough 
uncouth  specimen  he  was,  many  irreverent  storys  are  told  of  him, 
among  others,  is  related,  that  the.first  oath  in  the  township  was 
administered  by  him,  under  the  following  circumstances:  A  man 
named  Horton,  being  arrested  for  stealing  hogs,was  brought  before 
Johnson  for  trial,  who  at  once  proceeded  to  swear  the  prisoner,  in 
a  manner  unprecedented,  and  probably  unequalled  in  the  annals 
of  justice. 

"By  the  uplifted  hand  of  Almighty  God,  did  you  steel  those 
hogs  ?  if  you  did,  you  hope  to  be  teetototally,  G — d-d — ned.  So 
help  you  God." 

History  doth  not  record  his  answer,  but  it  is  to  be  supposed 
that  the  tremendous  force  ot  the  oath  brought  the  necessary  con- 
fession from  the  criminal,  if  criminal  he  was. 

The  first  physician  who  located  at  Bradford  was  a  "root  and 
herb  doctor,"  as  he  was  called,  whose  name  was  S.  0.  Haynes,  who 
located  there  about  1855.  He  was  an  eccentric  genius,  and  drove 
instead  of  horses,  a  pair  of  Elk  harnessed  to  his  wagon  or  sleigh. 
In  1856,  Dr.  S.  S.  Troy,  a  regular  practitioner,   came  to   Bradford 


'     HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  1 97 

and  entered  up  on  the  duties  of  his  profession,  which  proved 
quite  lucrative,  liere  he  staid  healing  the  sick,  and  succoring  ttie 
wounded,  until  he  entered  the  service  of  the  government  in  the 
great  Cival  war,  as  Leiut.  of  Co.  H.  4th  Iowa  Calvalry,  afterwards 
promoted  to  Captain;  when  he  trurned  from  the  front,  he  located 
at  Nashua,  where  he  still  resides,  being  engaged  in  practice  of 
medicine,  and  the  senior  partner  in  the-  drug  house  of  Troy  and 
Mon-ison. 

NASHUA. 

This  most  important  and  prosperous  town  is  located  on  the 
Cedar  river,  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Cedar;  immediately 
north  of  it  lies  a  heavy  body  of  timber.  On  ground  high  enough  to 
be  above  all  fear  of  a  flood,  yet  with  a  gentle  inclination  eastward, 
and  amply  protected  from  the  prevailiug  high  winds,  by  high 
ground  crested  with  woods. 

Most  valuable  and  excellent  water  power  is  afforded  by  the 
Cedar  river,  on  the  north  of  the  town,  and  the  Greeley  flouring 
mill,  thereon  erected,  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  best  in  this  section. 

A  fine  broad  and  well  graded  street,  one  block  west  of  the  track 
of  the  C.  F.  and  M.  Divison  of  the  Illinois  Centrol  R.  R.  is  lined  with 
substantial  buisness  houses,  many  of  them  quite  ornamental,  brick 
and  stone  being  the  favorite,  materal  of  which  they  are  built.  The 
residence  portion  of  the  city  lies  west  of  this,  and  many  handsome 
nay  palatial,  mansions,  adorn,  and  are  adorned  by  the  beautiful 
groves  of  the  trees  in  Avhich  they  are  embowered.  Broad  avenues 
lined  with  trees,  lie  before  the  eye  and  excuse  the  pride  its  inhab- 
itants take  in  their  town.  Andreas  State  atlas,  says  of  this 
city. 

"A  large  section  of  surrounding  country  in  Chickasaw  and  Floyd 
and  Bremer  counties  contributes  to  the  commercial  importance 
of  the  place.  This  portion  of  the  Cedar  Valley  justly  celebrated 
for  its  productiveness,  and  the  advanced  state  of  improvement 
which  it  displays.  Here  in  the  midst  of  such  a  country,  with  no 
important  town  nearer  than  Waverly  in  one  dirction  and  Charles 
City  in  the  other,  Nashua  is  most  advantageously  situed  to  draw 
the  mercantile  trade,  and  the  grain  of  the  country  to  its  market 
foj  shipment  or  manufacture  from  a  wide  distance. 


198  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

"The  business  of  the  town  is  extensive  and  continually  increasing. 

It  embraces  a  large  number  of  good  mercantile  houses,  in  all 

branches,   shops   of  nearly   all  descriptions,  good  hotels,  foundry, 

bank,  printing  office,  dealers  in  grain,  farming  implements,  lumber 

etc.,  etc.  It  is  represented  by  a  liberal  array  of  talent  in   the  legal 

and  medical  professions. 

"The  town  has  several  church  organizations,  and  good  houses  of 

worship.  Its  public  schools  are  well  maintained,  and  graded  upon 
a  most  efficient  system,  employing  a  principal  and  three  or  more 
assistants  as  instructors.  They  are  provided  with  a  commodious 
and  well  furnished  pubic  school  building  which  affords  ample  facil- 
ities for  the  purpose. 

"Excellent  building  stone  is  found  in  quarries  convenient  to  the 
town,  and  an  abundance  of  good  brick  manufactured  near  by." 

Among  the  first  to  settle  on  the  site  of  the  now  town  of  Nashua 

we  find  the  name  of  Mr.  John  Hall,  who  came  here  in  the  summer 

of  1854,  when  there  was  but  one  log  house,   and   erected   a  frame 

building,  but  no  sash  or  doors  could  be  had  nearer  than  McGregor, 

and  he  and   his   family   were   compelled  to  pass  the  winter  in  it 

without  the  necessary  protection  against  the   wintry    blasts.       In 

1855  several  more  families  moved  in,  and  among  them  were   those 

of  Jas.  Helms,  George  O'Donnell,  H.  Hall,  J.  D.  Hall,  Jacob  Hall, 

Edward  Hall,  Owen  Teeney,   John   O'Donnell,    Hugh   O'Donnell, 

Jas.  Welch  and  Enoch  Woodbridge  (universally  known  as  Deacon 

Woodbridge).  The  land  belonged  to  Andrew  Sample,  but  selling  or 

trading  a  half  interest  to  Enoch  Woodbridge,  they  platted  a  town, 

and  called  it  at  first   Bridgeport,   but    it    was    shortly    afterward 

changed  to  Woodbridge,  but  was  altered  to  its  present  name  by  E. 

P.  and  C.  Greeley,  after  Nashua,  N.  H. 

The  man  who  first  essayed  to  start  a  store  was   Smiley   Sample, 

a  brother   of  Andrew,  who  had  a  small  place  where  he  dispensed 

groceries  and  liquors,  this  was  in  the  spring  of  1856,  although  it  is 

claimed   by  some  that  E.  P.  Greeley   had  the   first  store  where 

every  thing  was  kept.     Mr.  Greeley  started  his  place  in  the  same 

year   at  any  rate.  B  T.  Hall  now  a  resident  of  the  town  being  his 

clerk,  business  however  becoming  good   he   was  followed   shortly 

afterwards  by   others,   and   we  find   among  the  merchants,    who 

Baught  the  patronage   of  the  people  in  1857,  and  8,  the  following 

names:   Veter  and  Rupe,  general  merchandise,  Trott   and    Green, 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  199 

dry  goods  and  groceries,  Geo.  T.  Butterfield,  Enoch  Woodbridge 
Elihu  Hall,  Geo.  H.  Fountain  and  Jas.  A.  Webster.  In  1857 
Andrew  Sample  erected  a  grist  mill  which  stood  for  ten  years  when 
it  was  torn  down,  for  tlie  erection  of  the  Greeley  mill. 

John   Hall  was  the  first  carpenter  and  millright,  and  with  him 
may  be  named,  Stephenson,  the  date  of  whose  location  was  almost 
identical;  John  Butler  was  the  first  blacksmith,  John  Colt  the  first 
wagon-maker. 

During  the  year  1856,  A.  D.  Babcock  a  free-will  Baptist  preached 
at  the  house  of  John  Hall,  there  being  no  church. 

W.  Read  was  the  first  shoemaker  in  Nashua  and  this  disciple  of 
Crispin  located  himself  here  about  1855. 

The  city  of  Nashua  was  incorporated  under  the  law  of  the  state 
of  Iowa  in  1867,  we  give  a  copy  of  the  petition  for  said  incorpora- 
tion presented  to  the  board  of  supervisors  June  8rd  1867. 

To  the  honorable  board  of  Supervisors  of  Chickasaw  county, 
Iowa.' 

We,  the  undersigned  residents  and  legal  voters  within  the 
following  described  territory,  being  anxious  that  the  same  should 
be  incorporated,  and  that  we  may  enjoy  the  privileges  conferred 
by  the  statute  of  Iowa  upon  corporated  towns,  petition  your 
honorable  body  asking  that  the  following  territory  be  set  apart  for 
that  purpose,  namely : 

The  south  half  of  section  18,  excepting  tha  north-east  of  the 
southeast  quarter.  The  north  half  of  section  19.  The  west  half  of  the 
north  west  quarter  of  section  20  and  west  half  of  the  south  west 
quarter  of  section  17,  the  same  containing  seven  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  (760)  in  township  ninety-four  range  fourteen  and 
includeing  witliin  it  the  prpsent  part  of  Nashua  as  recorded,  in 
the  recorder's  office  of  Chickasaw  county,  Iowa,  and  appended 
hereunto  is  a  map  or  plat  of  said  territory. 

And  we  further  ask  that  the  name  of  such  incorporated  town 
be  Nashua.  And  we  hereby  appoint  and  authorize  the  following 
named  persons  to  present  this  petition  to  your  honorable  body  viz: 
E.  D.  Woodbridge,  R.  M.  Nevins,  E.  P.  Greeley,  S.  P.  Leland, 
Andy  Felt,  S.  W.  Byers  and  John  Coler.  In  the  hopes  that  our 
humble  petition  may  be  granted  by  your  honorable  body  we  sub- 
scribe our  names  here  unto. 

Signed  by  S.  P.  Spindler  and  36  others. 


200  HISTORY  OP  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

The  board  of  supervisors  took  immediate  action  on  the  above,  and 
by  a  vote,  the  prayer  was  granted,  and  steps  were  taken  to  perfect  the 
incorporation. 

In  1868  Rosenbaum  Bros,  opened  a  banking  office  which  was 
most  successfully  conducted  until  1870,  when  a  stock  company 
was  formed,  who  bought  out  the  above  firm  (they  retaining  some 
interest)  and  organized  the  bank  of  Nashua. 

In  1877  a  bank  was  started  in  a  small  way  by  A.  J.  Felt,  who 
continued  it  until  in  March,  1879,  when  the  First  National  bank 
was  organized  with  a  capital  of  $60,000  A.  G.  Case  Pres.,  A.  J.  Felt 
jcashier.  In  January,  1880,  deeining  that  one  bank  was  sufficient 
for  the  needs  of  the  community,  the  bank  of  Nashua  was  merged 
into  the  First  National  bank.  Shortly  after  which  A.  J.  Felt 
retiring   Amos  Case  became  cashier. 

Aug.  1st  1880  Louis  Slimmer  cashier  of  the  Butler  Co.  bank, 
Clarksville,  Iowa,  and  Lipman  Loser  late  cashier  of  the  bank  of 
Nashua,  opened  a  banking  office  under  the  firm  name  of  Loser  and 
Slimmer,  which  has  proved  more  than  successful,  and  is  one  of 
the  prominent  business  houses  of  the  city. 

The  first  grist  mill  in  Nashua,  was  one  built  in  1857,  by  Andrew 
Sample,  J.  S.  Hall  and  T.  Ervin,  being  the  carpenters  and  mill-right. 
This  mill  stood  for  eight  years  and  was  torn  down  by  E.  P.  Greeley 
to  build  the  present  fine  one  which  enjoys  the  reputation  of  being 
one  of  the  best  in  the  northern  part  of  the  state.  It  is  a  large 
frame  structure  with  stone  basement,  built  in  a  substantial  and 
workman-like  manner.  Has  six  run  of  stone,  and  does  a  large 
buisness.     A  new  feed  mill  has  recently  been  added. 

For  many  years  this  part  of  the  county  possessed  a  fine  agricul- 
tural society,  but  about  two  years  ago  the  corporation  puchased 
the  groun  s  for  a  public  driving  park  where  the  owners  of 
trotting  stociv  could  exercise  their  fleet  steppers,  thus  freeing  the 
streets  of  their  racing  and  allowing  the  ordiances  against  fast  driv- 
ing to  be  more  vigorously  enforced.  We  have  endeavored  to  get 
hold  of  the  records  of  the  agricultural  sooiety  but  have  been  un- 
able to  do  so. 

The  first  school  was  taught  in  a  little  shanty  in  the  eastern  part 
of  the  town  of  Nashua  in  1856  by  Miss  Maggie  Nichols,  an  adopted 
daughter  of  Enoch  Woodbridge,  and  out  of  this  small   beginning 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  201 

"has  grown  the  present  fine  schools  of  the  town,  of  which  see  else- 
where- 

A  steam  saw  mill  was  built  by  Charles  Greeley,  on  the  outskirts 
■of  the  town,  in  the  year  1858,  which  was  afterward  purchased  by  a 
Mr.  Fisk,  who  removed  it  to  some  place  in  the  state  of  Minne- 
sota. 

A  hotel  the  first  in  the  town  of  Nashua  was  erected  by  Montgom- 
ery in  the  year  1857,  J.  S.  Hall  being  the  contracting  carpenter. 
It  was  considered  a  wonderful  affair  in  its  time  and  if  we  consider 
its  surroundings  perhaps  it  was.  Like  many  another  hotel,  it  has 
had  varying  fortunes  and  having  changed  hands  a  number  of  times 
is  now  conducted  by  J.  D.  Noyelles  who  makes  a  model  land- 
lord. 

The  Patterson  House  is  of  more  recent  date,  having  been  altered 
from  a  dwelling  and  largely  added  to  in  1873.  The  picturesque 
site  of  the  hotel,  standing  back  from  the  street  and  embowered  in 
trees,  makes  it  peculiarly  striking,  which  added  to  the  really  good 
accommodations  afforded  and  the  presence  of  "mine  jolly  host,"  J. 
W.  Patterson,  invites  the  weary  traveler  to  stop  and  rest. 

CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

The  Congregational  church  at  Nashua  was  organized  July  7th, 
1866,  its  charter  members  being: 

P.  F.  May  and  wife,  W.  R.  Cheney  and  wife,  H.  Fountain  and 
Mrs.  Hannah  Fountain,  Mrs.  Edw.  Hall,  Mrs.  Enoch  Hall,  Mrs. 
Alic.  Stocks,  Mrs.  Selah  Billings,  Henry  Baker  and  wife  and  Ira 
Mead. 

Hiram  Fountain  was  the  first  deacon  of  the  church  and  Rev.  J. 
K.  Nutting  of  the  Bradford  church  the  first  acting  preacher. 

Rev.  R.  J.  Williams  began  his  labors'as  pastor  in  1868,  and  was 
succeeded  in  1870  by  Rev.  M.  B.  Page,  a  devoted  minister  of 
Christ,  whose  walk  was  a  fit  example  of  his  teaching,  and  who 
died  on  the  field.  The  present  church  edifice  was  erected  in  1870, 
at  a  cost  of  $3,500. 

In  1882  it  was  repaired,  repainted,  fenced  and  otherwise  im- 
proved and  adorned,  and  is  now  a  very  neat  and  comfortable  place 
of  worship. 

The  Rev.  W.  B.  Page  was  followed  in  the  pastorate  by  the  Rev. 
J.  G.   Spencer  and  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  L.  D.  Boynton,  who 


202  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUKTY. 

remained  with  the  church,  and  ministered  to  their  spiritual  needs 
for  five  years. 

In  the  same  year  Aaron  Dodge  was  elected  deacon,  and  with  the  • 
venerable  P.  F.    May,  has   remained   the   faithful   deacon    of  the 
church  to  the  present  day. 

Rev.  L.  D.  Boynton  retired  from  the  care  of  this  flock  in  1878,. 
and  in  February,  1880,  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  C.  A.  Marshall 
commenced  his  labors  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord;  supplying  the 
two  pulpits  of  Bradford  and  Nashua.  To  the  last  named  gentle- 
man we  are  indebted  for  these  facts,  which  he  has  kindly  furnish- 
ed at  the  expense  of  time  and  trouble. 

METIIODIS'r     CHURCH. 

This  is  one  of  the  finest  church  edifices  in  the  county,  if  not  in- 
this  part  of  the  state,  and  deserves  more  than  a  passing  mention. 
It  was  erected  in  1878,  at  a  cost  of  $12,000  and  we  are  given  to  un- 
derstand is  nearly  paid  for.  Red  pressed  brick  with  trimmings  of 
cream  colored  stone  is  the  material  used,  and  the  architect  has  so 
skillfully  blended  the  gothic  with  the  renaissance  order  of  archi- 
tecture that  the  effect  is  more  than  pleasing.  And  standing  on  ele- 
vated ground,  is  the  most  prominent  feature  that  strikes  the  eye. 

Inside  the  same  good  taste  prevails,  the  painting  being  in  those 
light  creamy  tints  that  blend  so  beautil\illy  with  the  pale  brown, 
with  which  it  is  diversified.  A  fine  double  banked  chandelier 
lights  up  the  auditorium,  and  stained  glass  windows  add  to  the 
rich  effect. 

The  main  room  will  comfortably  seat  some  350  people,   and   al 
ready  the  membership  numbers  220.      Rev.    E.    S.    Thorpe  is  the 
present  pastor,  and  under  his  administration  the   church   is   pros- 
pering finely. 

ROMAN  •CATHOLIC    CHURCH 

was  organized  in  1873,  and  the  edifice  was  built  in  the  same  year, 
and  is  a  neat  and  substantial  frame  building.  The  Rev.  Father 
McGrath  of  Charles  City,  having  charge  of  the  spiritual  welfare 
the  Hock. 

EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

Owing  to  there  being  no  present  rector  of  this  church,  we  were 
unable  to  procure  any  reliable  data  in  regard  to  it,  but  simply 
notice  that  "there  is  such  an  organization. 

■    SCHOOL. 

A  fine  large  brick  building,  surrounded  by  a  fine   play   ground^ 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  203 

•and  shaded  by  noble  trees,  and  situated  in  the  pleasantest  part  of 
the  town,  stands  the  school  house,  And  when  S]:)eaking  of  it  the 
eye  of  the  citizen  lights  up  with  concious  pride  for  it  is  regarded 
by  all  as  the  finest  one  in  the  county,  both  by  reason  of  the  build- 
ing and  the  high  grade  and  excellency  of  the  teaching. 

There  are  three  grades,  viz:  primary,  grammer  and  high  school. 
The  primary  and  grammer  departments  consist  each  of  four 
grades,  the  high  school  of  three;  the  whole  course  is  intended  to  • 
occupy  the  term  of  eleven  years,  and  the  graduates  from  its  higher 
branches,  can  readily,  without  any  intermediate  study,  enter  our 
state  university,  or  any  other  college  of  like  standing. 

The  principal,  Mr.  Henry  Felker,  is  spoken  of  as  one  peculiarly 
fitted  for  the  responsible  position  which  he  holds,  and  is  assisted 
by  six  lady  teachers,  whose  standing  in  the  profession  is  second 
to  none. 

The  text  books  used  are,  Appleton's  readers,  Robinson's  arith- 
metics, Reed  and  Kellogg's  lessons.  Harper's  geographies,  Quack- 
enbos'  History  of  the  United  States,  and  the  Spencerian  system  of 
penmanshi]i.  The  aim  of  the  board  and  principal  has  been  to  de- 
velope  as  near  a  perfect  mode  of  instruction  as  is  compatable  with 
strictly  practical  view  of  life  and  its  duties. 

The  board  of  school  directers  for  the  independent  school  district 
of  Nashua,  in  1880-1  was: 
R.  A.  Flemming,  President. 
Wm.  B.  Perrin,  Secretary. 
I.  H.  Bradford,  Treasurer. 

.  BOARD. 

A.  G.  Lawrence,  Geo.  T.  Bellamy, 
R.  A.  Flemming,  A.  J.  Felt, 

W.  A.  Williams,  H.  T.  Dexter, 

The  present  officers  and  directors  are: 
H.  H.  Hopkins,  President. 

B.  A.  Billings,  Secretary. 
L.  Ijoeser,  Treasurer. 

BOARD. 

R.  H.  Fairbain,  H.  H.  Hopkins, 

R.  M.  Nevins,  A.  A.  Turner, 

E.  R.  Richardson.  H.  T.  Dexter. 

Anchor  Lodge,  No.  89  A.  0.  U.    W.   was   organized   in   Nashua 


204        '  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

Dec,  22d,  1876  with  fourteen  charter  members.  The  officers  chosen 
at  that  meethio- wore:  P.  M.  W.,  W.  A.  Williams;  M.  W.,  E.  C. 
Weeks;  G.  F.,  II.  A.  Flemming;  Overseer,  H.  H.  Conklin;  Guide, 
Geo.  C.  Willard;  Udr,  J.  A.  Weeks;  Financier,  H.  A.  Hopkins; 
Keceiver,  Wm. Lester;  J.  W.,  C.  W.  Strohn;  0.  W.,  J.  H.  Mitchell. 
The  lodge  has  prospered  well  ever  since  its  inception  and^  report 
with  an  average  membership  of  twenty  eight,  in  the  six  years 
of  its  existence  there  had  occurred  but  one  death  to  mar  the  per- 
fect circle  of  fraternity  that  bind  them  together.  The  membership 
to-day  is  tliirty-threc  and  the  oliicers,  Jos.  F.  Grawe,  P.  M.  W.; 
W.  IS.  Skinner,  M.  W.;  T. Aired,  Foreman;  Jas  llershberg,  Overseer; 
Geo.  C.  Millard;  Rdr.,  Thos.  S. -Bradford;  Financier,  H.  T.  Dex- 
ter,  Receiver;   0.   S.    Wherland,   O.  and  J.  W. 

MASONIC. 

The  masonic  lodge  was  organized  by  Dr.S.  S.  Troy,  master  un- 
der a  dispensation,  in  June,  1869,  with^twenty-two  charter  mem- 
bers. It  now  consists  of  about  sixty  brothers  in  good  standing. 
Has  a  line  hall,  lifted  up  in  a  good  style,  for  the  celebration  of 
the  rites  of  the  order.  The  chapter  was  organized  in  1871  and  has 
a  healthly  growth. 

NASHUA    POST. 

This  newspaper  was  established  in  the  fall  of  1869,  it  is  believed, 
but  in  the  absence  of  liles  it  is  not  beyond  a  mere  })eradventure. 
Andy  J.  Felt  was  the  original  proprietor  and  sole  editor  until  1873, 
when  tlie  ollice  was  purchased  by  Jos.  F.  Grawe,  who  still  continues 
in  its  editoral  chair.  The  Post  is  a  six-column  quarto  with  patent 
insides,  and  is  published  weekly.  The  mechanical  work  is  well 
and  neatly  done,  and  editorial  department  well  conducted.  In 
political  complexion  it  is  strongely  republican,  and  is  the  only 
paper  i)ublished  in  the  town.  The  ofiice  is  well  supplied  Avith 
material,  and  kee])s  four  compositors  busily  at  work.  The  ])aper  re- 
ceives liberal  patronage  both  in  its  advertising  department  and  in 
the  job  work  department. 


HISTORY    OF   CHICKASAW    COUNTY.  205 


CHAPTER  IX. 


New  Hampton  Township. 


A  write-up  of  New  Hampton,  town  and  township,  should  be  a 
fair  reflex  of  the  difficulties  attending  western  settlements;  not 
that  there  were  unusual  obstacles  in  the  way,  or  that  there  were 
privations,  or  dangers,  beyond  those  commonly  met  with  under 
similar  circumstances;  in  fact  it  is  but  a  record  of  the  upbuilding  of 
a  prosperous  community,  upon  the  bleak  bosom  of  the  boundless 
prairie,  witli  little  or  no  adventitious  aid  and  with  no  attempts  at 
what  the  distinctively  American  language  terms  boondng. 

The  records  of  New  Hampton  township  date  back  to  April  6th, 
1857,  bearing  which  date  the  following  record  appears: 

"Township  95-12  was  organized  under  the  name  of  New  Hamp- 
ton township,  on  the  6th  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1857,  by  virtue  of  a 
warrant  issued  to  David  Edwards,  by  Lorenzo  Bailey,  County 
Judge  of  Chickasaw  county.  Attest  H.  Gurley,  Clerk  of  Elec- 
tion." 

On  the  first  Monday  of  April,  1857,  an  election,  was  held  at  the 
house  of  David  Edwan's,  the  board  being  organized  by  S.  M. 
Prentice,  Esq .  of  Ilichland  township. 


206  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

Gideon  Gardner,  Jolni  Patten  and  Homer  Hamlin  were  the 
judges,  and  David  Edwards  and  Harrison  Gurley  clerks  of  the 
election.  The  following  persons  were  elected  to  their  respective 
offices:  Gideon  Gardner  and  James  Melenda,  justices  of  the  peace; 
Oscar  Carpenter  andElias  Marsh,  constables;  De  Witt  C.  Chapman, 
town  clerk;  Joseph  Gardner,  road  supervisor;  J.  W.  Vanauken, 
Denizen  Calkins,  N.  D.  R.  Cole,  trustees. 

The  following  officers  were  elected  April  5th,  1857 :  J.  W.  Van- 
auken, Denizen  Calkins,  Daniel  Shook,  trustee;  Dan  Pepper,  E.  W. 
Parker,  constables;  H.  Gurley,   township  clerk. 

April  24th,  1858  Gideon  Gardner  resigned  the  office  of  justice  of 
the  peace,  and  the  trustees  appointed  .Caleb  Arnold  to  fill  va- 
cance. 

ELECTION,  OCTOBER,  1858. 

Denizen  Calkins,  Daniel  Shook,  N.  D.  R.  Cole,  trustees;  Caleb 
Arnold,  James  Melenda  justices  of  the  peace  ;  B.  E.  Morton,  con- 
stable; D.  W.  C.  Chapman,  assessor;  H.  Gurley,  township  clerk. 

OCTOBER,   1859. 
Philip   Vanorsdoll,  G.   W.    Pepper,  Edward   Bell,  trustees;   H. 
Gurley,  clerk;  A.  L.  Jackson,  assessor;   James  E.  Yaunce,  justice 
of  the  peace;  M.  C.  Roby,  D.  W.  C.  Chapman,  constables. 

NOVEMBER,    1860. 

Gideon  Gardner,  member  board  of  supervisors;  James  E.  Yaunce, 
George  A.  Hamilton,  justices  of  the  peace;  H.  Gurley,  clerk;  A.  D. 
Jackson,  assessor;  Joseph  Gardner,  D.  W.  C  Chapman,  J.  K. 
Kronagar,  trustees,  for  short  term;  Denizen  Calkins,  N.  D.  R.  Cole, 
Orlando  Roberts,  trustees  for  1861;  M.  C.  Roby,  C.  T.  Craft, 
constables. 

OCTOBER,   1861, 

N.  D.  R.  Cole,  David  Edwards,  J.  K.  Kronagar,  trustees;  E.  G. 
0.  Groat,  assessor;  A.  D.  Jackson,  Dan  Pepper,  constables;  L.  J. 
Young,  clerk. 

OCTOBER,  1862 

David  Edwards,  J.  K.  Kronagar,  W.  T.  Paul,  trustees;  G.  A. 
Hamilton,  Joseph  Young,  justices  of  the  peace;  L.  J.  Young,  clerk; 
G.  A.  Hamilton,  assessor;  J.  D.  Arnold,  George  Colby,  con- 
stables. 

OCTOBER,  1863. 

J.  K.  Kronagar,  member  board  of  sup3rvisors;  David  Edwards , 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


*207 


W.  T.  Paul,  A.  T.  Jackson,  trustees;  B.  E.  Morton,  clerk;  L.  J. 
Young,  assessor;  E.  T.  Runion,  Dan  Pepper,  constables. 

NOVEMBER,  1864 

N.  D.  R.  Cole,  W.  T.  Paul,  A.  D  .Jackson,  trustees;  G.  A. 
Hamilton,  Joseph  Young,  justices  of  the  peace;  L.  J.  Young,clerk; 
A.  H.  Bartlett,  assessor;  A.  D.  .Jackson,  John  Geer,  con- 
stables. 

OCTOBER,    1865. 

Gideon  Gardner,  member  board  of  supervisors;  W.  T.  Paul, 
Myron  Ives,  Gilbert  Vincent,  trustees;  W.  Johnston,  clerk; 
E.  W.  Parker  assessor;  L.  H.  Phinney,  John  Geer,  con- 
stables. 

OCTOBER,  1866. 

P  N.  D.R.  Cole  A.  D.  Jackson,  H.  H.  Gardner,trustees;  L.  J.  Young 
clerk;  A.  H.  Bartlett,  assessor;  L.  H.  Phinney,  Nelson  Olds, 
constables;  G.  A.  Hamilton,  H.  J.  Parker,  justices  of  the 
peace. 

OCTOBER  1867. 
D.  A.  Jackson,  member  board   supervisors;    M.    Burgit,  A.   S. 
Gardner,   Joseph    Young,    trustees;    G.    A.    Hamilton,  assessor; 
L.  M.,  Smith,  clerk;  R.  0.  Sheldon,  constable. 

NOVEMBER  1868 

J.*R.  Kenyon,  Joseph  Young,  I.  H.  Minkler,  trustees;  Gideon 
Gardner,  J.  Colby,  justices  of  the  peace;  L.  J.  Young,  assessor; 
L.  M.  Smith,  clerk;  Gilbert  Vincent,  George  Reynolds,  con- 
stables. 

OCTOBER  1869 

Gideon  Gardner,  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors;  I.  H. 
Minkler,  Joseph  Young,  Don  A.  Jackson,  trustees;  W.  Parker, 
justice  of  the  peace;  Z.  E.  Barrett,  assessor;  L.  M.  Smith  clerk; 
George  Reynolds,  R.  O.  Sheldon,  constables. 

OCTOBER  1870 

D.  A.  Jackson,  W.  E.  Hurd,  J.  A.  Mixer,  trustees;  J.  M.  Robin- 
son, clerk;  Z.  E.  Barrett,  assessor;  William  Parker,  S.  J.  Colby, 
justices  of  the  peace;  G.  H.  Reynolds,  R.  0.  Sheldon,  con- 
stables. • 

OCTOBER  1871 

J.  A.  Mixer,  D.  A.  Jackson,  W.  E.  Hurd,  members  of  board  of 
supervisors;  D.  B.  Sneden,  justice  of  the   peace;   Robert  Shortley, 


208  HISTORY    OP   CHICKASAW   COUNTY. 

assessor;   E   P.   Sheffield,   clerk;   Smith   Healey,    R.   O.  Sheldon 
constables. 

NOVEMBER  1872. 

W.  E.  Hurd,  Don  A.  Jackson,  I.  H.  Minkler,  trustees;   William 
Parker,     S.     J.  Colby,  justices    of    the    peace;   Samuel  Cotant^ 
assessor;  J.    M.  Robinson,  clerk;  A.  H.  Lillebridge;  L.  M.   Smith 
constables. 

OCTOBER  1873. 

I.  H.  Minkler,  Robert  Shortley,  Hugh  Kepler,  trustees; 
W.  Parker,  justice  ofthe  peace;  E.  P.  Sheffield,  assessor;  J.  M.  Rob- 
inson, clerk; 

OCTOBER  1874 

The  records  for  this  year  are  incomplete.  D.  B.  Shelden  and 
John  Mays  were  elected  justices  of  the  peace;  and  J.  T.  Jackson 
constable. 

OCTOBER  1875. 

The  records  for  this  year  are  also  incomplete.  D.  B.  Sneden 
and  J.  K.  Kroninger  were  elected  justices  of  the  peace;  H.  P. 
Cotant,  clerk;  Walter  Cady,  constable. 

NOVEMBER   1876 

Hugh  Kepler,  Don  A.  Jackson,  Cornelius  Carr.  [trustees; 
John  Mays,  William  Parker,  justices  of  the  peace;  S.  R. ''^Wesp, 
assessor;  H.  P.  Cotant,  clerk;  Walter  Cady,;;W.  .W. "Morris, 
constable^. 

OCTOBER  1877. 

D.  A.  Jackson,  Hugh  Kepler,  A.  A.  Brown,-__trustees;  H.  P. 
Cotant,  clerk;  S.  R.  Wesp,  assessor;  J.  H.  Gurney,  justice  ofthe 
peace. 

OCTOBER,  1878. 

F.  J.  Wesp,  Samuel  Cotant,  Fred  Morsch,  trustees;  E.  P. 
Sheffield,  clerk;  D.  B.  Sneden,  William  Parker,  justices  of  the 
peace;  C.  L.  Gabrilson,  assessor;  Lee  Miller,  Chris  Mullen,  con- 
stables. 

OCTOBER  1879. 

Hugh  Kepler  trustee;  G.  A.  Hamilton,  justice  of  the  peace. 
C.  L.  Gabrilson,  assessor;  H  .P.  Cotant  clerk. 

NOVEMBER  1880 

C.  L.  Gabrilson,  trustee;   Cornelius  Carr,  D.  B.  Sneden,  justices 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  209 

of  the  peace;  John   Krerger,  assessor;   A.    G.    Bigelow,   clerk  Lee 
Miller.  Chris  Mullen  constables. 

OCTOBER  1881. 
F.  Marsh,  Sr.,  trustee;   G.    A.    Hamilton,  justice   of  the  peace; 
H.  P.  Cotant,  clerk;  Michael  Malona,  assessor. 

NOVEMBER    1882. 

F.  McCarthy,  trustee;  D.  B.  Sneden,  C.  Carr,  justices  of  the 
peace;  Lee  Miller,  Charles  White,  constable;  A.  B.  Harris,  clerk, 
John  Debittinger  assessor. 

In  the  above  list  of  oflicers  no  mention  is  made  of  appointments 
to  fill  vacancies,  which  frequently  occurred,  The  names  given 
are  of  those  who  were  regularly  elected  at  the  succeeding  elec- 
tions. 

The  following  entry  appears  of  date  given  therein. 

On  petition  of  J,  H.  Powers  and  others,  presented  to  the  county 
judge  on  the  2d  day  of  July,  1860,  the  following  described  territory 
was  set  off  from  the  townshij)  of  Dayton  and  attached  to  the 
township  of  New  Hampton,  to-wit:  the  S.  PI  1  of  the  N.  E.  i  and 
the  N.  E.  i  of  the  S.  E,  i  of  section  12,  township  95,  north  of 
range  13  west;  as  per  notice  on  file  in  the  ofhce  of  the  township 
clerk,  to  which  reference  may  be  had.  (Signed)  H.  Gurley, 
clerk. 

NEW    HAMPTON. 

The  town  of  New  Hampton,  which  is  the  county  seat  of  Chicka- 
saw county,  deserves  its  importance  and  consequent  prosperity 
chiefly  from  the  fact  that  it  is  the  geographical  center  of  the 
county.  The  pioneers,  who  established  the  place,  relied  upon  this 
fact  to  make  good  their  investments,  and  the  sequel  showed  that  their 
judgment  was  nut  at  fault;  for,  after  divers  contests,  which  will  be 
found  to  be  recorded  elsewhere,'  the  seat  of  county  government 
was  ultimately  and  permanently  located  here,  and  peace  is  now 
perpetuating  what  intermittent  warfare  won. 

As  will  appear  hereafter,  New  Hampton  was  incorporated  in 
1873,  and  dates  its  beginning  from  1855,  at  tlie  connnencement  of 
which  year  there  were  no  building  on  the  present  townsite,  and  no 
townsite  in  reality.  Don  A.  Jackson,  who  located  within  a  mile 
and  a  half  of  the  present  town  in  May,  1855,  relates  that  at  that 
time  the  town  had  no  existence,  actual  or  prospective.  The  name 
of  the  place  was  at  hrst  Chickasaw  center,  but  was  afterward 
changed  to  New  Hampton  l)y  Osgood    Gowan   in   compliment   to 


210  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

his  native  town  in  New  England.  According  to  Mr.  Jackson's 
recollection,  since  corroborated  by  other  pioneers,  the  first  house 
erected  in  the  town  was  built  bj^  David  Edwards,  and  stood  near 
where  the  creamery  is  now  located.  It  was  a  small  board  dwelling. 
James  Jarred  built  a  log  house  not  long  afterwards,  which  stood 
in  the  center  of  the  street  between  the  Fitch  block  and  the  Gurley 
store  building.  Jarred  sold  to  two  men  named  Jacobs  and  Ross, 
who  put  in  a  small  stock  of  general  merchandise;  which  they 
subsequently  sold  with  the  building,  to  Osgood  Gowan  At  the 
time  of  this  sale  Gowan  kept  the  post  office — he  being  the  first 
postmaster — at  his  home  in  the  woods,  about  one  mile  northeast 
of  town.  GoAvan  had  to  go  to.  Jacksonville,  for  the  mails,  and 
sometimes  to  West  Union,  on  foot.  He  owned  160  acres  where  he 
lived,  and  in  fact  traded  with  Jacobs  and  Ross  for  the  store  pro- 
perty, and  moved  the  post  office  to  what  is  now  called  New  Hamp- 
ton. Gowan  .afterwards  sold  to  Harrison  Gurley,  who,  with 
/Gideon  Gardner,  and  Homer  Hamlin,  had  come  to  New  Hampton 
■in  1856.  Gurley  erected  the  well  known  frame  store  building  on 
.the  corner  of  INTain  street  and  Locust  avenue,  where  he  kept  store 
quite  a  number  of  years,  during  ten  of  which,  at  least,  he  was  the 
only  merchant  in  New  Hampton. 

It  is  particularly  difficult  to  reconcile  conflicting  memories,  as 
to  occurrences  which  date  back  quite  a  number  of  years.  The 
first  public  place  of  entertainment  in  New  Hampton  was  a  log 
house  erected  by  Samuel  Shaw,  Harve3''S.  Plill  l)ecoming  the  owner 
of  it  at  a  later  date,  and  coverting  it  into  a  rude  sort  of  hostlery. 
The  building  was  also  occupied,  for  a  time  by  Gideon  Gardner  as  a 
■  dwelling.  William  Johnson  subsequently  owned  it,  and  moving  it 
.back,  erected  a  frame  in  front,  which  he  used  as  a  saloon,  himself 
and  family  dwelling  in  the  log  portion.  Johnson  sold  to  Hon.  James 
F.  Babcock,  who,  with  his  father,  moved  into  the  log  portion,  and 
transposed  the  saloon  into  a  drug  store^*  which  was  the  pioneer 
drug  store  of  New  Hampton.  This  log  building,  was  liever  a  part 
of  the  hotel  proper,  Avhich  was  built  in  the  first  place  on  the 
ground  east  of  it,  by  Daniel  Shook,  and  which  underwent  various 
names  and  changes  of  proprietorship,  being  remembered  liest  as 
the  Dixon  house  and  the  New   Hampton   hotel.       Shook   erected 

the  central  portion  of  this  building  and  the  kitchen.     He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Don.  A.  Jackson,  who   sold   to   W.    D.  Gardner.      Mr. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  2ll 

Gardner  added  the  west  main  portion  of  two  stories,  and  after- 
wards sold  to  John  Dixon,  who  built  upon  the  east  side,  moved 
the  kitchen  to.  the  rear  of  the  Gardner  addition,  and  extended  the 
main  part  to  the  rear.  Dixon  sold  toH.  L.  Fitch,  and  in  1881  the 
building  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Upon  its  site  Mr.  Fitch  erected 
in  1882  a  fine  brick  business  block  of  two  stories,  with  three  store 
rooms  on  the  ground  floor,  a  total  cost  of  $15,000. 

The  Central  house  now  owned  and  constructed  by  E.  H.  Yarger, 
was  erected  by  Daniel  Pepper,  who  sold  to  C.  H.  Clough,  and  he 
in  turn  to  0.  Dana,  Yarger  assuming  the  proprietorship  in  1882. 

The  property  which  J.  F.  Babcock  purchased  of  William  John- 
son, was  located  where  Mr.  Bacock's  brick  building,  occupied  by 
L.  L.  Briggs'  drug  store,  now  is.  The  first  brick  business  build- 
ing in  New  Hampton  was  erected  by  Mr.  Babcock  In  1871,  just 
west  of  the  Johnson  property,  and  is  now  occupied  by  W.  D. 
Gardner  &  Go's,  drug  store.  Into  this  building  Mr.  Babcock 
moved  his  stock  of  drugs,  tore  down  the  old  log  house,  and  rented 
for  office  purposes  the  frame  he  had  just  vacated.  The  frame 
gave  place  to  the  present  brick  structure  in  1881. 

Veiy  little  was  done  by  way  of  building  in  1855.  A  man  named 
Cook  and  his  sou-in-law  erected  another  building,  in  addition  to 
those  already  mentioned,  and  there  was  possibly  still  another  on 
the  lot  now  occupied  by  Auditor  Sheffield,  which  latter  may  not 
have  been  built  until  1856. 

In  1867  Judge  Arnold  erected  a  dwelling  liouse,  severiil  others, 
also  being  erected  during  that  year. 

In  1855,  the  only  effort  made  toward  laying  out  the  town  was 
»the  staking  out  of  the  block  on*  which  the  Shook  building  was 
erected.  The  town  was  not  regularly  laid  out  until  1857,  Septem- 
ber 12th  of  that  year  being  the  date  when  the  plat  was  made  of 
record.  G.  Gardner,  Homer  Hamlin,  David  Edwards,  H.  Gurley 
and  E.  T.  Runion  were  the  original  proprietors.  Gardner  and 
Hamlin  owned  each  an  undivided  half,  of  \V.  ■}  N.  VV.  *,  section  7, 
and  the  balance  was  owned- by  Gurley,  Edwards  and  Runion. 

The  rapid  growth  of  New  Hampton  dates  from  the  coming  of 
the  railroad  in  1868,  businass  tor  some  time  thereafter  being  stim- 
ulated to  unwonted  activity.  Ernest  Warner,  who  came  in  1858, 
was  New  Hampton's  first  wagon  maker;  E.   T.    Runion,  the   first 


212  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

blacksmith,  came  in  1857.     A  man  named   Morton  who   came  in 
1859,  was  the  first  shoemaker. 

The  post  office  was  established  in  1855  or  6,  Osgood  Gowan  be- 
ing the  first  postmaster.  Since  then  the  following  gentlemen  have 
occupied  the  position  in  the  order  mentioned;  H.  Gurley,  Daniel 
Shook,  Samuel  Cotant,  Don  A.  Jackson,  C.  McCuUow,  Samuel 
Cotant,  C.  McCuUow,  J.  C.  Johnson,  C.  McCullow,  the  latter  be- 
ing the  present  incumbent.  The  office  was  made  a  money  order 
office  October  1st,  1877. 

The  election  to  determine  the  question  of  incorporation  was  held 
at  the  court  house  in  New  Hampton,  April  26th,  1873.  A.  E. 
Bigelow,  H,  Gurley,  W.  W.  Langdon,  Zelotes  Bailey  and  D.  B. 
Sneden  were  appointed  commissioners  of  incorporation,  D.  B. 
Sneden  and  W.  W.  Langdon  officiating  as  clerks  of  the  election. 
One  hundred  votes  were  cast,  seventy  for,  and  thirty  against  incor- 
poration. 

The  first  election  for  officers  of  the  incorporation  was  held  May 
21st,  1873.  The  following  were  elected:  James  F.  Babcock, 
mayor;  E.  P.  Sheffield,  recorder;  A.  E.  Bigelow,  C.  H.  Clough, 
W.  W.  Birdsall.  M.  C.  Ayres,  John  Mays,  councilmen. 

The  officers  elected  for  the  succeeding  years,  omitting  the  coun- 
cilmen, are  as  follows : 

1874. 
G.  Gardner,  mayor;  D.  B  Sneden,  recorder;    B.  G.  Smith,  treas- 
urer; G.  H.    Reynolds,   marshal;    S.    R.    Shear,    street    commis- 
sioner. 

1875. 
H.  M.  Mixer,  mayor,  James  Young,  recorder;  H.  J.  Wing,  mar-* 
shal;  D.  W.  Payne,  street  commissioner;    B.  G.  Smith,  treasurer; 
Samuel  Cotant,  assessor. 

1876. 
g.;H.  M.  Mixer,  mayor;  E.  P.   Sheffield,   recorder;  B.   G.   Smith, 
treasurer;  Samuel  Cotant,  assessor;  Walter  Cady,   marshal;    Fred 
Simmick,  street  commissioner. 

1877. 
S.  J.  Kenyon,  mayor;  E.  P.  Sheffield,  recorder;    Samuel  Cotant 
assessor;  Fred  Simmick,  street  commissioner;  B.  G.  Smith,   treas- 
urer. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  213 

1878. 
S.  J.  Kenyon,  mayor;  E.  P.  Sheffield,   recorder;   B.   G.  Smith, 
treasurer;    Samuel   Cotant,   assessor;  F.   Simmick,  street  commis- 
sioner; Tim  D  organ,  marshal. 

1879. 
A.  E.  Bigelow,  mayor;  E.  P.  Sheffield,  recorder;  J.  J.  Arbuckle, 
street  commissioner;   B.   G.   Smith,   treasurer;     Samuel   Cotant, 
assessor. 

1880. 

F.  D.  Bosworth,  mayor;  G.  A.  Hamilton,  recorder;  B.  G.  Smith, 
treasurer;  Wilbur  Sherman,  street  commissioner;  Samuel  Cotant, 
assessor. 

1881. 

F.  D.  Bosworth,  mayor;  G..A.  Hamilton,  recorder;  B.  G.Smith, 
treasurer;  Samuel  Cotant,  assessor;  Chas.  Carpenter,  street  commis- 
sioner. During  this  yearF.  D.  Bosworth  presented  his  resignation  as 
mayor,  to  take  effect  June  4th,  and  at  a  special  election  held  June 
20th,  J.  H.  Gurney  was  elected  to  fill  vacancy.  Gurney  resigned 
July  11th,  and  at  a  special  election  held  July  25th,  Hiram  Shaver 
was  elected  mayor  for  the  unexpired  term. 

1882. 

Hiram  Shaver,  mayor;  G.  A.  Hamilton,  recorder;  B.  G.  Smith, 
treasurer;  W.  B.  Porter,  assessor;  Thos.  Hall,  street  commissioner. 
The  office  of  marshal,  which  has  been  of  late  years  appointive, 
is  held  at  date  of  this  writing  by  H.  J.  Wing.  The  members  of 
the  city  council  for  1882-3  are  H.  H.Potter,  E.  P.  Sherman,  John 
Foley,  H.  H.  Heming,  J.  M.  Gilliland,  Charles  Lilge. 

A  history  of  Chickasaw  county  would  be  incomplete  without 
more  than  mere  mention  of  the  late  F.  D.  Bosworth.  In  so  far  as  the 
writer  has  been  able  to  learn,  Mr.  Bosworth,  was  a  man  of  excellent 
executive  cajjacity,  and  a  gentleman  in  the  truest  sense  of  the 
word.  He  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  was  educated  at  Tiffin, 
Ohio.  He  came  to  Chickasaw  county  in  1856,  and  first 
taught  school  at  Greenwood,  in  Bradford  township.  After- 
wards he  went  to  the  old  town  of  Forest  City,  where  he 
worked  for  Judge  Hiram  Bailey,  at  splitting  rails.  The  rails 
where  twelve  feet  long,  and  the  price  paid  for  splitting 
was  $1.25  per  hundred.  He  was  subsequently  appointed  deputy 
county   clerk,   was   elected   treasurer  and    recorder,   was   county 


214  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

school  superintendent,  internal  revenue  assessor,  mayor  of  New 
Hampton,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  in  December,  1881,  was 
cashier  of  the  First  National  bank.  He  was  at  one  time  an  un- 
successful candidate  for  representative  to  the  state  legislature,  be- 
ing defeated  therefore  by  D.  B.  Hanan,  Esq.,  main  cause  of  his 
defeat  appearing  to  be  republican  disaffection,  with  A.  J.  Felt,  the 
then  editor  of  the  Nashua  Post,  in  the  van  of  the  opposition,  per- 
sonal ambition  for  the  state  senator  being  the  actuating  motive. 
Mr.  Bosworth  entered  the  army  as  a  private,  and  became  second 
lieutenant  of  company  B,  seventh  Iowa  infantry.  Much  historic 
matter  could  be  found  in  the  annals  of  this  well  remembered 
company,  but  space  does  not  pe'rmit,  neither,  perhaps,  would  it  be 
best  to  enter  too  closely  into  details;  but  it  is  sufficient  to  say  that 
among  its  members  were,  "Andy"  Fel.t,  G.  J.  Tisdale,  E.  A.  Haskell, 
Judge  Robert  G.  Riniger,  J.  H.  Powers,  Deacon  Gardner,  J. 
Rutherford,  G.  W.  S.  Dodge,  Charles  H.  Trott,  W.  W.  Birdsall, 
Z.  Bailey,  D.  Campbell,  B.  E.  Morton,  and  Robert  H.  Mills. 

These  men  were  all  more  or  less  interested  in  political  affairs, 
were  "manipulators  of  the  wires,"  so  to  speak,  with  ambitions 
and  aspirations  of  their  own,  and  company  B.  was  known 
as  one  in  which  there  was  even  more  than  the  ordi- 
nary amount  of  intrigue.  These  things  are^  said,  not 
in  the  way  of  casting  reflections  upon  any  one,  for  all  now  look 
back  upon  those  times  with  a  smile  and  the  appreciation  of  hum- 
or, and  there  is  nothing  of  bitterness  and  little  of  discredit  in  the 
recollection;  but  it  may  be  I'eadily  imagined  what  kind  of  a  time 
there  was,  and  also  will  be  in  an  organization  composed  of  such 
managing  spirits  as  those  named  above. 

Mr.  Bosworth  was  also  a  lawyer  although  he  did  not  engage  in 
active  practice. 

To  appreciate  fully  the  important  part  enacted  in  the  history 
of  Chickasaw  county  by  Bosworth,  one  should  study  the  records^, 
wherein  his  name  almost  constantly  appears  for  a  series  of  years, 
in  one  capacity  or  another.  The  writer  is  conscious  that  this 
tribute  to  the  dead  should  be  written  by  a  loving  hand,  by  one 
who  knew  Mr.  Bosworth,  and  therefore  thinks  tenderly  of  him. 
For  all  who  knew  him  speak  of  him  with  reverence,  and  there  are 
qualities  of  head  and  heart  which  are  in  themselves  imperishable, 
though  he  who  had  them  may  go  out  from  among  us.     There  is 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  215 

• 

nothing  left  for  the  writer  to  do,  save  to  put  on  record  some  hint 
of  what  he  would  like  to  say  concerning  F.  D.  Bosworth,  some 
vague  hint  of  roses  and  evergreen,  that  should  be  kept  in  constant 
fragrance  upon  his  tomb,  for  dear  remembrance  sake.  If  a 
stranger  can  be  so  impressed  with  a  life-record  learned  at  second 
hand,  truly  those  who  know  the  maker  of  that  record  can  linger 
lovingly  in  tender  contemplation  of  it. 

An  incident  showing  the  danger  which  beset  the  life  of  the 
pioneer,  was  the  losing  of  Miss  Hannah  Runion,  daughter  of  E.  T. 
Runion,  in  the  snow,  in  February,  1867.  Miss.  Runion  who  mar- 
ried F.  B.  Weed  was,  about  eighteen  years  old  at  the  time.  In 
coming  home  from  Jacksonville,  Mr.  Runion  stopped  for  a  time 
at  his  daughter's  place  of  residence,  about  one  mile  and  a  half  from 
that  town.  She  concluded  to  come  on  home  with  him  and  the  two 
left  the  house  together.  Mr.  Runion  had  been  driving  a  team 
attached  to  a  sled,  but  on  coming  out  of  the  house  they  discovered 
that  the  team  was  missing,  and  consequently  undertook  to  walk 
to  New  Hampton.  The  night  was  a  fearful  one;  they  lost  their 
way,  wolves  followed  them;  and  their  experience  was  indeed  a 
thrilling  one.  Hannah  became  exhausted;  and  the  father  carried 
her  quite  a  distance.  It  finaly  became  only  too  apparent 
that  escape  was  impossible  for  both  of  them;  they  could  no  longer 
go  on  together  and  the  only  hope  for  them  was  for  the  father  to 
bury  the  daughter  in  the  snow,  and  himself  reach  means  of  assis- 
tance. This  was  accordingly  done;  a  spot  was  selected  upon  a 
knoll  around  which  shiubbery  grew,  near  the  creek,  a  willow 
tree  serving  as  a  landmark,  by  which  to  know  again  the  locality. 
This  was  ir  the  early  morning,  and  to  reach  New  Han.pton 
required  Mr.  Runions  utmost  efforts,  through  out  the  entire  day. 
He  stopped  at  Utley's  residence  east  of  the  fair  grounds.  The 
alarm  was  given  but  nothing  could  be  done  until  the  following 
day.  On  the  third  day  a  vigorous  search  was  instituted;  the  citizens 
turned  out  en  masse,  but  the  winds  and  drifting  snow  had  changed 
the  aspect  of  the  landscape  as  to  make  it  impossible  to  locate  the 
spot  were  the  young  woman  was  buried.  For  a  time  the  search 
appeared  to  be  a  hopeless  one,  and  the  impression  grew  upon  the 
searchers  that  the  girl  would   not   be   found   until  after  she   had 

succumbed  to  the  terrors  of  her  perilous  situation,  to  hunger  or  all 

the   combined   causes  which  rendered  her  position  such  a  fearful 


216  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

one;  she  had  used  every  effort  to  dig  away  the  snow 
which  enveloped  her,  and  to  make  her  presence  known 
but  to  little  avail,  the  snow  being  removed  from  about 
her  sufficintly  however  to  cause  one  of  the  searchers,  Wilbur  Sher- 
man, in  crossing  the  spot  to  fall  through  thus  terminating  the 
exciting  hunt.  The  young  lady  was  immediately  taken  care  of 
and  was  soon  out  of  danger.  It  is  no  wonder  that  even  at  this 
distance  of  time  neither  Mr.  Runion  nor  Mrs.  Reed  care  to  talk 
of  their  terrible  experience  in  that  bitter  storm,  and  it  is  only 
given  here  because  it  is  a  matter  of  history  which  is  even  yet 
talked  of  with  interest  bv  the  citizens. 

School  was  tirst  taught  in  New  Hampton  in  the  winter  of 
1866-7  in  the  north  east  room  of  the  David  Edwards 
dwelling  a  house  enclosed  with  siding  and  plastered  with 
prairie  mud  between  the  studding.  The  school  was  taught  by 
Mrs.  Isabel  H.  Gurley,  wife  of  Harrison  Gurley.  Eight  or  ten 
pupils  attended.  The  furniture  was  of  the  most  primitive 
description.  Mr.  Gurley  had  purchased  property,  but  had 
not  yet  moved  to  the  town,  and  Mrs.  Gurley  kept  house  in  the 
schoolroom,  moving  the  rude  benches   in   and   out   after  school. 

The  term  lasted  three  months  in  that  building  and  school  was 
next  held  during  the  summer  in  a  little  frame  house  east  of 
town;  afterwards  in  the  old  log  store  formerly  occupied  by  H. 
Gurley  and  subsequently ,a  building  (now  H.  L.  Fitch's  residence) 
was  erected,the  lower  story  of  which  was  used  for  school  purposes, 
the  upper  for  county  officers.  School  was  taught  in  this  building 
until  the  erection  of  a  structure  on  the  s^^e  occupied  by  the  present 
school  house,  in  1867.  This  building  was  thirty  by  forty  feet  in 
dimensions,  an  addition  of  about  equal  size  being  subsequently 
made,  and  contained  four  departments.  Dr.  I.  K.  Gardner  as 
principal  opened  the  school  in  this  building.  In  the  spring  of 
1881  the  building  was  destroyed  by  fire,  the  present  structure 
being  erected  during  the  same  year,  and  completed  in  1882,  at  a 
cost  of  $13,000. 

At  the  time  of  writing,  the  following  gentlemen  comprise  the 
board  of  education:  Dr.  H.  M.  Mixer,  president;  Dr.  A.Babcock, 
W.  W.  Birdsall,  W.  D.  Stafford,  A.  L.  Montgomery,  J.  W.  Snyder; 
B.  G.  Smith,  secretary;  A.  E.  Bigelow,  treasurer. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  217 

Previous  to  the  burning  of  the  school  building  in  1881,  a  prim- 
ary school  was  also  held   in  Dawes  Hall. 

A  course  of  study  for  the  public  schools  was  written  by  Prof, 
Gardner  in  1880,  and  re-arranged  and  published  by  Prof. 
H.  A.  Simons  in  1882,  with  the  following  prefatory  re- 
marks : 

"In  preparing  this  course  of  study  the  principal  and  school- 
board  have  been  controlled  by  the  conviction  that  the 
ground- work  in  education  is  of  supreme  importance;  that 
it  is  our  duty,  so  far  as  it  is  possible,  to  fit  the  pupils 
intrusted  to  our  care  for  intelligent  and  useful  citizenship; 
and  that  those  who  wish  to  pass  from  our  schools  to  higher  instit- 
utions, should  have  the  foundations  thoroughly  laid  here.  They 
have  therefore  restricted  the  course  to  such  fundamental  work  as 
can  be  well  done  in  the  limited  time. 

"Pupils  taking  the  entire  course  and  passing  a  creditable  exam- 
ination thereupon  will  be  entitled  to  a  diploma. 

"Those  who  do  not  wish  to  graduate,  will  be  permitted,  after 
they  reach  the  high  school  course,  to  make  their  own  selection  of 
studies,  whenever  there  are  classes  in  the  branches  selected." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  text  books  adopted :  Readers, 
Webb's  Model  readers;  Edwards'  Student's  reader,  for  the  high 
school.  Gilbert's  spellers.  Sherwood  &  Go's.  Analytical  copy 
books.  Kirk  &  Belfield's  arithmetics.  Greenleaf's  algebra.  Reed 
&.  Kellogg's  grammars.  Parker's  composition.  Kellogg's  rhetoric. 
Appleton's  Geographies.  Anderson's  histories.  Hutchinson's 
Physiology.     Gray's  Botany. 

The  enrollment  of  the  schools  is  about  315,  and  is  constantly 
increasing.  The  first-class  to  graduate  will  be  that  of  '84,  and 
now  contains  eight  members. 

The  following  is  the  present  efficient  corps  of  teachers:  Prof. 
H.  A.  Simons,  principal;  Miss  Alice  R.  Green,  assistant,  high 
school;  Miss  Abbi«  S.  Powers,  senior  grammar;  Miss  Willie  Nel- 
ing junior  grammar;  Miss  Carrie  Ward,  fourth  primary;  Miss 
Emma  E,  Fitch,  third  primary;  Miss  Eva  E.  Mixer,  second 
primary;     Miss    Lucy    Cameron,   first  primary. 

THE    BUSINESS    OF    NEW    HAMPTON. 

An  indication  of  the  volume  of  business  transacted  in  New 
Hampton  will  be  found  in  the  following  accurate  statement: 


218  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

,  Shipment  of  grain  and  produce  from  New  Hampton,  via  C.    M. 
&  St.  P.  Ry.,  during  the  year  1882: 

Wheat , ft        310  850 

Barley 725  155 

Oats 2  057  570 

Corn 3  649  848 

Grass  seed 870  160 

Flaxseed 1  810  575 

Potatoes 202  818 

Dressed  hogs 34  040 

Cheese 58  623 

Eggs .- 131  855 

Butter 265  840 

Hogs,  108  cars 2  160  000 

Horses,  3  cars 60  000 

Cattle,  17  cars ,       340  000 

Total  shipments 14  004  534 

Total  receipts 13  368  136 

Total  money  on  shipments  of  freight 38  050  88 

Total  money  on  receipts  of  freight 30  658  98 

Total  money  received  for  tickets 7  253  78 

Total $75  963  64 

There  has  also  been  a  large  amount  of  butter  and  eggs  shipped 
by  express,  not  included  in  the  above  figures. 

The  past  year  was  marked  by  quite  a  number  of  improvements 
in  the  way  of  new  buildings,  etc.  Among  the  business  structures 
erected  may  be  mentioned  the  following: 

H.  H.  Kenyon,  brick;  two  stories;  cost  $5,500. 

H.  L.  Fitch,  brick,  for  three  stores;  two  stories;  cost  $15,000. 

Dr.  H.  M.  Mixer  and  Bennett  Bros.,  brick;  two  stories;  offices 
and  opera  house  above;  cost  $20,000. 

Addition  to  Odd  Fellows'  block:  cost  $1,100. 

B.  Tierney,  brick;  two  stories;  cost  $4,000. 

The  entire  list  of  buildings,  additions  and  improvements  during 
the  past  year,  would  foot  up  to  many  thousand  dollars. 

Glenwood  creamery,  W.  D.  Kipp  &  Co.,  proprietors,  was  estab- 
lished November  1st.  1881,  and  is  one  of  the  institutions  in  which 


'•} 


HISTOKY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  219 

New  Hampton's  citizens  justly  take  pride.  The  creamery  build- 
ings are  located  on  east  Main  street,  and  are  forty  by  sixty  feet 
in  dimensions.  The  average  price  paid  for  cream,  by  Messrs. 
Kipp  &  Co.,  during  1882,  was  twenty-one  cents  per  pound.  Dur- 
ing the  year  1882  the  firm  paid  out  in  all  about  $25,000.  Seven 
wagons  are  employed  in  collecting  cream  and  two  employees  are 
regularly  kept  at  work  in  the  creamery. 

The  First  National  bank  of  New  Hampton,  is  an  outgrowth  of 
the  Chickasaw  county  bank  and  the  bank  of  New  Hampton,  both 
of  which  it  absorbed  at  the  date  of  its  formation,  December  15th 
1881.  The  Chickasaw  county  bank  was  the  pioneer  institution 
of  the  kind  in  New  Hampton,  and  was  organized  in  January,  1870, 
by  A.  E.  Bigelow  and  J.  H.  Easton,  proprietors.  Mr.  Bigelow 
is  a  pioneer  citizen  of  the  county,  in  which  he  has  large 
landed  interests,  and  has  held  various  positions  of  re- 
sponsibility and  trust,  was  formerly  county  treasurer,  and  is 
held  in  high  esteem.  Mr.  Easton  is  a  well  known  capitalist, 
whose  ])rincipal  place  of  residence  is  in  Decorah,  Winnesheik 
county,  where,  as  here  and  in  still  other  localities,  he  has  exten- 
sive banking  interests.  Harrison  Gurley  was  president  of  the 
bank  of  New  Hampton,  and  F.  D.  Boswortli  was  cashier.  Mr. 
Bosworth  died  shortly  after  the  formation  of  the  present  bank.  The 
First  National  occupies  a  handsome  brick  structure  on  the  corner 
of  Main  street  and  Locust  avenue,  eretted  especially  for  banking 
purposes,  and  which  is  one  of  the  best  equiped  bank  buildings 
in  northern  Iowa.  The  capital  stock  of  the  First  National  is 
$50,000.  It  does  a  general  banking  business,  buys  and  sells  ex- 
change, makes  loans,  receives  deposits,  etc.  An  extensive  real 
estate  business  is  also  transacted  in  this  connection.  The  present 
officers  of  the  bank  are:  A.  E.  Bigelow,  president;  Samuel  J. 
Kenyon,  cashier;  A.  G.  Bigelow,  assistant  cashier. 

The  banking  house  of  Smith  &  Darrow  was  established  in  1879. 
The  proprietors  are  Messrs.  B.  G.  Smith  and  W.  L.  Darrow.  Mr. 
Smith  has  lived  in  Chickasaw  county  twenty -seven  years,  thirteen 
years  of  the  time  in  New  Hampton.  Mr.  Darrow  has  resided 
in  the  county  eighteen  years,  and  has  been  in  the  loan  business 
for  the  past  twelve  years.  The  latter  gentleman  is  a  large  real 
estate  owner,  having  over  1,000  acres  of  finely  improved  land  in 
this  county.     Mr.  Smith  has  been  actively  engaged   in  banking 


220  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

ever  since  it  began  to  have  an  existence  in  New  Hampton.  The 
firm  do  a  general  banking,  loan  and  real  estate  and  insurance 
business,  and  are  reckoned  among  the  county's  most  substantial 
and  reliable  citizens. 

ATTORNEYS. 

J.  H.  Powers  came  in  1857,  and  is  still  in  practice  here. 

C.  0.  Case  came  in  1858;  is  now  a  resident  of  Oswego,  New 
York. 

M.  C.  Ayres  came  in  1865,  and  still  resides  in  New  Hampton. 

Hiram  Shaver,  still  in  practice  here,  located  in  New  Hampton 
in  1871. 

S.  J.  Kenyon,  now  cashier  of  the  First  National  bank,  located 
in  practice  at  New  Hampton  in  1869. 

H.  H.  Potter,  still  in  practice,  located  here  in  1870. 

D.  B.  Hanan  came  to  New  Hampton  fi'om  Fredericksburg. 

D.  B.  Sneden  a  regularly  admitted  attorney,  but  who  holds  the 
office  of  justice  of  the  peace,  located  here  in  1871. 

F.  D.  Bos  worth,  who  never  regularly  practiced  the  profession^ 
died  in  New  Hampton  in  1882.  A  sketch  of  his  life  appears  in 
preceding  pages. 

J.  M.  Gilliland,  for  three  terms  clerk  of  the  courts,  is  still  a  resi- 
dent of  New  Hampton,  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  but  is  not  in  the 
practice. 

J.  H.  Gurney  came  in  1873,  was  for  a  number  of  years  in  prac- 
tice here,  but  now  resides  in  Nebraska. 

A.  C.  Boylan  entered  into  practice  in  New  Hampton,  in  1878, 
and  is  still  an  active  member  of  the  New  Hampton  bar. 

George  E.  Stowe,  also  in  active  practice  here,  came  from  Chi- 
cago in  1880. 

VV.  J.  Springer,  still  in  practice  here,  came  in  1879. 

R.  E.  Ronayne  came  to  New  Hampton  in  1880,  and  in  1882  re- 
moved to  Aberdeen,  Dakota. 

John  R.  Bayne  came  to  New  Hampton  in  1879,  and  removed  to 
Oregon  in  1882,  locating  subsequently  in  Minnesota. 

Samuel  Young  lived  in  this  township,  but  never  in  New  Hamp- 
ton. He  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  was  county  surveyor  at  an 
early  day. 

0.  K.  Hoyt  came  from  Illinois  in  1871,  and  moved  to  Humbolt,. 
Iowa,  in  1880. 


HISTORY   OF   CHICKASAW   COUNTY.  221 

The  first  lawyer  in  Chiclcasaw  county  was  G.  W.  Howard,  who 
subsequently  became  state  senator,  filling  the  vacancy  caused  by 
the  resignation  of  Hon.  J.  H.  Powers  to  enter  the  military  service 
during  the  war  of  the  rebellion.  Howard  was  afterward  appointed 
major  of  the  27th  Iowa  infantry,  and  served  through  the  rebellion. 
He  now  resides  at  Waterloo,  Iowa. 

The  next  attorney  was  F.  1).  Hall,  who  was  at  one  time  prose- 
cuting attorney  of  the  county,  and  who  now  live  in  Richland 
township. 

A.  G.  Case,  now  president  of  tlie  First  National  bank  of  Charles 
City,  and  of  the  First  National  bank  of  Nashua  was  the  next  attor- 
ney who  came  to  Chickasaw  county. 

J.  H.  Powers  was  the  fourth  attorney  to  locate  in  the  county. 
A  biographical  sketch  of  Mr.  Powers  will  be  found  in  detail  else- 
where. It  is  sufficient  here  to  say  that  he  is  still  a  resident  of  New 
Hampton,  whose  destinies  he  has  had  by  no  means  a  small  share 
in  shaping,  a  remark  which  is  equally  true  concerning  Mr.  Power's 
close  indent! fi cation  with  the  history  of  the  entire  county. 

D.  A.  Baljcock,  of  Bradford  township,  was  never  regularly  ad- 
mitted, although  he  succeeded  at  one  time  in  being  elected  to  the 
office  of  prosecuting  attorney,  the  time  of  his  election  being  at  the 
organization  of  the  county.  It  is  stated  that,  on  account  of  his 
not  having  l)een  admitted  to  practice,  he  was  ineligible  to  l^he 
office,  and  in  t^iis  connection  the  following  anecdote  is  told: 

While  returning  from  the  memorable  county  seat  fight,  which 
will  be  long  remembered  in  county  annals  as  the  Battle  of  Bailey's 
Lane,  his  horse  was  drowned  in  crossing  a  slough,  and  as  a  means 
of  getting  compensation  for  the  loss  of  the  animal,  he  presented 
a  bill  against  the  county  for  salary,  as  prosecuting  attorney,  during 
the  time  he  would  have  served,  in  that  capacity,  and  the  part  of 
the  little  reminiscence,  which  the  pioneers  particularly  laugh  over 
is,  that  the  claim  was  actually  allowed. 

PHYSICIANS,   SURGEONS   AND   DENTISTS. 

Dr.  H.  M.  Mixer  located  in  New  Hampton  in  1865,  and  still 
resides  here  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  the  firm  now  being  Drs. 
Mixer  &  Gardnei'. 

Dr.  Babcock  located  here  in  January,  1867,  and  continues  to 
jjractice  his  profession  in  New  Hampton. 

In  the  early  part  of  1870,  Dr.  Biederman  came  to  New   Hamp- 


222  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

ton,  but  remained  here  only  about  one  year,  going   from   here  to 
Bremer  county,  Iowa. 

Dr.  E.  H.  Ohiisted  came  to  Chickasaw  county  in  1857,  locating 
first  at  Fredericksburg,  where  he  remained  until  1872,  when  he 
changed  his  place  of  residence  to  New  Hampton,  and  has  been  in 
constant  practice  here  ever  since. 

Dr.  I.  K.  Gardner  located  in  practice  at  Lawler  in  1870,  from 
which  place  he  came  to  New  Hampton  in  1878,  forming  the  part- 
nership with  Dr.  Mixer,  mentioned  above. 

Dr.  Isaac  Prince  came  here  in  1878,  but  remained  only  five  or 
six  months. 

Dr.  F.  Nestman  came  in  1880,  and  remained  several  months. 

Dr.  Keith  remained  here  about  one  year. 

Dr.  A.  Sterzi  located  in  New  Hampton  in  August,  1880,  and  ia 
still  engaged  in  practice  here. 

Dr.  A.  E.  Clark,  dentist  located  here  in  1879;  and  Dr.  J.  T. 
Ferguson,  also  a  dentist,  located  here  in  1877.  Both  gentlemen 
continue  to  practice  their  profession  in  New  Hampton.  Dr.  D.  J. 
Pollock  opened  a  dental  office  here  about  the  year  1869,  remained 
about  two  years,  and  moved  away  to  a  subsequent  location 
unknown.      Dr.    J.  P.  Campbell,  also  a  resident  dentist,  died  in 

1879. 

Mrs.  Dr.  Sterzi  is  also  a  regularly  educated  medical  practitioner, 
and  is  in  active  practice  of  the  profession. 

THE    FIRST    CONGREGATIONAL   CHURCH    OF    NEW    HAMPTON. 

On  the  8th  day  of  February,  1858,  a  meeting  was  held  in  the 
school  house — being  the  log  house  formerly  occupied  by  H. 
Gurley,  as  a  dwelling,  store  and  post  oflice,  at  which  time  it  was 
resolved,  "To  take  the  preliminary  steps  to  organize  a  Christian 
church  that  shall  embrace  all  evangelical  christians"  under  said 
resolution  a  committee  of  seven  was  appointed  consisting  of 
Gideon  Gardner,  David  Edwards,  D.  Calksin,  Caleb  Arnold,  Walter 
E.  Beach,  Dr.  J.  F.  Willson  and  J.  H.  Powers,  to  report  a  basis, 
articles  of  faith  and  covenant.  W.  E.  Beach  lived  in  Jackson- 
ville and  Dr.  Willson  in  Richland,  and  neither  of  them  ever  met 
with  the  committee. 

Of  the  remainder  of  the  committee  G.  Gardner  was  a  Congrega- 
tionalist,  David  Edwards  a  United  brethren.  Denizen  Calkins,  a 
free  will  Baptist,  Caleb  Arnold  a   close   communion   Baptist,   and 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  223 

J.  H.  Powers  had  never  been  a  member  of  any  church,  although 
reared  as  a  Presbyterian. 

On  the  13th  of  the  same  month  the  committee  reported  a  basis, 
articles  of  faith  and  covenant  and  the  name  given  the  church  was, 
"The  Pilgrim  Church  of  New  Hampton." 

On  May  25d,  1865,  the  articles  of  incorporation  were  prepared 
and  the  society  received  a  corporate  existence  under  the  name  of 
"First  Congregational  Ecclisiastical  Church  Society  of  New  Hamp- 
ton," and  the  church  became  known  as  the  First  Congregational 
church  of  New  Hampton. 

On  Sunday  morning  the  14th  of  February,  1858,  the  citizens 
met  in  the  log  school  house  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  the 
church.  The  Rev.  J.  C.  Strong,  who  was  then  the  pastor  of  the 
Bradford  Congregational  church,  was  present  to  aid  in  the  services, 
and  the  church  was  organized,  with  Gideon  Gardner,  Naomi 
Gardner,  Harrison  Gurley  Isabella  Gurley,  Jas.  D.  Colt,  Amelia 
Colt,  Jason  Morton  and  J.  H.  Powers  as  members. 

On  the  5th  day  of  February.  1859,  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Strong  again 
preached  for  the  church  and  C.  0.  Case,  May  Case,  Christiana 
Morton,  Hannah  Morton,  John  L.  Vanauken,  Emma  Vanauken, 
G.  A.  Hamilton  and  M.  H.  Hamilton  made  application  to  become 
members  of  the  church  and  were  admitted.  The  regular  pastor 
was  called  in  the  person  of  the  Rev.  Thos.  N.  Skinner,  who  com- 
menced his  labors  on  July  5th  1862,  and  continued  to  act  as 
pastor  until  the  summer  of  1864,  preaching  every  alternate  Sunday 
in  New  Hampton  and  Fayette. 

During  the  year  1863,  the  present  church  building  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  $1,670;  $500  was  donated  by  Jay  Cooke,  and  $200  by 
the  Boston  Congregational  Union.  The  record  shows  the  follow- 
ing report  of  building  committee,  which  was  a,|iopted:  "Size  of 
house,  28x36;  windows,  12  lights,  9x16  glass;  height  of  room  14 
in  the  clear;  three  windows  on  a  side. 

To  the  Rev.  Thos.  N.  Skinner,  much  of  the  success  in   building 

was  due,  he  working  with  his  own  hands  whenever  opportunity 
offered.  The  church  was  not  finished  for  occupancy  until  1865, 
and  was  not  seated  until  1866. 

Rev.  Harvey  Adams  was  the  successor  of  T.    N.    Skinner  and 

entered  upon  his  pastorate  December  1st,  1866,  and  closed  his 
services  as  pastor  of  the  church,  December  25th,  1870. 

Rev.    Thomas    Boyne  was    the  successor  of  the   Rev.  Harvey 


•  * 

224  HISTORY    OF   CHICKASAW   COUNTY. 

Adams,  and  entered  upon  his  pastorate,  February  19th,  1871,  and 
continued  and  terminated  January  28,  1876. 

Rev.  J.  M.  Riddlington  was  a  Methodist  minister,  who  had  been 
stationed  at  New  Hampton  the  preceeding  year,  and  was  at  his 
request  placed  upon  the  retired  Hst  on  account  of  poor  health. 

He  was  hired  to  fill  the  Congregational  pulpit  for  ^six  months, 
preaching  the  first  part  of  the  time  every  Sabbath,  and  after  his 
removal  to  Cresco  every  alternate  Sabbath. 

At  the  February  meeting  February  3,  1877.  Rev.  C.  A.  Marshall; 
he  having  preached  for  the  church  three  months  on  trial — was 
chosen  jjastor  of  the  church  and  closed  his  services  as  acting  pas- 
tor January  20th,  1880. 

The  Rev.  E.  C.  Moulton  who  is  now  pastor  commenced  his  ser- 
viceg,  February,  1882. 

THE  METHODIST   EPISCOPAL  CHURCH  SOCIETY 

is  one  of  the  leading  organizations  of  New  Hampton,  and  occupies  a 
handsome  structure,  34  by  66  feet  in  dimensions,which  was  erected 
in  the  winter  of  1872-3.  Rev.  Mr.  Wilcox  the  first  regular  pastor 
preached  in  the  old  court  house.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Hazleton,  who  remained  two  years,  and  during  whose  adminis- 
tration the  society  purchased  Dawes  ilall,  fitting  up  the  upper 
story  of  the  building  as  a  parsonage.  Rev.  J.  W.  Bissell  was  the 
next  pastor,  and  remained  one  year,  being  succeeded  by  Rev.  C. 
H.  Taylor.  Mr.  Taylor  was  the  pastor  two  years,  and  it  was  during 
his  stay  that  the  present  edifice  was  erected.  Rev.  Nathaniel 
Pye  succeeded  Mr.  Taylor  remaining  two  years,  and  was  followed 
by  Rev.  John  Baldwin,  who  also  remained  two  years,  being  succeed- 
ed in  turn  by  Rev.  S.  Sherin.  Rev.  Plager  came  in  1880,  and  was 
succeeded  in  1882  b}^  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  J.  W.  Jones.  The 
present  trustees  of  Mie  society  are  Dr.  A.  Babcock,  W.  D.  Stafford, 
W.  L.  Darrow,  I.  H.  Minkler,  A.  McDonald,  E.  S.  Fitch,  J.  T.  Fer- 
guson. Mrs.  A.  Babcock  is  the  recording  steward  the  others  being 
J.  A.  Albertson,  W.  L.  Darrow,  W.  D.  Stafford,  A.  McDonald  and 
J.  T.  Ferguson 

ST.  Joseph's  cataolic  church 
on  south  Broadwa}^,  Avas  erected  some  thirteen  years  ago. 
A  foundation  was  first  laid  on  Mam  street,  diagonally  op- 
posite the  Central  House,  but  the  site  was  subsequently 
changed  to  the  present  one.  The  congregation  was  organized  April 
3rd,    1870   J.    W.   Mitchell   being  elected  treasurer.      A  soliciting 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  225 

committie  of  six  was  appointed.  When  the  building  of  the 
edifice  was  decided  upon,  there  was  but  $50  in  the  treasury  of  the 
congregation.  Owing  principally  to  want  of  funds,  and  the  con- 
sequent necessity  of  borrowing,  the  costs  of  the  structere  exceeded 
what  it  would  otherwise  have  been,  the  total  cost  being  about 
$4,000.  A  handsome  brick  parsonage  was  erected  in  1879.  The 
congregation  which  at  the  beginning  was  very  small,there  being  at 
that  time  not  more  than  three  Catholic  familes  in  New  Hamp- 
ton, now  represents  some  two  hundred  families  living  in  the  town 
and  surrounding  country.  It  is  gratifying  to  note  that  St.  Joseph's 
is  now  entirely  fi-ee  from  debt.  At  the  time  of  organization  the 
wants  of  the  congregation  were  attended  to  by  Rev.  Fr.  Harrison. 
Rev.  J.  P.  Probst  was  the  first  ofhiciating  priest  and  was  succeeded 
by  Rev.  Patrick  Burke;  whose  successor  was  Rev.  John  L.  Gosker. 
Rev.  Fr.  Leahey  the  present  pastor  succeeded  Rev.  Fr.  Gosker, 
and  through  his  indefatigable  efforts,  both  the  speritual  and  tempo- 
ral affairs  of  the  congregation  continued  to  improve.  There  is  now 
little  for  the  committee  to  do  as  the  congregation  is  firmly  estab- 
lished in  the  community. 

The  Catholic  cemetery  is  located  on  the  southwest  quarter  of 
section  six  about  one  half  mile  from  New  Hampton.  The  ceme- 
tery has  been  established  now  about  ten  years,  is  advantageously 
situated,  well  laid  out  and  fenced.  Improvements  in  other  direc- 
tions are  in  immediate  contemplation  and  will  no  doubt  be  effec- 
ted during  the  current  year. 

GERMAN     EVANGELICAL    LUTHERAN    ST.  PAUL  CONGREGATION     OF  NEW 

HAMPTON. 

This  society  was  organized  March  15th,  1871,  by  Rev.  John*' 
Klindworth,  of  Galena  Illinois  and  Ed.  Wachtel,  of  New  Hamp- 
ton. The  first  members  were  Fred  Deppe,  H.  Deppe,  Chr.  Rabe, 
Fr.Kempendorf,  Aug.  Kempendorf,  I.  Reith,  George  Danner,  Fr. 
Piehn,  Fr.  Siminck,  Herm  Christopher,  Aug.  Tiepan,  Rev.  Ed. 
Wachtel  was  the  first  regular  pastor  t,nd  still  has  pastoral  charge. 
The  church  membership  comprises  twenty -two  families.  Services 
were  at  first  held  in  the  court  house  hall,  then  in  the  English 
Congregational  church,  and  afterward  in  Dawes'  Hall.  The 
present  church  edifice  was  erected  in  August,  1880.  is  52  by  28 
feet  in  dimensions,  and  cost  $1,900.  The  present  church  officers 
are:     Fred  Deppe,  treasurer;  George    Danner,   H.    Deppe  Albert 


226  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

Drawelow,  trustees,  Aug.  Arndt  deacon;  Th.  Jaehrling  president; 
Albert  Drawelow  secretary. 

THE  GERMAN    CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH  OF    NEW  HAMPTON 

was  organized  .Tune  20th,  1874,  by  Rev.  Henry  Hess  of  Fort 
Atkinson,  who  was  the  first  (and  still  continues  to  be  the)  pastor. 
There  are  fifty-three  members  of  the  society.  Services  Avere 
first  held  in  the  old  Congregational  church.  The  present  edifice 
was  erected  in  1879,  is  26  by  38  feet  in  dimensions  and  costs 
$1,500.  The  following  are  the  present  officers  of  the  society: 
Trustees  B.  Blatte,  V.  Boos,  H.  Rehorst,  H.  Robrock,  C.  K. 
Staples.  H.  Christoph  and  V.  Boos  are  the  deacons;  F.  Kempen- 
dorf  is  the  secretary ;  H.  Rehorst,  treasurer;  Joshua  Sutter,  Sun- 
day school  Superintendent. 

HOPE   EPISCOPAL   MISSION, 

of  New  Hampton,  was  organized  July  30th,  1877,  Rev.  D.  W. 
Tolford  conducting  the  first  service  and  continuing  to  oflficiate  for 
some  time  thereafter.  As  yet  the  mission  has  erected  no  church 
edifice  and  services  have  been  for  two  years  or  more  discontinued. 
The  organization  is,  however,  kept  intact  by  the  wardens,  S.J.  Ken- 
yon  and  Samuel  Young  and  no  doubt  the  near  future  will  witness 
a  revival  of  interest,  with  consequent  growth  of  membership  and  all 
that  it  implies. 

NEW    HAMPTON    LODGE  NO.    84,    A.    O.    U.    W., 

was  instituted  September  2d,  1876,  with  the  following  fifteen 
charter  members:  J.  F.  Babcock,  Lee  Chapman,  Charles  A.  Harris, 
Amos  Babcock,  Jr.,  T.  H.  Schulte,  E.  P.  Sherman,  William  D. 
Collins,  John  Kress,  Thomas  Iverson,  John  McLaren,  James  A. 
Albertson,  A.  E.  Bigelow,  W.  W.  Birdsall,  L.  W.  Smith,  OKver  K. 
Hovt.  The  first  officers  were  as  follows:  Amos  Babcock,  Jr.,  P. 
M.  W-;  T.  H.  Schulte,  G.  F.;  \V.  W.  Birdsall,  Recorder;  A.  E. 
Bigelow,  Receiver;' E.  P.  Sherman,  I.  W.;  0.  K.  Hoyt,  M.  W.; 
John  McLaren,  Overseer;  L.  N.  Smith,  Financier;  C.  A.  Harris, 
Guide;  Thomas  Iverson,  O.  W.  The  present  officers  are:  A.  E. 
Bigelow,  P.  M.  W.  and  M.  ^\*.;  J.  A.  Albertson,  Foreman;  John 
McLaren,  Overseer;  E.  N.  Ohnstead,  Recorder;  E.  P.  Sheffield,  Fi- 
nancier; W.  L.  Darrow,  Receiver;  C.  A.  Harris,  Guide;  G.  R.  Mc- 
Mullen,  I.  W.;  E.  P.  Sherman,  0.  W.  Thus  far  there  has  been 
but  one  death  in  the  lodge  membershij),  that  of  Di.  J.  P.  Camp- 
bell, which  occurred  in  the  autumn  of  1879.  Dr.  Campbell  was 
by  profession  a  dentist,  and  was  for  a  number  of  years  receiver  of 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  227 

the  lodge.  Meetings  are  held  semi-monthly,  in  W.  J.  Springer's 
office,  on  the  second  and  fourth  Tuesday  evenings  in  each  montih. 
There  are  about  thirty-six  members,  and  the  lodge  is  prospering 
finely. 

ARCANA   LODGE,  NO.  274,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 

The  charter  was  granted  June  8th,  1870,  the  lodge  having  been 
organized  under  dispensation  August  13,  1869,  with  the  following 
officers:  F.  D.  Bosworth,  W.  M.;  Jaines  F.  Babcock,  S.  W.;  D.  A. 
Jackson,  J'.  W.;  Z.  Bailey,  Secretary;  A.  E.  Bigelow,  treasurer;  A. 
Babcock,  S.  D.;  Z.  Barrett,  J.  D.;  L.  B.  Davidson,  Tyler.  F.  D. 
Bosworth  was  W.  M.  from  August  13,  1869,  to  June  1st,  1871,  be- 
ing succeeded  as  follows:  C.  A.  Harris  to  June,  1874;  A.  Babcock, 
to  June  1877;  C.  A.  Harris,  to  June,  1878;  A.^  Babcock,  to  June, 
1880;  A.  "B.  Harris,  to  June,  1882.  The  present  W.  M.  is  A.  Bab- 
cock. There  were  thirteen  charter  members;  the  present  mem- 
bership (October,  1882,)  is  sixty-seven.  F.  D.  Bosworth  died  Dec. 
19th,  1881.  The  lodge  has  also  lost  two  other  members  by  death, 
Z.  Bailey  and  J.  P.  Campbell.  Meetings  are  held  in  Masonic  hall 
in  the  Sieh  block,  on  the  first  Tuesday  evening  on  or  after  the  full 
moon.     The  lodge  is  in  a  prosperous  condition. 

THE  V.t  A.  S.    FRATERNITY,  NO.  101, 

of  New  Hampton,  was  instituted  in  July,  1882,  with  the  following 
officers:  I.  K.  Gardner,  Rector;  H.  H.  Potter,  Vice-Rector;  George 
E.  Stowe,  Scribe;  W.  L.  Darrow,  Questor;  John  A.  Ryon,  Usher; 
J.  T.  Ferguson,  Speculator.  The  membership  is  about  2:5,  *  and 
meetings  are  held  in  H.  H.  Potter's  office,  on  the  first  Tuesday 
evening  in  each  month. 

THE    CHICKASAW    COUNTY    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY. 

was  organized  in  1859,  with  W.  E.  Beach  president,  H.  Gurley 
secretary,  C.  0.  Case  treasurer.  The  executive  committee  was 
,  composed  of  one  member  from  each  organized  township,  as  fol- 
lows; J.  A.  Sawin,  Deerfield;  S.  \V.  By ers,  Washington;  H.  Cook^ 
Obispo;  Thomas  Staples,  Stapletun;  Fred  Padden,  Fredericks- 
burg; L.  J.  Young,  Dayton;  Hiram  Bailey,  Richland;  William 
Tucker,  Chickasaw;  John  Bird,  Bradford;  J.  H.  Powers,  New 
Hampton.  Subsequently  J.  H.  Powers  was  elected  president, 
which  office  he  still  holds.  The  object  of  the  society  is  to  collect 
and  preserve  historical  facts  with  reference  to  Chickasaw  county. 


228  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

W.  C.  T.  U. 

This  society  was  organized  August  26th,  1876,  with  about  twenty- 
members.  The  first  officers  were:  Mrs.  W.  D.  Gardner,  president; 
Mrs.  Lizzie  Baldwin,Mrs.  Eliza  Marshall,  Mrs.  Mandana  A.  Silsbee, 
vice-presidents;  Miss  E.  C.  Stebbins,  secretary;  Mrs.  H.  C.  Mapes, 
treasurer.  Mrs.  Hannah  Cotant  is  the  present  president;  Miss 
Stebbins,  recording  and  corresponding  secretary;  Miss  Abbie  Pow- 
ers, financial  secretary;  Mrs.  I.  H.  Guiie^y,  treasurer.  This  organ- 
ization has  done  effective  work,  in  the  temperance  cause,  and  holds 
itself  in  readiness  at  all  times  to  respond  to  the  call  of  the  presi- 
dent to  re-engage  in  the  good  work.  • 

I.  o.  G.  T. 
The  Independent  order  of  Good  Templars  has  led  a .  varigated 
existence  in  New  Hampton,  the  first  lodge  having  been  organized 
in  1860,  This  lodge  having  demised,  another  was  organized  in 
1867,  which  in  |,urn  yielded  up  the  ghost,  and  on  its  ruins  still  an- 
other lodge  was  organized  in  1876.  At  present  there  is  no  lodge 
of  this  order  in  New  Hampton. 

THE    AMENDMENT   CLUB    OP    NEW    HAMPTON 

was  organized  in  1881,  with  about  sixty  members,  and  continues 
with  about  the  same  membership.  Its  primary  object  was  to  aid 
in  securing  the  adoption  of  the  constitutional  prohibitory  amend- 
ment.    Its  officers  were: 

Professor  H.  A.  Simons,  president;  Mrs.  C.  E.  Hagar,  vice- 
president;  E.  P.  Sheffield,  secretary;  0.  B.  Sherman,  treas- 
urer. This  organization  prosecuted  a  vigorous  campaign,  and  did 
effective  work,  the  county  being  carried  for  the  amendment  by  a 
decided  majority,  as  will  be  found  to  be  recorded  elsewhere. 

THE   C@UNTY    POOR    FARM. 

At  the  election  held  in  October,  1871,  a  tax  of  two  mills  on  the 
dollar  was  voted  to  be  levied,  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  and 
stocking  a  poor  tavm.  The  total  vote  on  the  proposition  was 
1,438;  1003,  for,  and  435  against. 

During  the  June  term,  1872,  the  board  of  supervisors  reported 
that  after  spending  three  days  in  inspecting  various  ftirms,  they  had 
purchased  a  poor  farm  located  as  follows:  on  the  south  half  of  the 
southeast  quarter  of  section  twenty-four,  and  the  north  half 
of  the  northeast  (|uarter  of  section  twenty-five,  township  ninety-five, 


HISTOEY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  229 

west  of  range  thirteen,  containing  160  acres,  on  the  town  line  road, 
two  and  one-half  miles  south  of  New  Hampton.  One  hundred 
acres  were  "broke,"  there  were  a  young  orchard  and  a  never  failing 
stream  of  water.  '  The  purchase  also  included  one  reaper  and 
mower  combined,  one  horse  rake,  one  plow,  and  one  harrow.  The 
farm  was  purchased  of  Don.  A.  Jackson,  the  price  paid  being  $20 
per  acre,  or  $3,200  in  all.  A  resolution  was  also  adopted,  providing 
for  receiving  bicfe  for  the  erection  of  a  suitable  building. 

At  a  special  session  held  October  7th,  1872,  a  contract  was  award- 
ed A.  W.  Utter,  New  Hampton,  for  the  erection  of  a  county 
poor  farm  building,  for  $1,360.80,  six  hundred  dollars  of  which 
was  to  be  paid  down,  the  balance  on  the  completion  of  the 
building. 

CEMETARY  ASSOCIATION. 

The  officers  of  this  association  are:  H.  Gurley,  president; 
G.  A.  Hamilton,  secretary;  D.  A.  Jackson  treasurer.  The  associa- 
tion was  organized  about  the  year  J  861.  The  cemetary  grounds 
are  located  in  the  southwestern  part  of  town,  are  handsomely  laid 
out  and  well  fenced. 

COURT    HOUSE   BUILDING. 

Thfe  habitat  of  the  county  officers  at  various  times  in  the  early 
history  of  the  county,  has  been  detailed  at  sufficient  length  else- 
where. The  records  of  the  June  meeting,  1865,  give  the  following 
details  concerning  the  first  building  erected,  especially  for 
county  purposes.  At  this  meeting  the  following  proceedings  were 
had  in   relation  to  the  erection  of  a  county  building: 

Resolved,  That  Palmer  of  Jacksonville,  Haslam  of  Dayton,  and 
Woodbridge  of  Bradford,  be  a  committee  to  enter  into  an  agree- 
ment with,  and  if  practicable  make  a  contract  with  any  responsible 
parties,  for  the  erection  of  a  county  building,  according  to  the  plan 
and  specifications  now  on  file  in  the  office  of  the  clerk  of  the 
board.  And  if  they  deem  changes  or  additions  necessary,  to 
stipulate  for  the  same  to  be  paid  out  of  the  county  funds,  but, 
in  no  case  to  exceed    $500.00  for  such  last  mentioned   purpose. 

Resolved,  That  said  committee  be  empowered  to  offer  the  con- 
tractor an  interest  of  ten  per  cent,  payable  out  of  the  county  funds 
on  sums  due  for  the  erection  of  said  building,  and  payable,  out  of 
the  swamp  land  fund,  until  said  fund  shall  be  received  by 
the  county,  and  paid  over  to  said  contractor  or  his  order. 


230  HISTORY  OP  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

Resolved,  That  the  committee  report  their  doings  in  the  premises 
together  with  a  copy  of  any  contract  they  may  enter  into   for  the 
action  of  the  board. 

J.  K.  Kroningeb. 

This  contract  entered  into  on  this  6th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1865, 
by  and  between  Chickasaw  county,  state  of  Iowa,  of  the  first  part 
and  J.  H. Powers  of  the  second  part,  witnesseth:  that  the  said  party 
of  the  second  part  agrees  to  erect  and  finish  according  to 
the  specifications  now  on  file  in  the  office  of  the  board 
of  supervisors,  a  county  building  the  work  to  be  done  in  the 
style  of  the  work  done  on  the  Congregational  church  in  New 
Hampton,  and  the  weather  work  to  be  of  good  pine  lumber;  the 
building  to  be  erected  in  a  good,  workmanlike  manner,  finished 
inside  and  out  and  painted  with  two  coats  of  paint  of  white  lead 
or  zinc,  said  building  to  be  plastered  and  complete  for  use, 
the  seating  used  being  the  seats  now  owned  by  the  country  for 
county  purposes.  The  walls  of  the  building  to  be  double 
plastered  by  lathing  and  plastering  between  the  studding;  the 
vault  to  be  square  as  platted  and  the  entrance  to  the  same  being 
under  the  stairs  and  to  have  double  doors  of  boiler  iron,  one  open- 
ing inside  and  one  outward,  with  good  iron  hinges  and  iron  fastenings 
for  the  same,  and  the  walls  of  said  vault  to  be  at  least  sixteen  inches 
thick  with  an  opening  in  the  same,  and  at  least  the  outer  wall  to 
be  of  brick  or  stone.  Said  building  to  rest  upon  a  good  substantial 
stone  foundation  in  height  similar  to  the  one  under  the  Congre- 
gational meeting  house  in  New  Hampton;  said  building 
to  be  completed  on  or  before  the  26th  day  of  November 
A.  D.  1865. 

And  the  party  of  the  first  part  agrees  to  pay  the  said  party 
of  the  second  part,  for  the  erection  of  said  building  as  above 
described  the  following  sums,  and  on  the  conditions  and  terms 
to  wit: 

.     Eight     hundred    and    forty     dollars     ($840)     paid   down     in 
cash. 

Five  hundred  dollars($500)  to  be  paid  when  the  building  is 
raised,  said  payment  to  be  made  by  an  order  on  the  funds  in,  or  to 
come  into  the  possession  of  the  country  as  "swamp  land  funds," 
with    interest    thereon    payable     out    of  the   country   funds   at 

ten  per  cent,  per  annum  payable  annually,  until  the  county   shall 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  231 

receive  money  from  the  United  States  as  said  "swamp  land 
funds"  and  until  the  same  is  paid  the  said  J.  H.  Powers,  or  his 
order; 

Five  hundred  dollars  ($500,)  when  the  building  shall  be  enclosed 
payable  on  the  conditions,  and  in  the  manner  above  stated;  and 
eleven  hundred  and  sixty  dollars  ($1,160,)  payable  as  the  foregoing, 
out  of  the  said  swamp  land  fund  when  the  building  is  completed; 
and  G.  W.  Butterfield,  W.  E.  Beach  and  W.  B.  Grant  shall  be  a 
committee  to  examine,  and  if  found  complete  according  to  this 
contract,  to  accept  said  building  from  the  hands  of  the  contractor,, 
previous  to  his  receiving  his  last  payment 

And  it  is  further  stipulated  that  the  said  J.  H.  Powers  enter 
into  bonds  running  to  the  county,  in  the  sum  of  thirty-five 
hundred  dollars,  with  surety  to  be  approved  by  the  clerk  of  the 
board  of  supervisor,  F.  D.  Bosworth  and  A.  E.  Bigelow,  before  he 
shall  be  entitled  to  draw  any  of  said  money.  In  witness 
whereof  we  have  hereunto  set  our  hands  this  6th  day  of  June 
A.  D.  1865. 

Wm.  Palmer, 
Wm.  Haslam, 
e.  d.  woodbridge, 

we  being  apjDointed  a  committee  to  let  contract  for  building  county 
building:  to  approved  by  the  board. 

J.  H.  POWERS. 
HIRAM  BAILEY, 
(chairman  Board  Supervisors. 


Your  committee  to  whom  was  referre'd  a  resolution  in  refer- 
ence to  the  erection  of  county  building  would  respectfully 
report: 

1st.  We  would  respectfully  recommend  that  the  building  be 
double  plastered  and  painted  inside  and  out. 

2d.  We  would  recommend  that  the  accompanyiiig  contract  be 
adopted  and  approved. 

3d.  We  would  recommend  that  to  meet  the  first  payment 
the  county  hire  of  the  school  fund  five  hundred  dollars. 

4th  We  would  recommend  that  the  clerk  of  the  board  of 
supervisors  be  authorized  to  issue  to   the   contractor   warrants   for 


232  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

the  several  sums   due   on  said   contract    as    they    became  due, 

drawing  on  the  several  funds  as  set  forth  in  the  contract. 

Wm.  Palmer, 
Wm.  Haslam, 
e.  d,  woodbridge. 
The  third  recommendation   being  amended   so  that  instead  of 

hiring  "five  hundred  dollars  school  fund,"  the  clerk  to  issue  ten 

county  warrants  in  sums  of  $50  each. 

The  yeas  and  nays  were   called  on   adoption,   and  resulted  as 

follows:    yeas  11,  all  the  members  present  voting  in  the  affirmative 

the  contract  and  report  were  adopted. 

J.  H.  Powers  filed  his  bond  June  7th  1865,  for  faithful  perform- 
ance of  contract  for  building,  which  was  approved. 

The  building  erected  in  pursuance  of  the  above  contract  was 
made  to  answer  the  purpose  of  a  court  house  until  Friday,  March 
26th  1880,  at  9  o'clock  on  which  night  the  building,  was  discovered 
to  be  on  fire.  It  was  completely  destroyed  by  the  flames,  and  in 
consequence  of  the  county  being  thus  left  without  a  court  house 
the  unsuccessful  attempt  to  remove  the  county  seat  to  Nashua, 
detailed  elsewhere,  ensued.  Steps  looking  to  the  erection  of  a  new 
court  house  were  soon  taken,  resulting  eventually  in  the  erection 
of  the  present  commodious  and  handsome  brick  structure  with  the 
smaller  brick  building  attached. 

At  the  April  meeting  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  1880  the 
following  resolution  was  adopted  : 

Resolved,  that  the  chairman  of  the  board  of  supervisors  be 
authorized  and  instructed  to  secure  plans  and  probable  cost  of  a 
suitable  court  house,  with  the  understanding,  that  the  architect 
furnishing  the  plans  that  shall  be  finall}'-  adopted  by  the  county, 
shall  receive  a  reasonable  compensation  for  his  services  as  an 
architect  and  that  the  chairman  shall  be  restricted  to  an  expense 
not  exceeding  $50  in  making  said  inquiry  and  furnishing 
plans. 

In  June,  1881,  the  citizens  of  New  Hampton  proposed  to  the 
board  of  supervisors  to  complete  a  court  house,  the  architects 
estimate  of  the  cost  of  which  was  $10,342,  on  condition  that  the 
county  appropriate  $,5000  toward  building  the  same  and  that  the 
board  make  an  informal  selection  of  the  plan  proposed,  there  being 
others  plans  presented  to  the  board.     The  plans  for  a  court  house 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  233 

approved  by  the  board  at  the  June  session,  were  those  of  Louis 
Brown,  an  architect  of  New  Hampton. 

At  the  November  term;  1880,  the  board  adopted  the  following 
resolution: 

Resolved,  by  the  board  of  supervisors   of  Chickasaw    county, 

Iowa,  that;  whereas  New  Hampton  having  pledged  five  thousand 
dollars  towards  the  erection  of  a  court  house  as  near  the  site  of  the 
old  court  house  in  New  Hampton  as  may  be,  and  having  given  a 
bond  for  the  payment  of  the  full  amount,  the  same  is  hereby 
accepted,  and  we  order  that  five  thousand  dollars,  or  so  much 
thereof  as  may  be  necessary,  be  appropriated  for  the  purpose  of 
finishing  said  court  house,  and  no  contract  will  be  let  unless  the 
contractor  will  accept  the  bond  of  New  Hampton  at  its 
face. 

At  the  January  session,  1881,  the  plan  and  bid  of  Louis   Brown, 

for  $10,000,  was  accepted  and  Mr.  Brown  appeared  and  duly  entered 
into  a  contract  with  the  county.  The  structure  was  completed  during 
the  summer,  and  was  ready  for  occupancy  in  the  early  autumn  of 

1882. 

CHICKASAW   COUNTY   AGRICULTURAL   SOCIETY. 

The  first  agricultural  society  in  Chickasaw  county  was  organized 
at  Jacksonville  in  September,  1857.  A  constitution  was  adoi3ted 
and  election  of  officers  held  at  the  hotel,  then  kept  by  Hazard 
Green.  Tne  following  officers  were  elected:  Hazard  Green,  presi- 
dent; John  Bird,  vice-president;  J.  H.  Powers,  secretary;  Hiram 
Bailey,  treasui'er.  There  was  also  an  executive  committee  for 
each  township,  as  follows:  S.  W.  Byers,  Washington;  J.  H. 
Dickens,  Obispo;  Thomas  Staples,  Stapleton;  Fred  Padden,  Fred- 
ericksburg; Hiram  Bailey,  Richland;  Daniel  York,  Dayton;  A.  G. 
Harris,  Deerfield;  William  Tucker,  Chickasaw;  John  Bird,  Brad- 
ford. A  fair  was  held  at  New  Hampton  in  1858,  under  the  auspices 
ol  this  organization,  J.  H.  Powers  delivering  the  address. 

The  first  regular  organization  of  an  agricultural  society  in  Chick- 
asaw county,  in  pursuance  of  the  state  law  upon  the  subject,  will 
be  found  to  be  detailed  below,  as  taken  from  the  records  of  the 
society : 

The  records  of  the  society  show,  that  "at  a  large  and  enthusiastic 
meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Chickasaw  county,  held  at  New  Hamp- 
ton on  the  14th  day  of  Aj^ril,  A.  D.  1860,  the  proj^riety  of  organiz- 
ing an  agricultural  society  was  thoroughly  discussed  and  agreed 
upon,  and  the  28th  day  of  April,  following  was  designated  as  the 


234  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

time,  and  New  Hampton  the  place,  at  which  such  organization 
should  be  effected." 

At  the  time  specified,  a  large  number  of  the  county's  best 
farmers,  mechanics  and  business  men,  met  and  adopted  a  preamble 
and  constitution.     The  following  is  the  preamble: 

"Whereas,  It  is  deemed  expedient  that  an  agricultural  society 
should  be  organized  in  Chickasaw  county,  in  such  manner  as  to 
become  a  body  corporate  under  general  law  of  the  state  of  Iowa 
relating  to  the  creation  of  corporations:  Therefore,  It  is  resolved, 
this  28th  day  of  April,  one  thousand,  eight  hundred  and  sixty, 
that  Hiram  Bailey,  Jas.  E.  Yaunce,  R.  H.  Way,  AVilliam  Tucker, 
Patrick  Galligan,  Gideon  Gardner,  J.  A.  Rice,  T.  P.  Vokes,  M.  B. 
Taylor,  with  their  present  and  future  associates  and  successors, 
are  hereby  constituted  a  body  corporate,  to  continue  twenty  years, 
under  the  following  constitution:" 

Article  1st,  recites:  "This  Association  shall  be  styled  the  'Chick- 
asaw county  Agricultural  Society;'  its  object  shall  be  the  improve- 
ment  of    agriculture,    horticulture,    mechanics,    arts,    rural  and 

domestic  economy." 

The  officers  were  to  consist  of  a  president,  vice-president,  secre- 
tary, treasurer,  and  olie  director  from  each  township  in  the  county, 
tjiey  together,  or  eight  of  their  number,  constituting  a  quorum  for 

the  transaction  of  business 

"Article   3d.     The   regular   annual  meeting  of  this  society  shall 

be  held  at  the  time  of  the  annual  fair,  which  shall  be  fixed  by  the 
board  of  directors,  and  shall  take  place  during  the  month  of  Sep- 
tember or  October,  in  each  year;  at  which  time  the  officers  shall 
be  chosen,  by  ballot,  and  shall  serve  one  year,  and  until  their  suc- 
cessors are  elected  and  qualified." 

Other  articles  follow,  prescribing  the  duties  of  the  officers, 
etc.;  "the  principal  place  of  business  shall  be  at  the  county  seat, 
and  no  capital  is  required,  other  than  the  sums  contributed 
annually  by  the  members,  the  amount  received  from  the  state, 
and  the  proceeds  of  annual  exhibitions,  which  can  only  be  in- 
vested in  the  grounds  and  fixtures,  necessary  to  accommodate  the 

society,  or  other  legitimate  objects  thereof. 

Provisions  were  made  for  the  holding  of  annual   fairs,   at  such 

times  and  place  as  shall  be  designated  by  the  board   of  directors. 

Other  regulations  were  prescribed;  provision  for  membership  and 

the  amount   members  shall  pay  were  made,  as  also  the  conditions 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  235 

for  forfeiture  of  membership.  The  matters  of  establishing  prem- 
ium lists,  agreeing  upon  the  rules  governing  the  fairs,  limiting 
competition  and  awarding  committees,  were  also  attended  to. 
The  board  was  authorized  to  enact  such  by-laws  and  rules,  not 
inconsistent  with  the  constitution,  as  may  be  deemed  necessary 
for  the  good  of  the  society,  and  the  final  article  provided  that 
"this  constitution  may  be  altered  or  amended  by  a  vote  of  the 
majority  of  the  members  present,  and  voting  at  any  regular 
meeting." 

"Thus  nine  persons  have  associated  themselves  as  a  body  cor- 
porate, to  continue  twenty  years,  under  the  laws  of  the  state  of 
Iowa,  thereby  gi'sdng  legal  existence  to  the  'Chickasaw  county 
Agricultural  Societ3^'  Fifty  other  persons  attached  their  names 
to  the  constitution,  thereby  becoming  menibers  and  share-holders 
in  said  society." 

The  following  officers  were  then  elected:  Hiram  Bailey,  presi- 
dent; J.  A.  Rice,  vice-president;  M.  B.  Taylor,  secretary;  E.  W. 
Davis,  treasurer.  One  director  from  each  of  the  twelve  townships 
was  also  elected. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  directors,  held  on  the  4th  day  of  June, 
1860,  it  was  agreed  to  hold  the  first  annual  fair  on  the  27th  and 
28th  days  of  September  following,  and  a  premium  list  was  pub- 
lished in  the  New  Hampton  Courier  and  the  Cedar  Valley  News, 
the  latter  paper  being  printed  at  Bradford.  This  list  was  pub- 
lished several  weeks,  and  every  effort  was  made  to  ensure  the  suc- 
cess of  the  undertaking.  The  society  having  no  grounds,  the 
directors  advertised  for  sealed  proposals  for  holding  the  fair,  from 
the  several  localities  in  the  county,  which  being  presented  at  the 
time  specified  in  the  advertisement,  the  directors  accepted,  the 
proposals  from  the  citizens  of  New  Hampton,  and  located  the 
grounds  at  that  place  for  the  first  exhibition. 

The  exhibition,  in  the  various  departments,  was  much  better 
than  had  been  expected,  especially  in  the  vegetable  and  fine  art 
departments.  There  were  in  all  239  entries.  The  entries  for  com- 
petition in  field  crops  were  accompanied  with  written  statements 
of  the  mode  of  culture,  etc.,  (agreeably  to  the  requirements  of  the 
society),  and  also  samples  of  grain.  Below  is  the  statement  of  the 
corn  crop,  and  the  result. 

"  'Method  of  raising  corn,  presented  at  the  first  annual   fair  of 


236  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

the  Chickasaw  county  Agricultural  Society,  by  J.  P.  Bailey:'  I 
plowed  the  ground  (grove  land,  and  never  plowed  before), 
about  five  inches  deep,  and  planted  about  the  15th  day 
of  May,  three  and  one-third  by  three  and  two-thirds  feet  apart; 
four  to  six  grains  in  hill;  cultivated  with  double-shovel 
plow  twice  each  way,  and  hoed  twice  thoroughly.  Seed,  Ohio 
Yellow  Dent.  Yield  272  bushels  of  ears  per  acre,  thoroughly 
packed,  and  heaped  as  long  as  it  would  lay  on.  Grain  and  land 
measured  by  C.  A.  Stuart.  J.  P.  Bailey." 

Mr.  Hazzard  Green,  "one  of  the  most  scientific  farmers  of  our 
county,"  delivered  an  address  on  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day; 
"it  was  highly  interesting  and  instructive." 

The  second  annual  fair  was  held  at  New  Hampton,  2d,  3d,  and 
4th,  1861.  The  weather  was  cold  and  rainy;  "consequently  the 
fair  was  not  a  very  good  one,  and  yet  it  was  not  a  failure." 

It  was  judged  best  not  to  hold  a  fair  in  1862,  "for  various  rea- 
sons, the  greatest  of  which  was  the  call  for  volunteers  for  the 
union  army,  which  was  being  so  nobly  responded  to  by  the 
'ranks,'  of  our  industrial  classes,  that  no  time  could  be  well  given 
to  the  holding  of  a  fair." 

The  third  annual  fair  was  held  at  New  Hampton,  October  6th 
and  7th,  1863.  "The  occasion  drew  together  a  large  number  of 
our  citizens,  on  the  second  day,  and  an  interest  was  manifested 
beyond  what  the  society  had  expected.  We  have  no  grounds  and 
no  debt." 

The  fourth  annual  fair  was  held  at  New  Hampton,  under  many 
disadvantages,  September  20th  and  21st,  1864.  Whole  number  of 
entries,  278;  number  of  members,  eighty;  amount  of  premiums 
awarded,  $110;  received  for  sale  of  tickets  at  door  of  exhibition, 
$16.45. 

The  fifth  annual  fair  came  off  as  advertised,  September  20th 
and  21st,  1875.  Many  causes  contributed  to  decrease  the  interest, 
"among  which  may  be  mentioned  the  fact  that  the  society  failed 
to  pay  all  the  premiums  awarded  at  the  previous  year's  fair,  and 
this  single  instance  was  a  great  drawback.  Whole  number  of 
entries,  221;  receipts  from  memberships,  $72;  receipts  at  door  of 
hall,,  $15.50. 

At  the  close  of  this  fair  a  meeting  of  members  was  held  at  the 
school  house  in  New  Hampton,  and  after  the  election,  the   follow- 


HISTORY   OF   CHICKASAW   COUNTY.  237 

ing  resolution  was  offered  by  Buel  Sherman  and  unanimously 
adopted: 

"Resolved,  That  we  raise  one  thousand  dollars  by  subscription, 
for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  and  improving  permanent  fair 
grounds  for  the  benefit  of  the  Chickasaw  county  Agricultural 
Society,  and  that  each  director  of  the  society  be  authorized  to 
solicit  and  collect  subscriptions  for  such  purpose." 

•'On  motion  it  was  resolved  that  the  directors  solicit  subscrip- 
tions in  their  respective  townships  in  amounts  from  five  dollars  to 
twenty-five  dollars.  Any  individual  paying  five  dollars  to  be 
entitled  to  a  certificate  of  membership  for  six  years;  ten  dollars  to 
constitute  a  membership  for  thirteen  years,  and  twenty -five  dol- 
lars to  constitute  a  life  membership." 

At  the  meeting  of  the  board  of  directors  January,  3d,  1866,  a 
committee  of  three  was  appointed  to  confer  with  the  citizens  of 
New  Hampton,  and  to  ascertain  the  amount  they  would  pay 
toward  grounds  for  the  society,  on  condition  that  the  grounds  be 
fitted  up  in  good  condition  by  the  society,  for  permanent  fair 
grounds.  This  committee,  which  consisted  of  Buel  Sherman, 
Charles  McCullow  and  Hiram  Bailey,  was  instructed  to  report  the 
result  of  their  conference  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  board. 

At  the  next  meeting,  held  February  6th,  1866,  Mr.  Sherman 
reported  that  no  conference  had  been  held,  and  requested  that  the 
committee  be  discharged,  and  that  a  committee  consisting  of  three 
residents  of  New  Hampton,  be  appointed  in  its  stead.  The  request 
was  granted,  and  Gideon  Gardner,  Charles  McCullow  and  Harri- 
son Gurley  were  appointed  as  the  new  committee,  and  requested 
to  act  promptly  and  report  to  the  secretary  at  as  early  a  day  as 
practicable.  « 

July  7th,  1866,  Charles  P.  Ridenour  and  wife  of  Ulster  county, 
New  York,  executed  a  warranty  deed  of  the  northeast  quarter, 
northeast  quarter  of  the  southeast  quarter,  section  7-95-12 — to  the 
Chickasaw  county  Agricultural  Society. 

The  sixth  annual  fair  took  place  Septeniber  19th,  20th  and  21st, 
1866.  "It  was  not  a  great  success,  yet  it  was  very  far  from  being 
a  failure."  Receipts  for  yearly  memberships,  $63;  at  door  of 
hall,  $17. 

January  9th,  1867,  Elizabeth  and  M.   M.   Utley,  of   Chickasaw 


238  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

county,  executed  a  warranty  deed  to  a  certain  tract  of  land,  known 
and  described  as  follows:  Commencing  at  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  northwest  quarter  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  8-95- 
12;  thence  east  sixteen  rods;  thence  south  forty  rods;  thence 
west  sixteen  rods;  thence  north  forty  rods  to  place  of  beginning; 
containing  four  acres  of  land,  to  the  Chickasaw  county  Agricul- 
tural Society. 

September  11th,  1867,  Dr.  H.  M.  Mixer,  president  of  the  society, 

published  in  the  New  Hampton  Courier  an  address  to  the  farmers 

of  Chickasaw  county. 

The  seventh  annual  fair  occurred  September  25th,  26th  and  27th, 

1867,  and  was  in  all  respects  a  success. 

The  following  notice  the  secretary   caused  to  be   published   in 

the  New  Hampton  Courier  and  the  Nashua  Post,  January   11th, 

1868: 

"A  vote  of  the  board  of  supervisors  at  a  former  session   placed 

$400  to  the  credit  of  the  Chickasaw  county  Agricultural  Society 
conditioned  upon  the  raising,  by  the  society,  of  a  like  amount. 
Their  success  has  been  commensurate  with  the  zeal  with  which  they 
have  prosecuted  the  work.  They  have  raised,  not  $400,  but  $600, 
and  the  board  of  supervisors  have  just  returned  over  to  us  the 
sum  of  $400,  as  per  previous  resolution.  During  the  coming  year 
this  money  is  to  be  expended  in  fencing  and  improving  your  fair 
grounds.  The  manner  in  which  it  shall  be  expended  concerns 
intimately  every  member  of  the  society.  The  board  of  directors, 
in  view  of  the  interests  at  stake,  have  decided  upon  calling  a 
special  meeting  of  the  society,  to  be  held  at  New  Hampton  on 
Friday,  January  24th,  1868,  at  1  o'clock  p.  m.  It  is  hoped  that 
every  number  of  the  society,  and  all  who  desire  to  become  such, 
will  interest  themselves  in  the  matter,  and  be  present.  By  order 
of  the  board.  L.  J.  Young,  Secretary." 

At  the  special  meeting  in  pursuance  of  the  above  call,  a  motion 
to  fence  the  fair  grounds  was  carried  unanimously. 

In  pursuance  of  a  motion  by  L.  H.  Weller,  a  building  committee 
was  appointed  consisting  of  H.  M.  Mixer,  I.  H.  Minkler  and  M. 
Burgit,  and  the  executive  committee  was  instructed  to  make  such 
improvements,  on  the  fair  grounds,  as  the  finances  of  the  society 
will  warrant,  after  the  completion  of  the  fence. 

The  total  cost  of  material,  fencing,  and  putting  the  grounds  in 
condition  for  the  eighth  annual  fair,  was  $1,238.65.      "Add  to  this 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  239 

$180  for  grounds,  and  we  have  a  total  cost  of  $1,418.65,  the   actual 
cost  of  the  grounds  as  they  are  now,  September  30th,  1858." 

The  eighth  annual  fair  was  held  September  23d,  24th,  and  25th, 
1868.     About  2,000  people  were  in  attendance. 

At  an  adjourned  meeting  February  10th,  1869,  measures  were 
taken  to  secure  the  erection  of  a  hall  on  the  grounds,  and  the  ex- 
ecutive committee  was  empowered  to  borrow  funds,  not  exceeding 
$100,  for  this  purpose.  The  premium  list  for  the  fair  of  1869  was 
published  in  pamphlet  form,  by  "Andy  Felt,  of  the  Nashua  Post," 
without  expense  to  the  society.  A  floral  hall,  16x33  feet,  was 
erected  in  time  for  this  fair. 

The  ninth  annual  fair  was  held  October  6th,  7th  and  8th,  1869. 
"A  very  good  display  of  animals  and  articles  in  almost  every  class. 
Buel  Sherman  took  the  lead  in  short-horns  or  Durhams.  E.  R. 
Shankland,  of  Dubuque,  exhibited  about  forty  varieties  of  apples. 
The  exhibition  of  his  fruit  alone  was  worth  thousand  of  dollars  to 
Chickasaw  county,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  our  farmers  will 
take  more  interest  in  fruit  raising  hereafter;  for  this  exhibition 
plainly  shows  what  can  be  done  in  this  line." 

"Considerable  interest  is  manifested  among  those  having 
machinery  on  exhibition,  and  large  crowds  gathered  around 
them  to  witness  the  trials  given  the  different  kinds  of  machinery." 

At  a  meeting  of  the  society  June  14th,  1870,  "by  a  vote, 
the  society  opens  the  doors  to  the  whole  world,  to  compete 
for  the  premiums  offered;  and  the  citizens  of  the  adjoining 
counties  are  especially  invited  to  participate  with  us." 

Premiums  were  offered  for  the  best  and  fastest  trotters;  also  to  the 
best  base  ball  club. 

The  tenth  annual  fair  occurred  September  7th,  8th,  9th,  and 
10th.  Three  hundred  and  eighteen  entries  were  made.  D.  W. 
Adams,  of  Waukon  who  exhibited  sixty -eight  varieties  of  apples, 
delivered  the  address,  on  the  subject,  "Fruit."  The  fair  was  finan- 
cially a  success,  the  total  receipts  being  $289.80.  "The  best  of 
feeling  prevailed  during  the  whole  fair,  and  every  person  went 
home  feeling  proud,  that  so  good  an  institution  as  an  agricultural 
society,  was  fully  and  firmly  established  in  Chickasaw  county." 

At  the  January  meeting,  1871,  a  former  motion  was  thus  modi- 


240  HISTORY   OF   CHICKASAW    COUNTY. 

fied :  "that  Chickasaw  county  open  her  doors  to  competition  to  all 
counties  in  Iowa,  which  extend  the  like  courtesy  to  her." 

September  19th,  20th  and  21st,  1871,  were  the  days  on  which 
the  eleventh  annual  fair  was  held.  Over  400  entries  were  made. 
The  exhibition  of  stock  was  good,  showing  improvements  over 
former  years. 

The  twelfth  annual  fair,  held  September  17th,  18th  and  19th, 
1872,  "was  considered  a  success."  There  were  more  than  400  en- 
tries, and  the  exhibits  in  all  departments  was  good. 

In  June,  1883,  the  fee  for  life  memberships  was  reduced  to  ten 
dollars  each. 

The  thirteen  annual  fair  was  held  September  10th,  11th  and 
12th,  1873,   and  was  in  every  way  successful. 

By  a  constitutional  amendment,  at  the  January  meeting,  1874, 
the  time  for  holding  the  annual  fair  was  fixed  upon  the  last  Wed- 
nesday, Thursday  and  Friday  in  September  of  each  year.  Other 
amendments  were  also  made. 

Stormy  weather  interfered  greatly  with  the  success  of  the  four- 
teenth annual  fair,  held  September  23d  and  24th,  1874,  there  being 
no  fair  on  the  last  day. 

The  record  book  of  the  society  contains  no  account  of  any  of 
the  annual  fairs  since  that  of  1874,  but  it  is  apparent,  from  the 
minutes  of  the  meetings,  that  fairs  have  been  held  regularly  each 
year,  with  varying  success,  but  in  the  main  satisfactorily,  showing 
continued  improvement  in  stock  raising  and  in  all  departments  of 
husbandry.  The  fair  of  1882  was  in  every  respect  highly  success- 
ful, and  in  addition  to  the  other  attractions,  was  characterized  by 
a  grand  soldiers'  reunion,  which  took  place  on  the  last  day.  Gov. 
Buren  R.  Sherman  delivered  the  address  to  the  soldiers,  and  Rev. 
C.  A.  Marshall  the  annual  address.  At  the  March  meeting  of  the 
society,  1881,  it  was  announced  that  the  time  for  which  the  Chick- 
asaw county  Agricultural  Society  was  incorporated,  had  expired, 
by  reason  of  limitation,  whereupon  articles  of  re-incorporation 
were  immediately  proposed  and  adopted,  providing  for  a  continu- 
ance of  the  society  for  a  period  of  ninety -nine  years.  At  the  fol- 
lowing December  meeting  "the  society  as  re-incorporated  adopt 
and  be  governed  by  the  rules  and  regulations  as  laid  down  for  the 
government  of  the  former  association  of  this  society." 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  241 

The  officers  of  the  society  from  year  to  year,  have  been  as  fol- 
lows: 

1860. 

Hiram  Bailey,  president;  J.  A.  Rice,  vice-president;  M.  B. 
Taylor,  secretary;  E.  W.  Davis,  treasurer.  One  director  for  each 
township  has  also  been  elected  each  year. 

1861. 

Hiram  Bailey,  president;  A.  H.  Strong,  vice-president;  M.  B. 
Taylor,  secretary;  E.  W.  Davis,  treasurer. 

1862. 

Hiram  Bailey,  president;  J.  E.  Shepard,  vice-president;  H. 
Gurley,  secretary,  A.  D.  Kinne,  treasurer. 

1863. 

Same  as  in  former  year,  with  the  substitution  of  E.  W.  Davis 
instead  of  Kinne  as  treasurer. 

1864. 

Buel  Sherman,  president;  C.  D.  Johnson,  vice-president;  B.  E. 
Morton,  secretary;  J.  H.  Powers,  treasurer. 

1865. 

R.  B.  Schoonover,  president;  George  McCaughey,  vice-presi- 
dent; L.  J.  Young,  secretary;  Charles  McCullow,  treasurer. 

1866. 
Same  as  in  former  year. 

1867. 
Dr.  H.  M.  Mixer,  president;  E.  W.  Davis,  vice-president;  L.  J. 
Young,  secretary ;  Charles  McCullow,  treasurer. 

1868. 

H.  M.  Mixer,  president;  Hiram  Bailey,  vice-president;  secretary 
and  treasurer  as  before. 

1869. 
Same  as  in  1868. 

1870. 

Buel  Sherman,  president;  J.  U.  Mixer,  vice-president;  secretary 
and  treasurer  as  before. 

1871. 

J.  U.  Mixer,  president;  Buel  Sherman,  vice-president;  secretary 
and  treasurer  as  before. 


242  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

1872. 
George  McCaughey,  president;    J.  U.  Mixer,  vice-president;  sec- 
retary and  treasurer  as  before. 

1873. 
0.  O,  Poppleton,  president;    George  McCaughey  vice-president; 
secretary  and  treasurer  as  before. 

1874. 
J.  F.  McCallum,  president;  Dr.  W.  S.  Pitts,  vice-president;  sec- 

1875. 
retary  and  treasurer  as  before. 

1875. 
F.  D.  Bosworth,  president;  Cornelius  Carr,  vice-president;  J.  C. 
Johnson,  secretary;  John  McLaren,  treasurer. 

1876. 

H.  M.  Mixer,  president;  William  Tucker,  vice-president;  J.   C. 
Johnson,  secretary;  W.  E.  Beach,  treasurer. 

1877. 
H.  M.  Mixer,  president;  J.   F.    Babcock,   vice-president;    J.    C- 
Johnson,  secretary;  W.  E.  Beach,  treasurer. 

1878. 
Same  as  in  1877. 

1879. 
Same  as  before. 

.      1880. 

J.  F.  Babcock,  president;    John  Dayton,  vice-president;    G.   A. 
Hamilton,  secretary;  H.  Guiiey,  treasurer. 

1881. 
J.  Kenyon,  president;  H.  M.  Mixer,  vice-president;  G.  A.  Hamil- 
ton, secretarv;  H.  Gurley,  treasurer. 

1882. 
Same  as  in  1881.  ^ 

1883. 

F.  Markle,  president;  M.  J.  Peck,  vice-president;    S.  J.  Kenyon, 
secretary^  J.  A.  Ryon,  treasurer. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  life  members  of  the  society: 
Arnold,  Geo.  B.  Mixer,  H.  M. 

Burgit,  M.  Moloney,  M. 

Bosworth,  F.  D.  Mixer,  J.  U. 

Babcock,  James  F.  McLaren,  John 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


'  243 


Benedict,  J.  H. 
Bailey,  Hiram 
Bigelow,  A.  E. 
Bailey,  H.  H. 
Babcock,  A.  W. 
Cady,  Walter 
Clough,  Cornelius 
Churchill,  L.  M. 
Carr,  Cornelius 
Cottrell,  J.  D. 
Colt,  Wm.  I. 
Carleton,  J.  R. 
Dixon,  Ct.  L. 
Dane,  Frank 
Davidson,  John 
Dana,  0. 
Dixon,  John 
Davison,  L.  B. 
Dayton,  John 
Edington,  P.  A. 
Edwards,  W.  R. 
Fitch,  H.  L. 
Foley,  John 
Fitch,  E.  S. 
Gurley,  H. 
Gilliland,  J.  M. 
Gardner,  I.  K. 
Gillette,  M.  N. 
Green,  John  A. 
Gardner,  Gideon 
Gurney,  J.  H. 
Hurd,  W.  E. 
Herrick,  J.  D. 
Hocksi^ier,  J. 
Iverson,  Thomas 

Jack,  David 
Johnson,  J.  C. 
Jackson,  D.  A. 
Judge,  Myron 


Martin,  Seth 
McCaughey,  Geo. 
Mitchell,  J.  W. 
Markle,  Fred. 
McMullen,  F.  A. 
McHugh.  John 
Mullen,  Chris. 
Minkler,  I.  H. 
Mabie,  Charles 
Morsch,  F. 
Mapes,  C.  R. 
Nicholas,  P. 
Olmstead,  E.  N. 
Pierce,  R.  P. 
Pepj-er,  Dan. 
Powers,  J.  H. 
Peck,  M.  J. 
Paulson,  J.  A. 
Piehn,  Fred. 
Poppleton,  0.  0. 
Row,  Samuel 
Reich,  John 
Stafford,  W.  D. 
Simmons,  J.  J. 
Sheldon,  R.  0. 
Shaver,  Hiram 
Snyder,  J.  W. 
Siminick,  Fred. 
Stebbins,  J.  B. 
Sewell,  Edson 
Schulte,  T.  H. 
Sherman,  Buel 
Silsbee,  N.  S. 
Smith,  L.  M. 
Sherman,  0.  B. 
Swennumson,  S. 
Scheutz,  John 
Sewell,  Joseph 
Stapher,  C.  H. 


244 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


Kepler,  Hugh 
Kress,  John 
Kreiger,  John 
Kenyon,  J.  R. 
Kenyon,  S.  J. 
Knight,  A. 
Linderman,  W.  H. 
Larson,  Andrew 
Lilge,  Charles 
Lynch,  J.  M. 
Mapes,  H.  W. 
Meyer,  John 


Shortley,  Robert 
Sheffield,  E.  P. 
Tucker,  Wm. 
Tisdale,  G.  J. 
Utley,  M.  M. 
Wight,  A.  H. 
Warner,  C.  J. 
Watts,  Isaac 
Warriner,  C. 
Wheeler,  C.  A. 
Young,  James 


HISTORY  OF   CHICKASAW' COUNTY,  245 


CHAPTER  X. 


Feedericksburg  Township;   Location;  Early  Settlement;  Or- 
ganization; Village  of  Fredericksburg;  Schools;  Churches; 

SoaETiEs;  Etc. 


The  sketches  of  Fredericksburg  township  and  the  village  of 
Fredericksburg,  which  follow,  were  written  from  notes  obtained 
from  William  S.  Pitts,  M.  D.,  of  Fredericksburg,  who  has  gone  to 
much  labor  and  trouble  to  obtain  accurate  and  exhaustive  infor- 
mation, for  a  detailed  history  of  the  first  thirty  years  of  his  town- 
ship, which  he  contemplates  publishing  in  an  appropriate  form  at 
a  not  distant  day.  For  his  kindness  and  courtesy  in  the  premises, 
Dr.  Pitts,  has  the  sincere  thanks  of  the  editor  and  publisher  of 
this  work. 

Fredericksburg  township  is  in  the  southeastern  corner  of  Chick- 
asaw county.  Its  boundaries  are:  on  the  north,  Stapleton  town- 
ship; south,  Bremer  county;  east,  Fayette  county;  west,  Dresden 
township.  The  township  contains  thirty -six  sections  of  land  and 
one-half  of  sections  12  and  13,  94-12,  set  oflT  from  Dresden  town- 
ship. With  the  exception  of  two  small  groves  of  natural  timber, 
it  is  a  township  of  prairie  land.     Its  physical  conformation  is  an 


246  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

undulating  plain,  with  a  general  inclination   from   east  to  west. 
The  soil  is  excellent,  land  arable  and  water  courses  abundant. 

Prior  to  its  organization  as  a  township,  the  first  election  for  pre- 
cinct officers — this  township  being  then  included  in  what  was 
known  as  Yankee  precinct — was  held  at  the  residence  of  T.  P. 
Yokes.  Thomas  Staples  was  the  first  assessor,  Osgood  Gowan 
road  supervisor  and  C.  C.  Stone  his  deputy,  for  this  locality. 
This  was  in  the  year  1855.  In  1857,  0.  H.  P.  Searle  and  D.  B. 
Hanan  were  elected  justices  of  the  peace,  being  the  first  to  hold 
this  office  in  this  locality. 

At  present  H.  B.  Carpenter  and  George  Bishop  are  the 
justices,  Peter  Case,  clerk,  and'  R.  W.  Kidder,  assessor  of  Fred- 
ericksburg township.  The  township  was  organized  as  an  indepen- 
dent school  district  in  1871,  and  so  remains. 

Frederick  Padden,  of  whom  more  detailed  mention  is  made  in  the 
sketch  of  the^  village,  was  the  first  permanent  settler  in  the  town- 
ship, in  honor  of  whose  prsenomen  both  the  township  and  the 
village  were  named.  Padden  settled  with  his  family  on  the  pres- 
ent village  site,  September  21st,  1854,  and  was  during  that  year 
the  only  settler  in  the,  township. 

In  1855  a  number  of  settlers  came  in,  among  whom  may  be 
mentioned  the  following:  Samuel  Marsh  of  Ohio,  came  in  April, 
and  located  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  9,  94-11.  He 
erected  a  shanty  and  broke  ten  acres  of  land,  which  he  planted  to 
corn  in  May,  raising  the  first  field  of  corn  in  the  township. 
His  family  came  in  1856.  In  1859,  he  went  to  California,  but 
returned  in  1861,  and  is  still  living  on  the  farm  where  he  first 
located.     His  wife,  Julia,  died  February  20th,  1883. 

Thomas  P.  Vokes  came  in  May,  1855,  and  entered  land  on  the 
northwest  quarter  of  section  6,  94-11,  where  he  still  resides. 

June  3d,  1855,  William  Case  and  family  located  on  the  south- 
west quarter  of  section  4,  94-41-11.  James  Potter,  of  Pennsylvania, 
came  in  July  of  this  year.  He  first  built  a  shanty  on  the  village 
site,  and  afterwards  located  on  the  northwest  quarter  of  section 
19,  94-11,  where  he  has  ever  since  continued  to  reside.  In  the 
same  year  Charles  Connor,  of  Illinois  located  on  the  southwest 
quarter  of  section  31,  94-11.  In  September,  John  S.  Marr,  of  New 
York,  located  on  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  31,  94-11,  where 
he    still    resides.       John  I.  Quackenbush,   afterwards  justice   o^. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  247 

the  peace  and  a  well-known  pioneer,  located  in  the  township  in 
this  year.  Quackenbush  died  in  1864.  John  Dayton,  of  Ohio, 
came  in  December,  1855,  locating  on  the  northwest  quarter,  of  the 
northeast  quarter  of  section  10,  94-11, 

By  the  spring  of  1856,  the  tide  of  immigration  had  set  in  steadily, 
from  that  time  the  population  of  the  townshii3  continued  to  in- 
crease with  gratifying  rapidity. 

The  question  as  to  who  were  the  first  couple  married  in  the 
township,  is  to  some  extent  in  controversy,  the  bridegroom  being 
either  Charles  Zwick  or  George  Fountain,  with  the  probability 
strongly  in  favor  of  Zwick,  whose  marriage  (to  whom  is  not  ascer- 
tained) occurred  in  1857. 

The  precedence  of  births  is  also  a  mooted  question,  but  impar- 
tial investigation  indicates  that  the  first  child  born  in  the  town- 
ship was  Rosa,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lewis  Padden,  born  in 
the  early  part  of  June,  1856;  next  in  order  was  Emilia, 
daughter  of  Frederick  and  Julia  Padden,  and  third  was  a  daughter 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  P.  Vokes — ^both  of  which  latter  were  also 
born  in  June,  1856.  The  death  of  Emilia  Padden  was  the  first 
to  occur  in  the  township. 

The  township  contains  but  one  cemetery,  which  is  located 
about  two  and  one-quarter  miles  east  of  the  village,  and  is  called 
the  east  cemetery  in  contra-distinction  to  the  west  cemetery  just 
over  the  line  in  Dresden  township. 

The  first  school  house  occupied  in  the  township  was  erected 
in  the  village,  and  is  mentioned  in  its  proper  place.  There  are 
nine  school  houses  now  in  th  township,  well  built  and  adequately 
furnished,  at  each  of  which  there  is  a  fair  attendance,  the  schools 
of  Fredericksburg  townshij)  comparing  very  favorably  with  those 
of  any  other  section  of  the  county. 

The  township  of  Fredericksburg  is  well  settled  with  a  progres- 
sive and  intelligent  type  of  immigration,  and  it  would  indeed  be  diffi.-' 
cult  to  find  a  more  exemplary  class  of  citizens  or  a  better  ''neigh- 
borhood" than  that  comprised  within  its  borders.  Further  and 
additional  particulars  are  necessarily  commingled  with  the  histor- 
ical account  of  the  village  of  Fredericksburg,  which  is  herewith 
presented. 


248  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

THE   VILLAGE    OF    FREDERICKSBURG. 

The  village  of  Fredericksburg  takes  its  name  from  that  of  Fred- 
erick Padden,  its  first  settler  and  founder,  and  by  whom  it  was 
laid  out  in  1856,  Padden  and  Bloxham  being  the  original  town 
proprietors.  It  is  located  on  sections  4  and  J  8  in  94-11,  and  12 
and  13  in  94-12. 

The  first  house  was  built  by  Frederick  Padden  on  lot  4,  block 
18,  in  October,  1854. 

Lewis  Padden  built  the  first  store  in  the  autumn  of  1855; 
Emory  Combs  was  the  first  blacksmith;  J.  V.  Carpenter  the  first 
shoemaker,  and  George  Hillson  the  first  wagonmaker. 

Frederick  Padden  built  the  first  saw  mill  in  1856.  It  was  run 
by  steam  power,  was  desti'oyed  by  fire  in  1857,  was  re- 
built in  1858,  and  again  burned  in  January  1862.  This 
mill  was  located  on  the  bank  of  Plum  creek  on  block  5. 

The  Fredericksburg  Cheese  company  opened  a  factory  on  Plum 
creek  in  May  1875.  It  was  a  stock  company,  and  erected  a  build- 
ing at  a  cost  of  $1,600.  Oliver  Briggs,  of  Elgin,  Illinois,  was  the 
superintendent,  and  H.  A.  Simons,  now  of  New  Hampton,  was 
secretary  and  treasurer'.  This  company  made  cheese  of  excellent 
qualit}^  for  three  successive  seasons,  when  they  ceased  operations, 
and  the  Wapsie  creamery  was  opened  in  the  same  building  in  the 
autumn  of  1880,  b}^  Messrs.  Udall  and  Davis,  of  Jessup,  Iowa, 
who,  after  a  few  months,  sold  to  ChristojDher  Haskett.  Haskett 
continued  the  business  until  September,  1882,  when  he  sold  to 
Messrs.  Kipp  and  Harris,  of  New  Hampton,  by  whom  the  cream- 
ery is  now  operated,  its  business  being  extensive  and  remunera- 
tive. 

In  October,  1882,  Loren  Padden  opened  a  creamery  near  his 
residence,  which  he  still  continues  to  operate. 

Jerome  Padden  opened  an  extensive  brickyard  in  1876  on  land 
east  of  the  school  house.  This  yard  was  only  worked  one  year 
during  which  200,000  brick  of  fair  quality  were  made. 

The  first  school  in  Fredericksburg  was  taught  during  the  sum- 
mer of  1857,  in  a  pole  shanty  erected  by  Edwin  Cain,  and  which 
stood  southeast  of  where  the  Baptist  church  now  stands.  Miss 
Anna  Bishop  was  the  teacher." 

The  graded  schools   of  Fredericksburg  were  opened  in  1866. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  249 

The   following  are  the   names  of  the  successive  principals  to   the 
present  time : 

Nan  M.  Warren,  summer  of  1866. 

D.  F.  Callender,  winter  of  1866-7. 

C.  S.  Haywood,  winter  of  1867-8. 

Nan  M.  Warren,  summer  of  1868. 

N.  Austin,  winter  of  1868-9. 

A.  P.  Fowler,  summer  of  1868-9. 

W.  W.  Quivey,  winter  and  spring  of  1869-70. 
Hattie  Coryell,  summer  of  1870. 
N.  M.  Warren,  winter  of  1870-1. 

Maggie  McFarland,  summer  of  1871,  to,  and  including  summer 
of  1872. 

Kate  M.  Warren,  winter  of  1872-3. 
H.  C.  Hudson,  summer  of  1873. 

C.  A.  Lyman  (taught  only  part  of  the  term  which  was  finished 
by  i\gnes  Howe),  winter  of  1873-4. 

B.  B.  Potter,  summer  of  1874. 

Maggie  McFarland,  winter  of  1874-5,  to,  and  including  winter  of 
1876-7.      ■ 
J.  C.  Smith,  summer  of  1877. 

H.  A.  Simons,  winter  of  1877-8  to   and   including  summer  of 
1879. 
Agnes  Howe,  winter,  spring  and  summer  of  1879-80. 

Minnie  Sherman,  winter  of  1880-81. 

Lillie  Scales,  summer  of  1881. 

Alfred  Martin,  winter  of  1881-2. 

Mrs.  Lillie  Steadman,  summer  of  1882. 

H.  S.  Adney,  winter  of  1882-3. 

The  present  school  building  was  erected  in  1865,  by  Frederick 
Padden,at  a  cost  of  $1,000.  Additional  improvements  made  have 
increased  the  total  cost  to  about  SI, 600.  There  are  two  rooms, 
one  30x30,  the  other  30x20  feet  in  dimensions. 

The  first  sermon  preached  in  Fredericksburg,  was  by  Rev. 
S.  M.  Prentiss  in  Frederick  Padden's  hotel  (the  Fountain  house), 
in  the  front  room.  May  19th,  1855.  Mr.  Prentiss  was  a  Baptist 
clergyman. 

A  preliminary  meeting,  looking  to  the  organization  of  the  First 


250  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

Baptist  church  of  Fredericksburg,  was  held  June  3d,  1860,  and  all 
present  united  in  a  call  for  recognition  from  the  churches  of  this 
denomination.  Those  present  at  this  meeting  were:  The  pastor 
Eev.  E.  G.  0.  Groat,  T.  S.  M.  Flowers,  Gilbert  Page,  James 
Lovesee,  Jonathan  Russell,  Mrs.  Gilbert  Page,  Mrs.  T.  S.  M.  Flow- 
ers, Mrs.  Jonathan  Russell,  Mrs.  Billings  and  Mrs.  Munger.  Mr. 
Flowers  was  made  secretary  of  the  society.  July  7th,  1860,  the 
society  held  its  second  meeting,  and  letters  of  recognition  were 
read  from  the  following  churches:  Fredericka,  Fairbanks,  Polk 
and  Providence.  This  meeting  was  held  in  the  small  building 
which  had  previously  been  erected  by  a  society  of  the  United 
Brethern  persuasion.  The  building  had,  in  fact,  been  erected 
about  the  year  1858,  but  this  organization  was  not  of  a  sufficiently 
permanent  nature  to  long  survive.  At  this  second  meeting,  then, 
recorded  above,  the  organization  of  the  First  Baptist  church  of 
Fredericksburg  was  perfected.  The  following  are  the  names  of 
the  pastors  of  the  society  in  the  order  of  this  succession:  E.  G.  0. 
Groat,  Shadrach  Sherman,  G.  W,  Goodrich,  M.  E.  Arkills,  T.  C. 
Briggs,  William  Simons,  J.  C.  Abbott,  M.  H.  Perry,  J.  N.  Johnson, 
James  Mitchell.  Mr.  Mitchell  is  the  present  pastor.  The  first 
deacon  of  the  society  was  W.  G.  Eldret.  Charles  Mabry  and  C.  W. 
Stickney  are  the  present  deacons.  Mr.  Mabry  is  the  Sabbath 
school  superintendent,  the  other  officers  of  the  Sabbath  school  being 
C.  W.  Stickney,  assistant  superintendent;  W.  S.  Pitts,  chorister: 
J.  Mabry,  secretary;  Mrs.  C.  Mitchell,  treasurer.  Charles  Mabry 
is  also  secretary  of  the  church  organization.  The  church  edifice 
was  erected  in  the  spring  of  1870,  and  was  dedicated  in  July  of  that 
year.  It  dimensions  are  32x52  feet,  the  total  cost  being  about  $2,800. 
The  parsonage  was  purchased  by  the  society  in  1874  at  a  cost  of 
$450,   and  is  located  near  the  church. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  society  of  Fredericksburg  is 
also  in  possession  of  a  commodious  edifice,  32x50  feet  in  dimen- 
sions, which  was  erected  in  1875  at  a  cost  of  $2,700.  The  first 
M.  E.  clergyman  to  preach  in  this  section  was  Rev.  C.  M.  Webster. 
Rev.  W.  P.  Holbrook  preached  at  Fredericksburg  about  the  last 
of  June,  1856.  August  8th,  1856,  he  organized  a  class  of  the  fol- 
lowing ten  members:  George  Hillson,  Sarah  Hillson,  Alphens, 
Adams,  Cornelia  Adams,  Catherine  Marvin,  INIaria  Gibbs,  Lovina 
Padden,  Hester  Yokes,  Jesse  T.  Appleburg.     George  Hillson  was 


HISTORY    OF   CHICKASAW    COUNTY.  251 

the  first-class  leader.  The  pastors  in  regular  order  were:  Elijah 
Kendall,  Charles  Hollis,  J.  L.  Kirkpatrick,  W.  P.  Holbrook,  James 
Leslie,  James  Stout,  Thomas  More,  Samuel  J.  Gossard,  Reece 
Wolf,  George  Edmunds,  Zelotes  R.  Ward,  H.  H.  Hammond, 
Edwards  Hoskyn,  Philip  E.  Miller,  J.  R.  Cameron,  John  Dawson 
B.  D.  Alden.  Mr.  Alden  is  the  present  pastor.  In  the  early  part 
of  the  conference  year,  1864,  a  board,  of  trustees  was  organized, 
viz:  Ebenezer  Perry,  president;  George  W.  Adams,  vice-president; 
Buel  Sherman,  'secretary;  Hiram  Benedict,  D.  Berkstresser,  J.  P. 
Hartley.  G.  C.  Cleghorn.  This  board  purchased  the  residence, 
now  the  parsonage,  of  W.  S.  Pitts,  paying  therefor  $400.  Buel 
Sherman  is  the  present  secretary,  Leonard  Nourse  the  present 
treasurer  of  the  society,  The  church  has  also  a  large  and  flourish- 
ing Sabbath  school. 

A  Presbyterian  mission  was  organized  at  Fredericksburg  in 
1860,  and  continued  about  five  years.  L.  R.  Lockwood  was  the 
pastor. 

Mount  Horeb  Lodge  No.  333,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  received  its 
charter  in  June,  1875,  having  previously  worked  one  year  under 
dispensation.  There  were  ten  charter  members.  Its  first  of- 
ficers were,  W.  S.  Pitts,  W.  M.;  Leonard  Nourse,  S.  W.;  S.  H. 
Holcomb,  J.  W.  The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the  oflicers 
at  date  of  present  writing:  S.  H.  Holcomb,  W.  M.;  W.  S.  Pitts, 
S.  W.;  D.  B.  Nourse,  J.  W.;  L.  W.  Pond,  secretary;  E.  Cullens, 
treasurer,  R.  W.  Pond,  S.  D.;  George  Bolton,  J.  D.;  S.  P.  More, 
Tyler.  The  lodge  has  thirty  members,  and  is  in  a  prosperous 
condition.  Meetings  are  held  Wednesday  evenings  on  or  after 
each  full  moon,  in  Pitts  and  Warren's  hall  over  Milo  L.  Sherman's 
store. 

There  have  been  various  temperance  organizations  in  Fredericks- 
burg, all  of  which  have  proved  to  be  of  a  more  or  less  evanescent 
nature,  save  the  Fredericksburg  temperance  society,  which  meets 
every  fourth  Sunday  evening  in  the  two  churches  alternately. 
The  exercises  are  of  a  popular  and  beneficial  nature,  and  the 
meetings  are  largely  attended.  The  officers  of  the  society  are: 
W.  S.  Pitts,  president;  Milo  L.  Sherman,  vice-president;  William 
Brown,  secretary;  Mrs.  B.  D.  Alden,  treasurer. 

J.  V.  Cari^enter,  Post  No.  104,  G.  A.  R.,  of  the  department  of 
Iowa,  was  organized  in  November,  1882,   and   has  already  taken 


252  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

rank  as  one  of  the  live  posts  of  the  state.  At  the  date  of  present 
writing  (March,  1883,)  there  have  been  mustered  into  full  mem- 
bership forty-seven,  and  eight  applications  are  on  file.  Fredericks- 
burg township  contributed  largely  to  Chickasaw  county's  quota 
during  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  and  the  soldier  element  of  the 
township  is  unusually  large.  Carpenter  Post  meets  semi-monthly, 
on  Saturday  evenings,  in  Armory   hall. 

The  following  is  the  official  roster:  Milo  L.  Sherman,  C; 
H.  B.  Carpenter,  S.  V.  C;  J.  N.  Coleman,  J.  V.  C;  W. 
H.  Grems,  A.;  J.  Ellison,  Q.;  S.  N.  Brace,  0.  D.;  J.  H.  Langdon, 
O.  G.  Rev.  James  Mitchell,  Chaplain;  H.  A.  Pond,  S.  M.;  R.  W. 
Kidder,  Q.  M.  S.  . 

The  ladies  aid  societies  in  connection  with  both  churches  are 
active  and  efficient  in  promoting  the  objects  of  their  organiza- 
tions. 

A  feature  of  the  organizations  of  the  village  was  the  church 
choir  which  was  organized  with  W.  S.  Pitts  as  director  in  1864, 
and  which  held  rehearsals  regularly  every  Sabbath  afternoon  for 
thirteen  years.  This  choir  became  widely  known  in  this  section 
as  one  of  the  best  church  choirs  in  northern  Iowa.  The  following 
persons  comprised  its  membership :  Sopranos — Miss  Nan  M.Warren, 
Mrs.  Helen  C.  Kendall,  Mrs.  Elmira  Mabry.  Altos — Miss  Nettie 
M.  Warren,  Mrs.  Emily  E.  Dayton,  Mrs.  S.  E.  Ellis.  Bassos— Joseph 
H.  Benedict,  George  H.  Benedict,  Allison  Congdon,  Abner  War- 
ren. Tenors — William  S.  Pitts,  George  Bishop.  The  first  death 
among  the  membership  of  this  choir,  was  that  of  Mrs.  Kendall, 
who  was  first  soprano  at  the  time  of  her  demise,  November  18th, 
1871. 

Fredericksburg  has  an  efficient  cornet  band,  the  successor  to  an 
equally  excellent  one,  which  latter  was  organized  in  the  winter  of 
1865,  and  was  called  Pitts'  Cornet  band.  The  roster  of  this 
pioneer  band  was  as  follows: 

W.  S.  Pitts,  1st  Eb  cornet. 
A.  J.  Warner  2d  Eb  cornet. 
Jerome  Padden,  1st  Bb  cornet. 
Joseph  H.  Benedict,  2d  Bb  cornet. 
George  Benedict,  1st  Eb  alto. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  253 

Charles  Chapman,  2d  Eb  alto. 

John  H.  Miller,  Bb  tenor. 

E.  N.  Olmsted,  Bb  baritone. 

M.  W.  Warren,  Bb  bass. 

A.  P.  Fowler,  Eb  tuba. 

M.  L.  Sherman,  drummer. 

This  band  was  disorganized  in  1870,  and  in  the  spring  of  1878 
the  present  band  was  organized  under  the  name  of  the  Freder- 
icksburg cornet  band.     The  following  is   its  rosteri 

W.  S.  Pitts,  1st  Eb  cornet. 

Robert  Padden,  2d  Eb  cornet. 

Watson  Pond,  1st  Bb  cornet. 

Frank  Warren,  2d  Bb  cornet. 

George  Carpenter,  1st  Eb  alto. 

Clarence  Sherman,  2d  Eb  alto. 

L.  W.  Pond,  Bb  tenor. 

Jerome  Padden,  Bb  baritone. 

M.  M.  Padden,  Eb  tuba. 

Lucius  Steadman,  snare  drum. 

M.  L.  Sherman,  bass  drum. 

D.  B.  Hanan,  the  only  attorney  who  has  resided  in  Fredericks- 
burg, came  here  in  1857,  and  about  the  year  1874  removed  to  New 
Hampton. 

A  Dr.  Mack  located  here  in  the  practice  of  medicine  about  the 
year  1858,  and  remained  two  years.  He  was  not  a  regularly  ad- 
mitted physician  however.  Dr.  John  March,  an  electric  physi- 
cian came  in  1860,  and  left  in  1865. 

The  first  regularly  graduated  physician  to  locate  at  Fredericks- 
burg was  Dr.  E.  H.  Olmstead,  who  came  in  1865,  and  practiced 
his  profession  here  until  1872,  when  he  removed  to  New  Hamp- 
ton, where  he  is  still  in  practice. 

Dr.  W.  S.  Pitts  was  the  next  to  locate  in  the  village  of  Freder- 
icksbuig,  where  he  continues  to  reside  in  the  practice.  He  came 
in  1867. 

The  first  hotel  (subsequently  known  as  the  Fountain  house) 
was  erected  by  F.  Padden  in  1855,  and  after  occupancy  by  various 
proprietors,  ceased  to  be  used  as  a  hotel  about  1870.  The 
building  is  now  occupied  as  a  residence  by  Daniel  Pond. 


254  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

The  present  hotel  the  Julien  House,  was  built  by  Padden  in 
1857,  and  is  now  owned  and  conducted  by  L.  F.  Howe. 

The  postoffice  of  Fredericksburg  was  established  in  1856.  Fred- 
erick Padden  was  the  first  postmaster,  F.  W.  Barrow,  deputy. 
Daniel  Pond  succeeded  Padden,  with  Elisha  Smith  as  deputy. 
Peter  Case,  the  present  postmaster,  was  apjiointed  in  1860,  and 
has  held  the  position  ever  since.  The  office  was  made  a  money 
order  office  in  1882. 

The  village  of  Fredericksburg  is  not  incorporated.  It  is  very 
prettily  located,  and  with  its  neat  residences  and  advantageous 
surroundings,  presents  a  very  handsome  appearance.  Its  popula- 
tion is  not  far  from  300. 

Among  its  pioneer  merchants  were:  F.  W.  Barron,  now  a  lum- 
ber dealer  at  Spirit  Lake,  Iowa;  Elisha  Smith,  now  in  England; 
S.  G.  Merrian,  now  a  resident  of  Nebraska,  and  J.  H.  Haskett, 
now  a  resident  of  Kansas.  A.  K.  Warren,  another  pioneer  busi- 
ness man,  died  in  June,  1863.  Frederick  Padden  died  August  8th 
1867. 

At  the  present  time  the  business  of  Fredericksburg  is  repre- 
sented as  follows:  Milo  L.  Sherman,  general  merchandise;  C.  H. 
Clough,  drug  store;  George  W.  Bolton,  hardware;  John  Phillips, & 
Eli  Gooldsbury,  blacksmith;  Hillson  Brothers,  wagon  making  and 
blacksmithing;  Peter  Case,  groceries;  L.  W.  Pond,  harness;  H.  B. 
Carpenter,  boots  and  shoes;  Vail  and  Warren,  axe-helve  factory. 

Among  the  preceding  sketches  of  religious  organizations,  men- 
tion has  not  been  made  of  the  society  of  Dunkards,  which  owns  a 
parsonage  and  forty  acres  of  land  three  miles  east  and  one 
mile  south  of  the  village  of  Fredericksburg.  About  twelve  fami 
lies  are  represented  by  this  organization,  of  which  Mark  Lawler  is 
the  pastor. 

A  record  of  fires  which  have  occurred  in  the  village  since  its 
existence  began,  is  as  follows: 

The  saw  mill  owned  by  Frederick  Padden  was  destroyed  by  fire 
in  1857,  and  the  second  mill  erected  on  the  same  site  was  burned 
in  January,  1862. 

John  H.  Miller's  saloon  building,  on  the  lot  now  occupied  by 
the  Baptist  parsonage,  was  burned  in  the  spring  of  1870. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


255 


In  the  spring  of  1872,  J.  V.  Carpenter's  residence  was  destroyed 
"by  fire. 

The  most  disastrous  fire  that  has  visited  the  village  occurred  in 
February,  1877,  when  Padden  Brothers'  hardware  store,  Mrs. 
Howe  and  Mrs.  Stone's  millinery  establishment,  and  Amaziah 
Smith's  merchant  tailoring  establishment  were  destroyed  with  all 
their  contents. 

J.  G.  Haskett's  store  building,  occupied  by  L.  Padden  as  a  drug 
and  hardware  store,  burned  in  the  spring  of  1881. 

In  October,  1882,  the  Bolton  building,  occupied  by  Pomeroy 
and  Go's,  grocery  store,  was  destroyed  by  fire. 


256  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY, 


CHAPTER  XI. 


Stapleton  Township;  Location;  Early  Settlement  and  His- 
tory; Lawler;  Rise  and  Progress;  Great  Fires;  General 
History. 


STAPLETON   TOWNSHIP. 

Township  95  north,  range  11  west,  is  the  township  of  Stapleton, 
and  contains  thirty -six  sections,  the  soil  is  good,  although  sandy  in 
some  places.  Crane  creek  and  two  smaller  ones  traverse  the  town- 
ship, which  with  a  number  of  small  affluents,  all  fringed  with  tim- 
ber, make  plenty  those  two  items  of  good  farming  land,  viz:  wood 
and  water. 

The  first  settlement  was  made  in  1850,  by  T.  G.  Staples,  after 
whom  the  township  was  named;  he  settled  on  section  36,  where  he 
lived  for  many  years;  being  the  1st  postmaster  in  the  township,  at 
the  P.O.  called  also  after  him.  He  afterwards  went  to  Lawler,  and 
after  acting  as  "mine  host"  of  a  hotel,  emigrated  in  December,  1882^ 
to  Missouri,  where  he  now  resides.  Among  the  pioneers  of  this 
township,  we  find  the  names  of  Patk.  Casey,  James  Casey,  and  two 
brothers  by  the  name  of  Hill,  who  all  came  about  the  year  1855.  It 
seems  that  the  tide  of  emigration  set  in  but  slowly,  in  this  part  of 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  •  257 

the  county,  for  the  next  two  years,  but  in  1857  it  secured  a  new 
impetus,  and  from  that  date  it  has  steadily  grown  with  a  healthy 
growth.  We  are  credibly  informed,  that  in  1855  there  were  but 
two  houses  within  the  bounds  of  what  now  constitutes  the  town- 
ship, and  also,  that  in  the  same  year  but  60  votes  were  cast  within 
the  four  townships  of  Dresden,  Fredricksburg,  New  Hampton  and 
Stapleton.  The  first  store  in  the  township  was  kept  by  John  Nicholas 
about  the  year  1857,  and  was  located  on  what  is  now  the  farm  of  Mr. 
Menzes  about  one  and  a  half  miles  east  of  where  the  town  of  Law- 
ler  now  stands,  and  was  the  only  stopping  place  on  the  road  from 
Jacksonville  and  Waucoma,  between  those  places. 

The  first  account  we  find  of  anything,  approaching  to  an  organiza- 
tion, is  an  order,  emenating  from  the  county  court,  bearing  date, 
March,  1855,  directing,  that  the  four  townships  now  known  as  New 
Hampton,  Dresden,  Fredricksburg,  Stapleton,  then  without  names 
and  simply  designated  by  their  number  and  range,  be  united  for 
election  purposes,  and  be  known  as  the  Yankee  Settlement.  How- 
ever, at  the  April  term  of  the  county  court,  in  the  year  1857,  an 
order  was  issued  for  the  organization  of  township  95,  range  11,  as 
an  independent  township,  and  to  be  known  as  Stapleton.  This 
was  accordingly  done,  and  the  township  organized  on  the  basis  it 
now  occupies. 

LAWLER 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  residents  of  the  townships  of  Utica,  Staple- 
ton,  Jacksonville  and  Fredericksburg,  held  in  Stapleton,  November 
14th,  1868,  of  which  H.  B.  Wood  was  chairman  and  W.D.Lawrence, 
Secy.,  a  resolution  was  passed  appointing  E.  Wetner  a  committee, 
to  wait  upon  Mr.  John  Lawler,  and  ascertain  the  conditions,  upon 
which  the  McGregor  and  Soux  City  railway  would  establish  a 
depot,  on  the  west  side  of  Crane  Creek,  viz:  west  one-half  of  the 
south  west  quarter  of  section  4,  township  95  range  11. 

At  the  same  meeting,  on  motion  of  B.  F.  Stinson,  of  Stapleton, 
a  committee  on  subscription  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Seth  Mar- 
tin, of  Utica,  S.  Swennumson,  of  Jacksonville  and  J.  G.  Haskett,  of 
Fredericksburg. 

On  motion,  H.  B.  Wood,  was  also  appointed  to  confer  with  John 
Lawler,  with  regard  to  blank  subscriptions. 

The  above  is  the  very  earliest  notice  of  what  is  now  known  as 
Lawler,  and  was  taken  from  the  New  Hampton  Courier  of  Nov.  27, 


258  HISTORY    OF    CHICKASAW    COUNTY. 

1868.  The  original  proprietors  of  the  town  plat  were,  Patrick  Lynch 
Mathias  Konzen,  Geo.  Benz,  Martin  and  Patrick  Green  and  Peter 
Pitts,  Avho  resided  in  primitive  log  cabins  on  the  site  of  the  future 
town,  and  may   said  to  be  the  pioneer  settlers. 

But, on  the  railroad  locating  a  depot  here,  in  July, 1869,  suddenly, 
as  if  by  magic,  arose  a  town,whose  proud  pre-eminence,as  the  great- 
est shipping  point  for  years,  on  this  branch  of  the  Chicago,  Mil- 
waukee, and  St  Paul  railroad,  is  still  remembered  with  pride  by 
her  citizens,  and  although  now  suffering  from  the  effect  of  the  many 
conflagrations,  that  have  devastated  it,  still  enjoys  considerable 
prosperity. 

Among  the  first  buildings  erected  was  a  hotel,  which  the  owner  J. 
Nicholas,moved  here,  from  Conover  in  the  year  1869,  and  having 
built  on  considerable  additions,  called  it  the  Nicholas  Hotel;  he, 
run  it  successfully  until  the  year  1875,  when  it  passed  into  the  poss- 
ession of  Mr.  Parker,  who  also  added  large  additions,  but  it  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  in  the  spring  of  1876,  and  never  rebuilt.  Also  the 
building,  known  as  the  American  hotel,  was  moved  to  Lawler  from 
Jacksonville,  in  tlie  same  year,  by  C.  Bolton,  after  passing  through 
the  hands  of  Messrs,  Hobart  and  King,  it  was  kept  from  1880,  by 
■  T.  G.  Staples,  who  sold  out  and  emigrated  to  Marysville,  Missouri, 
in  December,  1882.  He  was  succeeded  by  W.E.  Wisner,  who  now 
conducts  it  in  a  first-class  manner,  it  being  the  only   hotel  in  the 

place. 

About  the  same  time  the  first  merchants  came  in  and  erected  the 

/necessary  buildings  to  carry  on  their  business,  they  were: 

Green  &  Lovejoy,  drugs  and  groceries. 

Ed  Casey,  hardware. 

Parkhurst  &  Barnes,  dry  goods. 

Blake  &  Menz,'  groceries. 

D.  R.  Kerby,  hardware. 
■  Jno.  Lynch,  general  merchandise. 

•  H.  B.  Lawrence,  general  merchandise. 

D.  G.  Goodrich,  agricultural  implements. 

Jamss  McKone,  has  the  honor  of  being  the  first  wagon  maker, 
and  Patrick  Burns,  the  pioneer  blacksmith.  The  first  shoemaker 
who  took  upon  himself  the  labor  of  looking  after  the  "soles"  of 
the  Lawlerites,  was  H.  Duryee,  and  A.  I.  Mason,  Geo.    Fisk,  J.  M. 

Cailiff'and Greenleaf,  were  the  first  carpenters;  all  these  came 

.  in  the  fall  of  1869. 


HISTOIiY  OF   CHICKASAW  COUNTV.  259 

In  a  small  red  building,  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town,in  the 
summer  of  1870,  Mrs.  Sullivan  taught  the  first  school,  teaching  in 
one  small  room,  and  residing  in  the  balance  of  the  house.  Mrs. 
Frank  Fletcher  succeeded  her,  the  following  year,  thus  were  in- 
structed the  earlier  schools,  but  in  1871,  a  greater  number  of  pu- 
pils, compelled  the  erection  of  larger  and  more  convenient  build- 
ings. A  frame  school  house  was  erected,  containing  two  rooms, 
but  was  afterwards  enlarged  to  four  rooms,  and  now  stands,  quite 
an  ornament  to  the  town;  the  value  being  placed  at  $4,000.  Prof. 
Oscar  A.  McFarland  is  the  present  principal,  and  Miss  Delia  Con- 
ley,  assistant.  The  enrollment  of  scholars  has  been,  until  within  a 
year,  as  high  as  160,  but  owing  to  the  establishment  of  the  school, 
presided  over  by  the  Sisters  of  the  Presentation,  the  number  has 
fallen  off  very  largely,  as  quite  a  majority  of  the  citizens  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  who  naturally  patronize  their 
own  schools.     The  number  enrolled  now  is  about  sixty, 

This  is  a  graded  school,  and  consists  of  three  grades,  viz. :  pri- 
mary, intermediate  and  grammar.  The  text  books  used  are  a  lit- 
tle different  from  the  ones  endorsed  by  the  county  superintendent 
of  schools,  and  hence  we  give  the  list:  Kirk  and  Belfi eld's  arith- 
metic and  reader;  Apple  ton's  geography,  introductory  and  test 
speller;  Swinton's  United  States  and  General  history;  Brown's 
physiology;  Swinton's  word  analysis,  &c. 

In  this  connection  we  must  remark,  that  the  records,  relating  to 
the  organization  of  the  school  district,  and  all  the  school  boards,, 
prior  to  1877,  were  destroyed,  in  the  great  fire  of  that  year,  and 
nothing  remains  from  which  to  gather  any  data,  but,  beginning  at 
that  year,  we  give  the  names  of  the  gentlemen  who  have  served  on 
that  board:  \Vm.  H.  Parker,  elected  September,  1877,  for  one 
year;  R.  J,  McHugh,  Jno.  Cronin,  P.  O'Reilly,  Jno.  A.  Green,  all 
elected  Sept,  1877,  F.  E.  Baker  and  Michael  JNfartin,  elected  March, 
1878,  to  serve  for  three  years;  R.  F.  Hedrick,  elected  March,  1878, 
for  one  year;  Geo.  Evans,  0.  A.  Taylor,  and  C.  Springer,  elected 
October  17th,  1878,  to  serve  three  years;  P.  O'Reilly  and  C. 
Springer,  elected  March,  1879,  for  one  year;  A.  J.  Kuckcr  and  H., 
S.  Blackett,  elected  Marcli,  1880,  for  three  years;  M.  Martin 
and  S.  A.  Potter,  elected  March,  1881,  for  three  years.     Tho  above 

comprises  all  the  records  of  the  school  board,  now   remaining,    for. 

which  we  are  indebted  to  C.  N.  Husting,  the  present  secretary. 


260  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

Lawler,  was  first  incorporated  about  the  middle  of  the  year,  1871, 
but,  here  the  the  same  calamity  steps  in  and  deprives  us  of  any 
reliable  data,  as  the  greater  part  of  the  town  records  were  destroy- 
ed, with  the  school  records,  in  the  fire  of  1877.  But  tradition  hath 
it,  that  J.  W.  Vanauken  was  the  first  mayor,  Jno.  McHugh,  re- 
corder, and  that  D.  R.  Kerby  was  a  member  of  the  first  council, 
the  balance  we  could  not  get  at,  with  any  reasonable  degree  of  ac- 
curacy. However,  at  a  meeting  of  the  council,  held  September 
17tli,  1871,  L.  P.  Hawley  was  appointed  treasurer,  and  Jno.  Phil- 
lips, marshal. 

The  council,  present  at  a  meeting  held  in  June,  1872,  we  find  H. 
E.  Doolittle,  H.  B.  Lawrence  and  J.  A.  Green,  and  a  notice  that 
L.  P.  Hawley  resigned  the  office  of  treasurer,  to  take  effect  Sept. 
17th,  1872. 

Sept.  18th  1872,  the  new  officers  sworn  in  were: 

John  McHugh,  mayor. 

J.  A.  Green,  councilman. 

W.  H.  Parker 

H.  E.  Doolittle,        " 

Geo.  Hemstock,     '    " 

Dr.  I.  K.  Gardner,     " 

C.  Seeber,  recorder  de  facto. 

This  council  appointed  Thomas  W.  Thompson,  marshal,  Septem- 
ber 21st,  1872,  and  after  organizing,  John  Mc  Hugh,  resigning  the 
position  of  mayor,  J.  W.  Van  Auken,  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy, 
and  John  McHugh,  to  fill  the  place  of  recorder. 

The  officers  of  the  city,  elected  March  3rd,  1873,  were  C.  Seeber, 
mayor;  John  Mc  Hugh,  recorder;  H.  S.  Blackett,  H.W.  Parker,  P. 
H.  Leonard,  H.  E.  Doolittle  and  P.  P.  Barron,  members  of  the 
council;  who  after  being  sworn  in,  appointed,  John  A.  Green,  city 
treasurer;  C.  M.  Stone,  city  marshal;  John  Phillips,  street  com- 
missioner; E.  Casey, assessor;  and  E.  C.  Walker,  poundmaster,  John 
Fitzsimmons,  C.  W.  Harvey,  I.  K.  Gardner,  E.  C.  Crane  and  J.  S. 
Fletcher  members  of  the  council,  who  appointed  John  Phillips, 
to  fill  the  positions  of  marshal  and  street  commissioner. 

An  election  was  held  March  2nd,1874,  with  the  following  result:  C. 
Seeber  mayor;  John  McHugh,   recorder;  H.  S.    Blackett,  James' 
McKone,    P.  H.  Leonard,  W.  H.  Parker  and  E.  Hurlbut,  members 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  261 

of  the  council,  who  immediately  appointed  John  A.   Green,  city 
treasurer  and  John  Phillips,  marshal. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  council,  held  September  17th,  1874,  a  resolu- 
tion was  passed,  for  the  erection  of  a  city  jail,  and  the  contract  was 
accordingly  let,  but  to  whom  the  records  are  silent. 

Mayor  Seeber  resigned,  October  1st,  1874,  but  the  vacancy  was 
filled  by  pro  tern.  appointments,from  time  to  time,  until  March8th 
1874,  when  at  the  election  held  then,  Wm.  Lawrence,  was  chosen 
mayor;  E.  Casey,  recorder;  John  A.  Green,  treasurer. 

There  having  been  some  informality  in  the  first  incorporation,early 
in  1876,  the  legislature  was  applied  to,  for  an  act  to  legalize  the 
incorporation,  on  receipt  of  which  an  election  took  place? 
under  the  new  act  of  incorporation  then  adopted.  The 
said  election  took  place  March  6th,  1876,  and  William 
Lawrence,  chosen  mayor;  D.  R.  Kerby,  treasurer;  H. 
C.  Geeting,  recorder;  C.  W.  Harvey,  E.  C.  Crane;  John 
A.  Green  and  I.  K.  Gardner,  members  of  the  city  council,  and  John 
Phillips  was  continued  in  his  dual  ofiice  of  marshal  and  street  com- 
missioner. However,  after  January  25th,  1877,  J.  Mc  Kone's  name, 
appears  upon  the  records,  as  a  member  of  said  council,  perhaps,  as 
substitute  to  fill  some  vacancy. 

At  the  election  held  March  5th,  1877,  there  were  one  hundred 
and  fifteen  votes  cast  within  the  the  corporation,  of  which  I.  K. 
Gardner,  received  seventy-four,  C.  Seeber,  fifteen,  and  J.  W.  Van 
Auken  twenty-six,  for  the  ofiice  of  mayor;  for  recorder,  H.  C. 
Geeting,  received  sixty -six  votes,  I.  K.  Gardner  seven,  and  I.  N. 
Barker  forty;  for  marshal,  (now  made  an  elective  office)  P.  D. 
Parker  had  fifty  votes  against  F.  M.  Phillips  sixty -two;  for  street 
commissioner,  F.  M.  PhillijDS,  received  fifty-seven  votes,  R.  D. 
Parker,  thirty,  and  C.  W.  Harvey,  nineteen. 

D.  R.  Kerby,  polled  eighty-two  votes,  J.  S.  Fletcher,  twenty-six> 
and  James  Carter,  three,  for  the  ofiice  of  cit}'  treasurer;  for  assessor, 
J.  M,  Lynch,  received  thirty-six  votes,  P.  H.  Leonard,  sixty-three 
and  John  Nicholas  fourteen.  The  vote  on  Councilmen  stood,  W. 
M.  Morton,  sixty-tour.  James  McKone,  ninety-two,  D.  C.  Mc- 
Farland,fifty -three,  T.  Cronin,  fifty -nine,  H.  S.  Blackett,  fifty-seven, 
P.  0.  Reiley,  fifty-four,  C.  Stringer,  fifty ,Joseph  Binns,  eleven,  W. 
H.  Parker,  eleven,John  Fitzsimmon,  thirty-six,John  Reiley, thirty- 
five  and  J.  M.  Lynch,  one. 


262  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

In  according  with  the  above  vote,the  officers  and  councirfor  1877 
stood,  I.  K.  Gardner,  mayor;  H.  C.  Geeting,  recorder;  D.  R.  Kerby, 
treasurer;  F.  M.  Pliillips,  marshal  and  street  commissioner  P.  H. 
Leonard,  assessor;  with  W.  M.  Morton,  James  McKone,  T.  Cronin, 
P.    O'Reilly,  and  H.  S.  Blackett,  as  council. 

Mayor,  I.  K.  Gardner,  resigning  the  office  May  1st,  1877,  J.  W. 
Van  Auken,  was  chosen  to  fill  the  vacancy  and  entered  upon  the 
duties  of  the  office.  May  3rd,  of  the  same  year. 

At  the  election  held  March  12th,  1878,  Wm.  Lawrence  was  chosen 
mayor;  F.E.  Baker,  recorder;  D.  R.  Kerby,  treasurer:  D.  C.  Mc 
Farland,  R.  T.  Hedrick,  R.  J.  McHugh,  Wm.  King  and  James  Mc 
Kone,  members  of  the  council;  C.  W.  Harvey,  street  commissioner 
and  P.  H.  Leonard,  assessor. 

March  4th,  1879,an  election  was  held,  J.  W.  Van  Auken,  received 
sixty -four  votes  for  mayor,  being  a  majority  over  all  votes,  cast  for 
R.  T.  Hedrick  and  F.  Clarkin,  his  opponent,  and  was  declared 
elected. 

For  recorder,  A.  J.  KucKer,  received  sixty -nine  votes  and  J.  M. 
Lynch,  fifty -four. 

D.  R.  Kerby,  was" elected  treasurer,  by  one  hundred  and  twenty 
votes  out  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  cast.  The  council  elected 
were  as  follows:  C.  Springer,  Wm.  King,  Connor  Cooney,  D.  C. 
McFarland,  P.  O'Reilly  and  H.  S.  Blackett.  W.  M.  O'Brien,  was 
elected  assessor,  and  0.  A.  Taylor,  street  commissioner. 

April  12th,1878,a  special  election  was  held,  in  Lawler,  to  determine 
the  question,  whether  fifty  per  cent  of  the  state  tax,  for  1878,  should 
or  should  not  he  appropriated  for  the  roads  outside  of  the  corpora- 
tion. The  whole  number  of  votes  cast  was  thirty,  and  all  in  the 
affirmative. 

March  1st,  1880,  0,  A.  Taylor,  was  elected  mayor;  J.  H.  Lovejoy, 
was  treasurer;  C.  N.  Husting,  recorder;  J.  M.  Lynch,  assessor;  and 
H.  J.  Ditmars  and  D.  C.  McFarland,  to  serve  as  councilmen  for  three 
years,  and  J.  W.  Van  Auken,  for  one  year. 

P.  F.  Kirk,  was  appointed  the  same  time  by  council,  to  fill  the 
position  of  street  commissioner. 

At  the  election,  held  March  7th,  1881,  C.  Seeber,  was  chosen  may- 
or; D.  R.  Kerby,  treasurer;  C.  N.  Husting,  recorder;  A.  J.  Kucker, 
assessor;  The  street  commissioner,  elected  at  the  same  time,  was 
0.  A.  Taylor;  and  F.  Clarkin  and  C.  Springer,  as  members  of  town 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COTNTY.  263 

council.     April  16th,  1881,  A.J.Kucker  had.  the  duties  of  the  office 
of  marshal  laid  ujDon  his  shoulders. 

The  present  officers,  of  Lawler,  were  elected  March, 1882,  and  con- 
sist of  C.  N.  Husting,  mayor;  Andrew  S.  Frink,  recorder;  D.  R. 
Kerby,  treasurer;  A.  J.  Kucker,  assessor;  J.   W.    Lewis,  marshal. 

The  present  council  consists  of  J.  W.  Van  Auken,  G.  Miller,  F. 
Clarkin,  H.  J.  Ditmars,  C.  Springer  and  A.  P.  Johnson. 

The  Catholic  church  in  the  town  of  Lawler,  was  the  first  one 
built  in  the  township,  as  we  are  credibly  informed.  It  was  built 
in  the  year  1872  and  is  a  frame  structure,  40x80  feet,  with  the 
usual  steeple — common  to  the  church  edifices,  of  this  denomination, 
the  main  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $  5,500,  and  in  addition 
to  it  there  has  since  been  added,  a  sacristy,  24x30  feet,  built  at  a 
cost  of  $2,000. 

The  bell,  which  hangs  in  the  tower,that  is  used  to  call  the 
worshipper  to  its  holy  shrine — to  ring  out  the  Angelus — to 
toll  for  the  burial  of  the  dead,  is  one  of  the  finest  in 
this  section  of  the  country,  weighing  some  3,200  pounds 
and  cost,  in  the  neighborhood  of  $500.  Some  one  hundred 
and  eighty  families  contribute,  directly,  to  the  support  of  the  church 
and  a  fair,  gotten  up  for  the  benefit  of  it,  is  sure  to  be  well  patron, 
ized  and  realize  a  handsome  amount,  as  did  one  held  in  January, 
1883,  when  the  receipts  exceeded  $2,500. 

Father  Harrison  was  the  first  pastor  the  church  had,and  infact,it 
was  mainly  by  his  efforts  the  church  was  built.  He  was  succeed- 
ed by  Father  P.  F.  Farrelly,in  1875,  who  was,  himself  replaced  by 
Father  Bryne,  the  present  incumbent.  The  society  also  possess  in 
addition  to  the  church  a  parsonage,  or  residence  for  the  priest, 
a  fine  frame  building,  erected  at  a  cost  of  nearly  $5,000,and  is  large, 
roomy,  and  convenient,  and  evidences  the  watchful  care  bestowed 
by  the  congregation  upon  the  comfort  of  their  spiritual  guide. 
The  house  stands  close  by  the  church,  and  on  the  same  grounds; 
a  parochial  school  was  erected  during  the  year  1882,  and,  under 
the  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  Presentation  (whose  mother  house  is 
at  Dubuque),  has  prosj)ered.  The  building  cost  to  erect  about 
$1,200,  without  the  furniture,  and  the  attendance  is  quite  large, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  scholars  being  enrolled. 


264  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

CONGREGATIONAL   CHURCH. 

This  society  was  organized  some  time  during  the  winter  of 
1871-72,  but,  in  the  absence  of  records  the  exact  date  cannot  be 
given.  In  1872  they  erected  the  building  in  which  they  worship, 
a  neat  frame  one.  The  first  pastor  was  a  Mr.  Frey,  who  came  to 
the  pastorate  from  Frankville;  he  was  succeeded  in  about  a  year 
and  a  half  by  Rev.  Manwell,  who  died,  while  pastor,  in  the  year 
1874;  his  successor  was  Rev.  A.  V.  House,  who  came  to  Lawler  in 
August,  1874,  and  died,  while  officiating  shepherd  of  this  flock,  on 
the  27th  day  of  May,  1875.  The  Rev.  C.  A.  Marshall  succeeded 
him  until  1878,  when,  on  that  gentleman's  removal  to  New  Hamp- 
ton, Rev.  Thos.  Kent  was  called  to  preside  over  the  church,  and 
remains,  to-day,  to  minister  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  congrega- 
tion. The  society  is  very  small,  numbering  properly  only  about 
fifteen  members,  but  the  other  Protestant  denominations,  having 
no  church  of  their  own,  worship  with  them.  There  is  a  Sunday 
school  attached  to  this  church,  of  a  union  sentiment,  however,  of 
which  Mr.  A.  J.  Kucker  is  the  superintendent. 

A  small  number  of  German  Lutherans  in  the  community,  how- 
ever, hold  occasional  meetings  in  the  Congregational  church,  but 
is,  however,  very  thinly  attended,  and  appears  to  have  no  regular 
organization  as  far  as  we  could  get  at. 

These  are  all  the  religious  societies  that  the  town  can  boast  of, 
and  with  the  exception  of  the  Catholic  church,  does  not  seem  to 
be  very  largely  attended. 

The  first  physician,  who  located  in  town,  was  Dr.  E.  Neil,  whose 
advent  was  in  the  year  1870;  he  remained,  practising  his  profession, 
until  1873,  when  he  died. 

Bryan  J.  Castle  and  Orville  Potter  were  the  first  lawyers,  and  the 
date  of  their  settlement  was,  almost,  co-existent  with  the  building 
of  the  town.  The  former,  after  starting  the  Lawler  Gazette,  in  the 
year  1870,  and  running  it,  in  connection  with  his  legal  business, 
about  one  year,  gave  it  up  in  disgust  and  left  the  town.  The 
latter,  Mr.  Potter,  continued  until  1872  the  practice  of  law,  when 
he,  too,  left  for  pastures  new.  H.  C.  Geeting  commenced  the 
practice  of  law  in  Lawler,  in  1872,  and  his  brother,  John,  in  1875, 
but  in  1882,  they  discontiimed  the  same,  the  former  removing  to 
St.  Paul,  Mr.  C.  Seeber  being  the  only  lawyer  left  to  fill  the  wants 
of  the  litigiously  inclined. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY,  265 

The  postoffice  was  first  established  in  Lawler  in  the  summer  of 
1869,  and  Mr.  John  M.  Green  was  the  first  postmaster,  and  con- 
tinued to  hold  that  position  until  1879,  when  his  known  ability 
and  integrity  caused  him  to  be  elected  to  the  office  of  county 
treasurer,  and  he  removed  to  New  Hampton.  He  was  succeeded 
by  J.  H.  Lovejoy,  who  held  the  place  for  two  years,  and  was 
followed,  in  1881,  by  William  H.  Parker,  the  present  incumbent, 
who  was  formerly  one  of  the  prominent  merchants  of  the  town, 
dealing  largely  in  agricultural  imi>lements,  and  who  is  one  of  its 
pioneer  citizens,  having  located  at  this  point  in  February,  1870. 

In  the  early    days  of  the   town's   history   there   was  no  bank 

properly  so-called,  but  D.  R.  Kerby,  then  in  the  merchandising 

business,  did  somewhat  of  a  banking  business,  which,  as  the  needs 

of  business  grew,  expanded  until  in  October  1,  1875,  Kerby  and 

McHugh  (consisting  of  D.  R.  Kerby  and  Jno.  McHugh),  opened  a 

regular  banking  business  and  carried  it  to  a  successful  issue.     In 

1881,  Jno.  McHugh  retired  from  the  firm,  and  it  has  been  carried 

on  ever  since  by  Mr.  Kerby,  and  enjoys  the  entire  confidence  of 

the  whole  community. 

The  town  of  Lawler  boasts  of  a  circulating  library,  which  is  well 

patronized  by  the  general  public.  It  contains  about  400  volumes, 
and  is  owned  by  Francis  Clarkin,  another  of  the  "oldest  inhab- 
itants." The  number  of  volumes  and  the  class  of  literature  read 
speak  highly  for  the  general  intelligence  of  the  town,  and  evidences 
a  thirst  for  the  right  kind  of  knowledge  by  the  rising  generation. 
Whilst  speaking  of  the  general  businesses  of  the  town,  we  must 
not  overlook  one  of  its  most  prominent  ones,  viz:  The  Chickasaw 
County  creamery,  owned  and  operated  by  P.  O'Reilly,  one  of  the 
foremost  merchants.  It  was  established  in  1878,  and  occupies  a 
building  50x24  feet,  with  an  engine  and  boiler  house  in  addition 
of  36x12  feet,  and  is  fitted  up  with  all  the  most  modern 
machinery  for  the  business  carried  on.  It  also  has  a  bored  well  of 
20  feet  depth,  from  which  is  drawn  an  inexhaustable  supply  of 
pure  water.  This  creamery  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  one 
erected  north  of  West  Union,  and  is  the  largest  in  this  county. 
About  four  or  five  hands  are  kept  constantly  employed  inside,  and 
from  eight  to  seventeen  wagons  gather  the  cream  from  the  sur- 
rounding country;  the  number  varying  with  the  season  of  the 
year.  The  books  of  Mr.  Reilly  show  that  during  the  year,  1882, 
there  were  handled  at  the  creamery  181,486  inches  of  cream,  and 


266  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

the  amount  paid  out  for  that  item  and  for  expenses  generally,  was 
$41,181.17.  We  were  favored  with  the  sight  of  the  following 
document,  which  the  proprietor  was  making  out: 

Hon.  G.  B.  Loring,  Commissioner  Agriculture, 

Washington,  D.  C: 
The  average  number  of  cows  suj^plying  my  creamery, 

for  nine  months 1,050 

Number  pounds  butter  made  in  nine  months 161.894 

Of  which  the  value  was $40,807.44 

Value  buttermilk,  estimated 500.00 

There  are  fed  from  the  buttermilk,  etc.,  one  hundred  hogs  and 
thirty  calves,  from  the  sale  of  which  considerable  income  is 
derived. 

I.  o.  o.  F. 
Crane  Creek  Lodge,  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
was  organized,  at  Lawler,  on  the  evening  of  February  5,  1878,  with 
fifteen  charter  members,  and  has  been  quite  successfully  run  ever 
since.  There  are  now  thirty-four  members  in  good  standing,  and 
the  interest  is  well  kept  up.  The  lodge  holds  its  meetings  in 
Oakley's  hall. 

A.  0.  u.  w. 
A  lodge  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Workmen  was  instituted  on 
the  9th  day  of  April,  1878,  with  eleven  charter  members,  but  the 
membership  has  increased  to  21  at  the  present.  This  lodge  is  in 
a  most  flourishing  condition,  and  is  reported  to  be  one  of  the  most 
prompt  in  paying  its  assessments,  and  singular  to  say,  there  has 
never  been  a  death  in  the  lodge  since  its  organization.  In  the 
dispute  between  the  State  Grand  Lodge  and  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  United  States,  they  have  held  with  the  former. 

MILITARY. 

The  Lawler  Battery  was  organized  in  May,  1878,  by  Lieut.  D.  G. 
Garvey,  but  it  expired  more  than  a  year  ago,  although  the  gun 
still  remains  in  town;  C.  H.  Husting  being  the  last  commanding 
ofiicer. 

In  the  town's  earlier  history  there  existed  a  Roman  Catholic 
Total  Abstinence  Society,  which,  in  1872,  was  in  a  healthy  condi- 
tion, and  of  which  John  McHugh  was  a  prominent  member,  but 
at  present  it  seems  to  have  been  disbanded  and  the  records  gone  to 
"no-mans-land." 


HISTORY    OF   CHICKASAW    COUNTY.  267 

FIRES   IN   LAWLER. 

We  are  indebted  to  the  New  Hampton  Tribune,  of  September 
26,  1877,  for  the  following  account  of  the  first  great  conflagration 
that  desolated  with  relentless  fury  the  town  of  Lawler. 

"On  the  morning  of  the  21st  of  September,  1877,  a  fire  broke 
out  and  destroyed  the  entire  business  part  of  Lawler.  The  fire 
originated  in  the  drug  and  grocery  store  of  Green  and  Lynch, 
about  3  o'clock  a.  m.,  fi'om  which  it  spread  throughout  the  entire 
block.  When  it  reached  the  billiard  hall  of  John  Doyle  it  leaped 
across  the  street  and  attacked  Mrs.  M.  F.  Binns'  dry  goods  and 
millinery  store,  from  which  it  spread  through  the  block  on  the 
north  side  of  the  street,  and  from  thence  to  the  grain  warehouses, 
by  the  railroad  track.  By  a  vigorous  and  determined  effort  the 
flames  were  arrested  before  they  crossed  the  street,  at  G.  Miller  & 
Co.'s,  where  all  who  were  engaged  stood  to  their  post  with  un- 
flinching zeal,  notwithstanding  the  flames  were  rolling  around 
them  and  threatening  instant  destruction.  Had  it  not  been  for 
their  unceasing  and  faithful  efforts,  the  entire  length  of  Main 
street  would  have  been  burned.  Below  we  give  the  losses  and 
insurances : 

Loss.     Insurance. 

Green  &  Lynch,  drugs $12,000         $3,000       , 

Kean  Bros.,  Times  office 1,000 

D.  G.  West,  law  library 800 

E.  A.  Erwin,  jewelry 4,800 

Miss  E.  Lawrence 1,500             300 

Jno.  Doyle,  billiard  hall 2,500 

J.  M.  Cailiff,  carpenter  tools 200 

Fitzsimmons  Bros.,  saloon 1,000              400 

J.  Fitzsimmons,  groceries 5,000           3,000 

F.  Clarkin,  books 1,000              200 

M.  Martin,  groceries 2,500              800 

Pat.  Lewis,  house 600 

J.  A.  Real,  butcher  shop 100 

W.  M.  O'Brien,  confectionery 750 

P.  O'Reilly,  dry  goods,  etc 5,000           1,500 

Jno.  Nicholas,  dry  goods 6,000           3,200 

Lovejoy  &  McFarland,  dry  goods 6,000           6,000 

0 rson  Ober,  household  goods 400 


268  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

Mrs.  M.  F.  Binns,  milinery ,  etc 4,500  800 

M.  W.   Martin,  household  goods 1,500  600 

Genshow  &  Co.,  hardware 3,500  800 

H.  Ditmars,  household  goods 400 

Padden  Bros,,  house 1,000 

A.  P.  Johnson,  bakery 1,000 

Jeff.  Woodward,  household  goods 300 

I.  N.  Baker  &  Co.,  drugs 2,400 

Lawler  Library 500 

Kerby  &  McHugh,  bankers 6,000  2,500 

H.  Duryea,  shoemaker 500 

Bassett,   Hunting  &   Co.,  grain  ware- 
house  : 2,500  2,000 

Gilchrist  &  Co.,  grain  warehouse 1,000  1,000 

S.  A.  Potter,  grain  warehouse 800 

Argall  &  Leonard,  grain  warehouse 1,000 

Mrs.  Clias.  Argall,  household  goods 700 

Robinson  &  Co.,  grain  warehouse 1,600'  600 

C,  M.  &  St.  P.  R.  R 100 

W.  J.  Cramer., 200 

King's  Hotel 100 

T.  H.  Kosten 500 

Jno.  Reilly 100 

F.  E.  Baker 500 

Miscellaneous  items  in  sums  less  than 

$100.. 2,650 

Total $83,500       $26,450 

The  conflagration  left  many  without  a  home  for  the  coming 
winter,  but  they  were  provided  for  as  best  could  be.  Jno.  Fitz- 
simmons  has  purchased  the  building  of  Jno.  Reilly  and  has 
opened  a  saloon. 

The  town  will  be  rebuilt,  or  a  part  of  it,  this  fall,  with  brick, 
will  retain  its  former  business,  and  add  nearly  as  much  more.  A 
relief  committee  has  been  appointed  to  distribute  the  donations 
that  have  been  sent  in.  The  gentlemen  are  Messrs.  Kerby,  Blackett, 
Hedrick,  McKone,  and  Martin;  John  McHugh,  treasurer,  and  H. 
C.    Geeting,  secretary.     At  present  writing   Nashua  has  sent  in 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  269 

forty  Backs  of  flour  and  some  groceries,   which   came  in   time  of 
need."- 

Again,  on  February  15,  1879,  the  demon  of  fire  waved  his  torch 
over  the  town,  and  ruin,  as  usual,  followed  in  his  footsteps.  We 
give  the  account  of  a  correspondent  of  the  New  Hampton  Tribune, 
of  February  19th,  who  signs  himself,  "One  who  was  there." 

"About  1 :30,  on  Sunday  morning,  February  15th,  the  fire  was 
first  discovered  climbing  the  north  wall  of  John  McNevin's  saloon. 
The  alarm  was  sounded  at  once,  and  exertions  were  made  to  arrest 
the  flames  in  their  incipiency,  but  without  effect,  and  the  fire  soon 
enveloped  the  entire  building,  and  in  less  than  an  hour  the  Ijuild- 
ings  of  R.  D.  Parker,  John  McNevins,  King's  hotel,  Wolf's  barber 
shop,  and  the  Exchange  bank  were  in  ashes. 

Men  and  boys  worked  with  a  will  and  desperately  to  subdue  the 
flames,  and  had  action  been  taken  a  little  earlier  in  the  pulling 
down  process  the  bank  might  have  been  saved.  The  losses  are 
about  as  follows: 

Loss.      Insurance, 

R.  D.  Parker,  building  and  stock $2,500        $1,500 

J.  McNevins,  building,   billiard  tables, 

and  stock 1,500  500 

Wm.  King,  hotel 2,500  '1,000 

Wolf,  barber  shop 250 

Exchange  bank  building 1,200 

Total $7,950        $3,000 

Th  >re  was  no  insurance  on  the  Exchange  bank  building,  as  the 
policy  had  just  expired. 

No  one  will  ever  know  how  the  fire  originated,  but  it  is  supposed 
that  one  of  the  side-lamps  exploded  and  set  the  building  on  fire. 
Yet,  it  seems  doubtful  that  the  lamp  was  the  cause,  from  the  fact 
that  they  had,  at  about  12  o'clock  at  night,  scrubbed  out  the 
saloon,  and  are  certain  that  the  lamps  were  properly  extinguished 
when  they  left.  But  they  might  have  been  mistaken,  and  the 
lamp  being  low  it  heated  and  caused  the  explosion,  if  there 
was  one. 

Too  much  praise  cannot  be  given  to  certain  bold  men,  who  risked 
their  lives,  at  several  critical  turns  of  the  fire — especially  Charles 
Jones,  to  whose  indomitable  pluck  we  may  attribute  the  saving  of 


270  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

the  buildings  east  of  the  bank.  None  of  the  parties  burned  out 
are  despondent,  and  before  long  new  and  better  buildings  will 
occupy  the  sites  now  vacant.  No  one  was  seriously  injured  and 
the  furniture  was  nearly  all  saved  except  that  of  Mr.  Parker,  who 
lost  everything,  including  a  large  amount  of  salt  pork  and  beef  in 
his  cellar. 

The  bank  saved  everything  except  the  big  sale,  which  was  not 
much  injured,  and  was  doing  duty  again  in  about  twenty-four 
hours." 

We  find,  once  more,  that  the  fire-fiend  visited  this  doomed  town 
of  Lawler  and  wrapped  it  in  his  mantle  of  flames,  and  again  the 
smoke  of  the  sacrifice  arose  on  his  altar,  and  the  best  part  of  the 
business  portion  of  the  town  was  laid  in  ashes,  and  blackened 
piles  of  half  burned  timbers,  and  rank  desolation  brooded  in  the 
midst  of  what  was  the  most  flourishing  part  of  it.  On  the  morning 
of  Saturday,  November  17,  1881,  about  one  o'clock,  fire  was  dis- 
covered issuing  from  the  rear  of  the  store  of  H.  S.  Blackett.  The 
alarm  aroused  the  citizens,  but  facilities  for  extinguishing  the 
flames  being  wanting,  they  soon  became  masters  of  the  situation 
and  devoured,  with  greedy  maw,  many  of  the  best  buildings  with 
their  contents.  We  collate  the  following  losses  as  carefully 
estimated  by  the  citizens: 

Loss.       Insurance, 

H.  S.  Blackett,  building  and  stock $10,500        $4,500 

G.  Miller,  stock 4,000  1,700 

P.  O'Reilly,  two  buildings,  stables,  corn 

cribs,  etc.,  with  household  furniture...     9;000  2,500 

Sebarger  &  Broky,  building 1,500 

0.  G.  Gershow,  building 600 

Jno.   McNevin,  loss  covered  by  insur- 
ance. 
Orson  Ober,  partial  loss  of  household 
goods. 

A.  Bechtel,  building,  stock,  etc 1,800  800 

A.  P.  Johnson,   boots  and  shoes,  and 

millinery 1,100  800 

Patrick  Lewis,  two  buildings 600 

0.  C.  Steen,  building  and  loss  on  goods       700  400 

Jas.  McKone,  building 500  300 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


271 


Jas.  Curran,  moving  stock 200  200 

M.  Martin,  building  and  stock 1 ,800  1 ,400 

Total $32,300       $12,600 

PAPERS. 

During  the  year  1870  Bryan  J.  Castle  founded  a  newspaper 
called  The  Lawler  Gazette,  which  had  an  existence  of  about  a  year, 
when  it  was  sold  out  and  the  outfit  of  the  oflice  removed  from, 
the  town.  On  the  9th  of  April,  1875,  The  Chickasaw  County 
Times  made  its  first  appearance,  a  five  column  quarto,  owned  and 
edited  by  Frank  M.  Haislet,  now  owner  of  the  New  Hampton 
Tribune.  It  met  with  considerable  success,  and  on  the  12th  of 
April,  the  following  year,  Mr.  Haislet  was  bought  out  by  the  Kean 
Bros.  (Mathew  and  Patrick),  who  carried  it  on  for  two  years  and  a 
half,  when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Messrs.  Cooney  &  Konzen? 
who  changed  its  name  to  The  Lawler  Times,  and  they  having 
essayed  to  make  it  a  paying  investment  without  success  disposed 
of  it;  after  lying  still  for  some  time  the  material  was  removed  to 
Waucoma. 


^mi 


272  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER   XII. 


Township  History;  Location  and  Early  Settlements  of  Day- 
ton, Washington,  Chickasaw,  Richland,  Deerfield,  Jack- 
son, Utica  and  Dresden  Townships;  General  Remarks; 
Little  Brown  Church  at   Bradford. 


CHICKASAW  township, 

consists  of  that  part  of  the  county,  known  as  95  north,  14  west,  and 
contains  thirty-six  sections  of  fine  fertile  land,  and  is  well  watered 
by  the  west  branch  of  the  Wapsie  River;  and  by  the  Little  Cedar 
and  its  affluents.  Next  to  Bradford,  this  is  the  best  timbered  por- 
tion of  the  county,  quite  heavy  belts  of  trees  lining  the  streams  on 
each  side.  The  principal  business  of  the  inhabitants  being  grazing 
and  raising  the  necessary  fodder  to  feed  their  stock,  a  mixed  state 
of  farming  that  pays  well,  to  judge  from  the  fine  farms  and  farm 
houses,  that  so  plentifully  dot  its  beautiful  prairies. 

In  making  up  the  history  of  this  town,  we  are  much  indebted  to 
William  Tucker,  now  a  resident  of  Washington,  D.  C,  but  formerly 
one  of  the  oldest  and  most  influential  citizens  of  this  section. 
His  letter  to  us,  detailing  the  events  of  his  early  advent  in  Chick- 
asaw county,  gives  as  much  history  of  the  town,  as  can  be  procur- 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  273 

ed,  and  hence^we  freely  quoted  from  it,  although  much  of  it  may- 
be a  repetition  of  some  things  mentioned  elsewhere,  but  it  would 
break  the  thread  of  his  narrative,  and  spoil  a  good  story  well  told. 

"In  November,  1853,"  relates  Mr.  Tucker,  "I  left  West  Union,  on 
horseback,  to  go  to  Bradford,  this  was  early  in  the  month.  A 
Mrs.  Finch  lived  at  the  farthest  point  west,  about  twelve  miles  from 
West  Union,  between  that  place  and  the  Cedar  river,  and  kept  folks 
going  to  and  from  those  points  which  were  over  forty  miles  apart. 

I  arrived  there  in  the  evening  and  staid  all  night,  intending  to 
make  an  early  start  in  the  morning.  But  when  I  arose,  I  found 
the  ground  covered  with  snow,  which  had  fallen  during  the  night. 
I  was  advised  not  to  venture,  so  I  returned  to  West  Union,  for  two 
days,  when  I  started  to  try  again,  and  foun  I  on  my  arrival  at  Mrs. 
Finch's  that  no  teams  had  come  from  the  west,  nor  gone  in  that 
direction,  since  the  snow  had  fallen.  I  hesitated,  somewhat,  about 
starting,  but  as  it  was  clear  as  well  as  cold,  I  made  the  venture  as 
I  was  on  horseback,  after  getting  my  bearings.  When  about  half 
way,  I  met  Mr.  Merritt,  with  two  yoke  of  oxen,  who  had  come 
through  from  Bradford;  he  told  me  to  follow  his  back  track  and  I 
would  be  all  right,  that  he  had  cut  the  ice  in  the  streams  so  I  could 
get  through;  this  was  good  news  for  me. 

"The  monotony  of  the  journey  was  only  broken,  occasionally,  by 
the  sight  of  droves  of  deer  passing  Irom  grove  to  grove,  and  a  few 
elk  in  the  distance.  I  had  some  difficulty  in  crossing  the  Wapsies 
as  it  had  frozen  after  Mr.  Merritt  had  crossed,  but  not  enough  to 
bear  my  horse  up.  Night  overtook  me,  however,  before  I  got  to 
Bradford,  arid  seeing  a  light,  off  to  my  right,  that  looked  near  by 
I  left  the  trail  and  steered  for  it,  but  found  it  much  further  than  I 
anticipated.  About  9  o'clock,  after  some  plunging  in  snow-drifts — 
tired  and  hungry — I  struck  the  cabin  from  which  the  light  ema- 
nated. Here  I  found  William  and  Joel  Bartlett,  brothers,  each 
with  a  family  of  children,  occujDying  the  cabin.  Joel  had,  that 
day,  buried  his  wife.  They  were  living  on  section  twenty-six, 
town  95,  14.  This  was  my  first  night  in  Chickasaw  township. 
After  partaking  of  cornbread,  milk,  and  venison,  I  slept  soundly 
till  morning.  They  told  me  that  there  were  ten  families  living  in 
T.  95,  R.  14,  viz:  their  own;  Mr.  Watson  and  Mr.  Blunt  on  section 
twenty-nine;  Joseph  Lee,  andL.  D.  Hoisington  and  father  on  sec- 
tion eleven,  the  latter  being  a  little  deranged,  spent  most  of  his  time 


274  HISTORY   OF   CHICKASAW   COUNTY. 

under  a  large  oak  tree,  by  himself.  One  day  he  came  up  missing 
and  the  whole  country  turned  out  to  search  for  him;  the  hunt 
extended  for  miles  and  for  several  days,  but  never  got  any  trace  of 
him.  Some  years  afterwards,  some  bones  were  found,  near  the 
Wapsie,  in  Bremer  county,  which  were  supposed  to  have  been  his. 
The  younger  Hoisington  went  to  Kansas  afterwards.  M.  Jarrad 
and  Samuel  Monroe  lived  on  section  twenty-two.  The  former  left 
for  Minnesota,  in  a  few  years,  and  Monroe  went  to  Nebraska  but 
returned,  and  now  lives  at  Bassett.  James  Frazee,  was  on  section 
five,  living  in  wagons  and  building  a  place  for  shelter  as  fast  as 
they  could;  he  was  afterwards  the  first  county  treasurer  and  re- 
corder. (This  is  evidently  a  slip  of  the  memory  as  John  Campbell, 
occupied  that  position,  according  to  the  records. — Ed)  Mr.  Kountz 
lived  in  the  woods  on  section  thirty. 

"Next  morning  I  went  to  Bradford,  and  learned  there,  that,there 
were  about  fifteen  families  in  the  township,  besides  a  small  num- 
ber of  young  men,  and  others  who  had  no  families  with  them. 

"Among  these  was  one  H.  K.  Johnson,  acting  justice  of  the 
peace  at  the  town  of  Bradford  and  the  one  who  administered  the 
first  oath  in  the  county,  (legal,  not  profane.)  (The  story  is  told 
elsewhere,  in  the  history  of  Bradford  township  and  we  will  not 
repeat  it  here. — Ed.) 

"Andy  Sample  went  that  winter  to  get  a  stock  of  groceries,  to 
open  a  store,"  continues  Mr.  Tucker,  when  he  returned;  and  I  saw 
them  unload  his  sled,  I  asked  him  where  his  groceries  were;  he 
said:  "In  the  barrels."  "That  looks  like  whiskey,"  I  said;  "yes;" 
was  the  reply.  When  I  got  ready  to  buy,  I  studied  what  would 
.  sell  best  and  quickest  and  pay  the  most  profit;  and  concluded 
it  was  whiskey  and  bought  a  barrel;  then  I  studied  again  and 
thought  of  whiskey,  and  kept  on  thinking  and  buying  until  I  had 
purchased  five  barrels  of  the  stuff,  and  I  guess  I  was  about  right. 
G.  R.  Rowley,  was  one  of  the  prominent  men  ol  that  town,  and 
one  of  the  freest  and  most  open-hearted  men  I  have  ever  met — 
ready  to  divide  his  last  meal  with  any  one — his  house  was  open 
for  all.  He  had  a  number  of  boarders,  young  men  seeking  their 
fortunes  in  the  mighty  west,  and  it  was  a  lively  place.  In 
1857  he  went  to  Iowa  City,  to  attend  the  Republican  convention; 
a  resolution  was  offered,  before  the  meeting,  that  the  motto  of  the 
party  be  "liberty  or   death,"  and  he   immediately  amended  it   by 


HISTORY  OF   CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  275 

proposing  as  a  substitute,  that  it  be;   "Root  hog  or  die." 

Among  his  boarders  were  E.  R.  Gillett,  our  first  Republican 
representative;  M.  F.  Gillett,  the  now  noted  Greenbacker  of  Bremer 
county,  and  others. 

"At  the  first  election  in  the  county,  there  were  about  fifty  votes 
polled;  and  a  barrel  of  whiskey  with  the  head  knocked  out,  and  a 
quart  dipper  to  drink  out  of  stood  by  the  polls.  It  sometimes 
took  two  men  to  hold  up  the  voter  long  enough  for  him  to  cast  his 
ballot.  I  remember,  distinctly,  one  man  that  was  elected  justice 
of  the  peace,  being  held  up  in  that  condition  while  he  voted; 
(we  have  improved  some  on  that  since,  for  at  the  last  election  in 
Chickasaw  township,  the  only  man  on  the  ground  that  was  drunk, 
was  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  to  spite  the  amendment  folks.) 

"Hon.  James  S.  Wilson,  of  Dubuque,  was  the  first  district  judge. 
The  first  time  he  came  to  hold  court,  he  drove  his  ponies  up  to  a 
log  cabin  prepared  for  the  purpose,  and  without  getting  out  of  his 
buggy,  told  the  sheriff  to  open  court;  which  was  accordingly  done, 
and  court  was  held  under  the  canopy  of  Heaven,  like  the  Vehme- 
gericht,  of  old.  "Mr.  Clerk,"  said  he,  "are  there  any  cases  on  the 
docket."  "No  sir,"  was  the  reply;  "make  a  record,  and  Mr.  Sheriff 
adjourn  the  court;"  was  the  judges  answer;  which  was  done, 
and  off  he  drove.  If  the  lawyers  had  stayed  away  from  this 
section,  this  might  be  the  case  now,  in  all  probability. 

"James  Lyon,  of  Crane  Creek,  a  trapper,  was  our  first  county 
judge.  The  first  time  he  came  to  Bradford  to  hold  court;  he 
walked  over  from  his  home.  I  think  I  see  him  now,  as  he  came 
into  the  village,  he  was  remarkably  clean  and  starched  up,  his 
blue  denim  overalls,  which  he  wore  for  pants,  had  been  washed 
until  they  had  shrunk  half  way  to  his  knees.  We,  however, 
thought  ourselves  equal  to  the  emergency.  In  the  course  of  the 
•evening  we  made  up  a  purse  to  buy  him  a  new  pair  of  pants,  but 
when  it  was  mentioned  to  him  in  the  morning;  he  disdained  the 
offer  with  scorn,  with  remarks  about  being  bribed. 

"The  winter  of  1853-4,  was  a  very  severe  one,  but  at  one  time 
during  the  season  it  sets  in  and  thawed,  the  rain  melting  the  snow 
•of  which  there  was  plenty,  all  off.  As  we  had  been  corralled  all 
winter  by  the  cold  and  snow,  we  concluded  to  go  coon  hunting. 
We  divided  into  parties,  three  in  each,  Andy  Sample,  Cal  Goddard 
•and  myself  in  one,  and  James  Rowley,  Doc.  Haynes,  and  another, 
in  the  other.     We  each  took  a  wagon  and  team,  feed   and  provis- 


276  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

ions.  Our  company  crossed  the  Wapsie  2  o^clock  p.  m.,  fording 
the  stream,  took  a  hmch — baited  the  team,  and  started  for  coon. 
It  was  then  warm,  but  in  less  than  two  hours  we  were  driven  back 
by  a  severe  storm  and  heavy  fall  of  snow.  We  consulted  what  to 
do,  and  concluded  to  remain  where  we  were,  and  save  ourselves  as 
best  we  could,  rather  than  risk  freezing  to  death,  by  trying  to 
move  from  the  grove.  We  cut  down  a  number  of  young  white 
oaks,  with  the  leaves  on,  and  made  a  good  windbreak.  Behind 
this  we  moved  our  wagon  and  team,  and  building  a  rousing  fire, 
and  made  the  best  of  it,  till  morning.  About  9  o'clock,  next  day 
we  decided  to  get  back  home,  if  we  could,  the  wind  blowing  hard; 
we  crossed  on  the  ice,  with  team,  at  the  same  place  we  had  forded 
the  afternoon  before,  and  got  home  before  night,  all  safe,  and  not 
even  frosted.  The  other  party  were  not  so  lucky,  as  frozen  toes, 
fingers  and  noses  testified,  and  which  they  nursed  tenderly  the 
balance  of  the  winter.  The  Dr.  and  1  amused  ourselves  the  rest  of 
the  season,  breaking  and  training  a  young  elk,  to  work  in  a  sleigh. 
We  took  a  trip  to  Cedar  Falls  with  him,  about  forty  miles 
away,  and  on  our  return,  a  dog  ran  out  from  Barrett's  house,  at 
Janesville,  and  barked  at  our  quadruped,  who  became  unmanagable 
and  took  after  the  dog,  who  run  and  jumped  the  fence  into  the 
yard;  the  elk  followed  him  and- left  us  hanging  on  the  fence,  in  a 
dilapidated  condition. 

"Mr  Brink  was  our  first  postmaster;  the  conditions  on  which 
the  office  was  granted,  was  that  we  should  carry  our  own  mails 
from  Cedar  Falls  for  the  proceeds  of  the  office;  (no  Star  Routes 
then,)  in  no  case  was  the  government  to  pay  anything.  Howard, 
Floyd,  Mitchell  and  Chickasaw  counties  got  their  mail  at  Brad- 
ford. I  made  seven  trips  that  winter,  for  mail,  to  Cedar  Falls, 
forty  miles  and  back,  at  my  own  expense,  four  days  to  a  trip, 
through  the  snow;  and  found  that  no  mail  had  come  through 
from  Dubuque,  three  times  out  of  the  seven. 

"Work  on  the  saw  mill  at  the  town  of  Chickasaw  was  com- 
menced, and  the  town  surveyed,  platted  and  commenced  in  1854. 
The  plank  and  other  lumber  had  to  be  hauled  from  Auburn, 
through  the  sloughs,  bridges  being  represented  by  an  unknown 
quantity. 

"The  first  school  was  taught  by  Miss  Jane  Billings,  in  a  house 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  277 

I  built  myself;  she  taught  two  terms,  and  I  paid   her,   before   we 
were  organized  for  school  purposes. 

"Among  the  first  pastors  were  Elder  Lash,  a  member  of  the 
United  Brethren,  and  Elder  Prentiss,  a  free  will  Baptist  minister, 
these  did  most  excellent  service.  There  was  also  a  close  com- 
munion Baptist,  whose  name  I  have  forgotten,  who  came  down 
from  Charles  City;  he  was  a  good  one  and  most  eloquent  and 
always  had  full  congregations  until  a  job  was  put  up  on  him,  in 
the  following  manner.  There  was  an  Irish  protestant  family  in 
the  vicinity;  they  were  very  devoted,  always  at  meeting.  They 
had  a  child  born,  and  when  the  minister  had  finished  preaching  a 
most  eloquent  sermon,  these  people  were  induced  to  walk  up  to 
him  with  the  babe  in  arms,  and  ask  the  minister  if  he  would 
"please  to  christen"  it  for  her.  The  sensation  is  easier  imagined 
than  described;  the  minister  went  home  with  me  to  dinner,  but 
did  not  mentioned  it  or  ever  came  back  again. 

"I  was  the  first  merchant  and  the  first  notary  public,  there  be- 
ing no  officer,  for  some  time  after  I  went  to  live  there,  to  take 
acknowledgement  of  deeds  or  to  administer  oaths.  I  had  several 
applications  to  marry  couples,  but  I  had  to  send  them  to  West 
Union. 

"Mr.  Gaddis,  was  the  first  regular  carpenter,  Cal.  Goddard,  the 
first  regular  shingle  maker.  Messrs.  Albertson,  Waite  and  Bald- 
win, built  the  first  grist  mill,  and  Mr.  Garling  house,  the  first 
steam  saw  mill;  these  both  1855. 

During  the  winter  of  1853-4,  a  Mr.  Clawson,  who  was  at  the 
head  of  a  colony  at  St.  Ausgar  came  down  the  Cedar,  with  a  lot  of 
men  on  snowshoes  and  with  hand  sleds,  to  get  flour  and  provis- 
ions to  keep  his  people  from  starving."  The  above,  which  is 
copied  almost  verbatim  from  Mr.  Tucker's  letter,  covers  most  of 
the  ground,  but  little  can  be  added,  but  we  will  endeavor  to  give 
that  little,  gathered  from   a  multitude  of  sources. 

According  to  tradition  the  first  settlers  in  the  township  were 
Abram  Cagley,  Russell  Baldwin,  Jerome  Watson,  and  Messrs. 
Hines,  Keesley,  Hoff"man  and  Bishop,  but  the  exact  date  of  their 
location,  or  the  order  of  it,  cannot  be  stated  with  the  accuracy 
that  is  desirable,  but  the  weight  of  evidence  seems  to  point  to  the 
years  1853  and  4. 

We  have  the  best  of  evidence  for  the   statement,  that  the   first 


278  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

child  born  within  the  limits  of  the  township,  was  H.  Bartlett, 
whose  advent  in  1855,  was  an  event  to  be  remembered  by  the  few 
scattered  settlers. 

Ionia  is  now  the  most  important  place  in  the  township,  but  the 
time  was,  before  the  laying  of  the  railroad,  that  Chickasaw  town 
was  one  of  the  most  flourishing  in  the  county;  but  its  "glory  hath 
departed,"  and  now,  Ionia  carries  the  pre-eminence,  and  contains 
a  population  of  350  souls,  supporting  two  churches,  a  fine  public 
public  school,  two  hotels,  etc.  • 

An  old  settler  reports,  that,  the  country  was  so  healthy  that  for 
several  years  after  laying  out  the  cemetery,  there  were  no  deaths, 
but  a  man,  a  stranger  whose  name  never  was  known,  was  picked 
up  near  the  banks  of  the  Wapsie,  in  a  dying  condition.  He  was 
tended  with  the  greatest  sympathy,  but  he  died  and  thus  started 
the  grave  yard. 

The  township  was  organized  in  1855,  according  to  an  order  of 
the  court,  issued  during  the  March  term  of  that  year. 

Bassett,  a  thriving  village,  lying  on  the  line  of  the  railroad, 
about  four  miles  west  of  Chickasaw  or  Ionia,  is  also  within  this 
township,  and  is  quite  a  business  point. 

DAYTON   TOWNSHIP. 

For  many  of  the  following  facts  concerning  Dayton  township, 
we  are  indebted  to  an  article  prepared  for  the  Chickasaw  County 
Historical  Society,  by  L.  J.  Young,  and  published  in  the  New 
Hampton  Courier  of  March  18th,  1881.  The  township  of  Dayton 
comprises  the  territory  in  the  congressional  township  of  95  north 
of  range  13  west.  The  surface  is  somewhat  rolling,  but  no  portion 
of  it  is  hilly.  The  west  fork  of  the  Wapsipinicon  river  enters  the 
township  near  the  corner  of  sections  7  and  18,  and  runs  in  a 
southwesterly  direction  through  sections  18,  19,  20,  29  and  32. 
The  middle  fork  enters  near  the  line  between  sections  4  and  5,  and 
runs  nearly  south  through  sections  4,  9,  16,  21,  28  and  33.  These 
streams  abounded  in  beaver,  otter,  mink  and  muskrat,  at  an  early 
date.  Timber  in  this  township  is  plentiful  and  generally  evenly 
distributed;  it  is  principally  jack  oak,  burr  oak  and  hickory. 
There  are  no  stone  quarries,  but  boulders  convertible  into  build- 
ing stone,  or  for  walling  wells  and  cellars,  by  blasting  or  drilling 
and  splitting,  are  found  on  the  prairies,  and  at  the  heads  of  sloughs. 
The  soil  is  generally  a  rich  loam,  with  clay  subsoil.      Good   water 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  278 

is  generally  obtainable  by  digging  to  a  depth  of  from  ten  to  sixteen 
feet.  The  township  is  especially  well  adapted  to  stock-raising  and 
dairying,  industries  which  are  constantly  receiving  increasingly 
profitable  attention. 

The  first  appearance  of  settlement  in  Dayton  township  was 
made  by  a  land  speculator,  in  the  shape  of  an  entry  of  a  valuable 
tract  of  timber,  some  time  during  the  month  of  May,  1853,  it  ha,v- 
ing  been  Mr.  Young's  opinion  that  "greedy  speculators"  were 
largely  responsible  for  retarding  the  township's  actual  settlement 
and  growth. 

The  first  settlers  to  come  into  the  township  were    William   Mil- 

likan,  an  Irishman,  and Smith,   of  Illinois.      They   pitched 

their  tent  on  the  east  half  of  section  23.  William  Millikan  pre- 
empted the  northeast  quarter  and  Smith  the  southeast  quarter  in 
September,  1854.  During  the  same  month  William  Millikan 
erected  a  "one-side  roofed  shanty"  near  Spring  creek,  on  the  land 
he  pre-empted.  This  place  was  known  by  hunters  for  miles  around 
who  frequented  the  Wapsies  for  game,  during  the  winter  of  1854-5, 
as  the  "Hunters'  Home."  Many  times  has  its  worthy  host  sup- 
plied the  wants  of  fifteen  or  twenty  hunters,  traveJers  or  land  spec- 
ulators in  a  single  night.  Smith  disjDOsed  of  his  claim  to  a  land 
speculator  in  the  fall  or  beginning  of  the  winter  of  1854.  "The 
same  winter,"  says  the  article  from  which  we  quote,^  "our  honest 
and  worthy  host  of  the  'Hunters'  Home'  was  shamefully  wronged 
from  the  legal  possession  of  his  homestead.  The  facts,  related  to  me 
by  him,  were  as  follows:  During  the  fall,  Millikan  received  Intel 
ligence  that  his  son  lay  sick  at  Dubuque,  and  was  not  likely  to 
recover,  and  wished  to  see  him.  He  left  all  his  household  goods 
in  his  house  and  went  to  Dubuque.  While  he  was  gone  a  land 
speculator  with  two  bribed  witnesses,  made  oath  that  Mr.  Millikan 
had  left  the  country,  and  did  not  intend  to  return,  and  entered  the 
land.  Mr.  Millikan,  being  a  raw  Irishman,  and  knowing  nothing 
about  the  laws  of  our  country,  made  no  disturbance  about  it  on 
his  return." 

The  first  effort  at  tilling  the  soil  was  begun  INlay  19th,  1855,  on 
the  southeast  quarter  of  section  1,  by  J.  D.  Colt,  Esq.,  of  New 
York.  He  raised  an  excellent  crop  of  corn  the  same  season,  on  the 
newly  turned  soil.  Mr.  Colt's  prospects  for  making  a  first-class 
farm  were  very  flattering,   when   his  hopes  were   blighted.      He 


279  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

erected  a  good  log  house,  and  began  to  think  himself  comfortably 
situated — as  comfortable  as  a  bachelor  generally  makes  himself; 
for  Mr.  Colt  Avas  at  that  time  a  bachelor — when,  in  November, 
William  Haslam,  of  Illinois,  put  in  an  appearance  with  a  title  to 
•  the  same  land  from  the  government — Haslam 's  title  bearing  date 
nineteen  days  previous  to  (Jolt's.  The  latter  gave  Haslam  permis- 
sion to  occupy  the  house,  but  retained  possession  of  all  the  im- 
provements till  the  first  of  March,  1856,  when  he  gave  full  posses- 
sion upon  being  informed  that  Haslam 's  title  would  hold  good. 
Haslam  paid  Colt  a  reasonable  price  for  the  improvements,  and  the 
matter  was  amicably  adjusted  to  the  satisfaction  of  both  parties. 

D.  A.  Jackson,  of  Pennsylvania,  entered  about  270  acres  on  the 
21st  of  May,  1855.  In  June  he  commenced  breaking  and  building  a 
house  and  stable  on  section  11.  Mr.  Jackson,  being  an  eastern 
man,  began  farming  in  true  eastern  style. 

During  the  spring  of  this  year,  Benjamin  Bailey,  of  Ohio,  and 
father  of  Judge  Lorenzo  Bailey,  settled  on  section  34.  Ker- 
shaw and Negus  settled  on  section  28,  made  some  improve- 
ments, sold  in  the  autumn  and  left.  J.  B.  Cotant,  of  Ohio,  settled 
on  section  3,  in  July  of  the  same  year.  Eli  Darst,  of  Illinois, 
came  in  June  of  this  year,  and  made  some  improvements  on  sec- 
tion 17.  In  July,  E.  B.  Hewit  settled  on  section  1.  William  S. 
Morley  came  during  the  year,  and  settled  on  section  10.  Rev.  C. 
M.  Webster  came  in  the  fall  of  1855,  and  settled  on  section  4,  and 
in  the  summer  of  1856  he  opened  quite  an  extensive  farm.  Mr. 
Webster  was  elected  county  surveyor  in  August,  1856,  and  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  ])Ostmaster  general  as  postmaster  of  the  Beaver 
City  postoffice,  which  was  located  at  his  place  of  residence.  This 
postoffice  was  subsequently  relocated  in  Utiea  township.  During 
the  fall  of  1855  Z.  H.  Morton,  of  Wisconsin,  settled  on  section  14; 
James  Clark  settled  on  section  9.  Settlers  came  in  rapidly  for  a 
short  time  in  1856. 

Da3^ton  township  was  organized  April  6,  1857.  D.  A.  Jackson 
Avas  the  organizing  constable.  The  first  election  was  held  at  Mr. 
Jackson's  house  on  the  day  just  named.  The  "house"  was  "called 
to  order"  by  appointing  Eli  Darst  chairman,  and  E.  R.  Gillett 
secretary.  A  ballot  was  then  taken  for  judges  of  election,  resulting 
in  the  choice  of  C."M.  Webster,  William  S.  Morley  and  Wesley 
Swayze.     D.  A.  Jackson  and  L.  J.  Young  were   chosen   clerks   o 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  280 

election.  The  board  of  electors  were  sworn  to  perform  their  duties 
according  to  law,  by  Rev.  S.  M.  Prentiss,  a  justice  of  the  peace  of 
Kichland  township.  The  following  officers  were  elected:  C.  M. 
Webster,  Eli  Darst  and  Wesley  Swayze,  trustees,  Levi.  J.  Young, 
clerk;  E.  R.  Gillett,  W.  S.  Morley,  Justices  of  the  peace;  E.  B. 
Miller,  William  Haslam,  constables;  Z.  H.  Morton,  road  supervis- 
or. The  whole  number  of  ballots  cast  was  twenty -three.  W.  S. 
Morley  and  E.  B.  Hewit  were  opposing  candidates  for  justice  of 
the  peace,  and  received  a  tie  vote.  W.  S.  Morley  was  declared 
elected  by  lot. 

WASHINGTON   TOWNSHIP. 

The  territory  comprised  within  the  congressional  township  of 
ninety-six,  and  the  south  half  of  ninety-seven,  north,  range 
thirteen,  west,  is  known  as  Washington.  The  surface  is  gently 
undulating,  rather  than  rolling  prairie,  but  is  of  a  rich,  black 
loam,  that  proclaims  this  to  be  one  of  the  best  townships  in  the 
county  for  fine  farm  land.  Like  the  balance  of  the  county  it  is 
well  watered,  the  east  fork  of  the  Wapsipinicon  river  having  its 
source  in  the  northern  part,  and  flowing  in  a  southeasterly  course 
throughout  it.  The  "Little  Wapsie"  also  enters  the  township  at 
the  northwest  corner  of  section  7,  flows  also  in  a  southeasterly 
direction,  watering  sections  7,18,  20,  29,  32,  and  33.  These  streams 
abound  with  fish,  and  the  traditional  stories  that  are  told  of  the 
amounts  of  otter,  mink,  and  muskrats  that  inhabited  .their  waters, 
in  early  days,  are  almost  incredible. 

The  timber  in  this  township  is  not  so  plentiful  as  in  some  others, 
and  what  there  is  is  composed  principally  of  jack  oak,  burr  oak,and 
hickory.  There  is  no  building  stone  within  its  bounderies,  except 
the  massive  boulders,  relics  of  a  mineral  age,  which  are  convert- 
able  into  excellent  material  to  lay  up  foundation  walls,  or  walling 
up  wells.  These  are  found  scattered  all  over  its  surface,  and  are 
specimens  of  granitic  formation;  but  by  blasting  and  splitting 
they  are  soon  reduced  and  shaped  to  the  purposes  of  man.  Ac- 
cording to  tradition,  Samuel  W.  Byers  was  the  first  settler  within 
its  limits,  but  even  this  is  disputed  by  some,  and  when  "doctors 
disagree,  who  can  tell?"  The  same  fortune  seems  to  attend  to 
Washington  that  does  to  the  others  in  the  county;   little,  if  any, 


281  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

settlement  until  1855,  then  quite  an  immigration,  so  much  so,  that 
at  the  March  term  of  the  court,  1856,  the  order  was  granted  for  its 
organization  as  a  separate  township,  but  for  some  irregularity  in 
the  proceedings  said  organization  was  set  aside,  and  the  township 
was  attached  to  that  of  Deerfield  until  April,  1859,  when  it  was 
once  more  attempted  to  conclude  the  organization,  and  this  time 
with  success.  North  Washington  is  the  only  village  in  the  to^vn- 
ship,  and  is  situated  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  twenty, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Little  Wapsie,  and  contains  a  postoffice  and 
store,  a  saloon,  a  fine  Catholic  church,  and  the  usual  blacksmith 
shop;  the  inhabitants  are  mostly  German,  or  of  that  extraction. 

RICHLAND   TOWNSHIP. 

The  earliest  settlement  within  the  limits  of  township  94,  north, 
range  13,  west,  now  known  as  Richland,  was  made  by  Jas.  B. 
Upham,  who,  as  early  as  the  fall  of  1854,  located  his  farm  on 
section  one,  about  one  mile  north  of  where  the  present  village  of 
Williamstown  stands;  here  he  reared  the  family  mansion,  more 
comfortable  than  palatial,  out  of  the  logs  cut  from  the  woods  so 
near  his  own  door,  and  like  Selkirk  could  have  said  he  was 
"monarch  of  all  he  surveyed,"  for  not  a  neighbor  for  twenty  miles 
was  there. 

Joel  Parsons  and  David  Tingley,  however,  located  their  farms  in 
the  fall  of  the  same  year,  but  did  not  move  on  them  until  in  the 
spring  of  1855,  when  they  took  up  their  residence  in  the  county. 
In  the  same  year,  viz,  March  20,  1855,  H.  H.  Bailey  laid  claim  to 
a  farm  in  section  twelve,  the  same  as  now  owned  by  him.  With 
him  came  George  Bailey,  Malachi  Hardock  and  others,  and 
were  followed  by  a  colony  of  twenty -one  persons  from  the  town 
of  Erie,  Penn.  These  parties  procured  an  order  from  the  county 
court,  at  the  March  term,  1856,  to  organize  the  township,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  elect  the  necessary  officers  and  lay  the  foundation  for 
the  present  system  of  government. 

Forest  City  was,  by  some  irregular  proceedings  of  the  board  of 
canvassers,  declared  the  county  seat  in  April,  1858,  but  in  June  of 
the  same  year  an  information  being  filed  in  the  clerk's  office,  the 
court  ordered  a  mandamus  restraining  the  records,  etc.,  from  being 
taken  there  from  New  Hampton,  and  ordering  the  board  to  correct 
the  irregularities  of  their  return   and  count  the   votes;   this  was 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  282 

reversed  by  the  supreme  court  on  an  appeal  being  taken.  The 
court  decided,  however,  at  the  spring  term,  1859,  that  the  town  of 
New  Hampton  had  the  best  claim  to  county  seatship,  and  the 
records  were  returned  to  that  place,  and  Forest  City  has  quietly 
retired  to  private  life,  and  is  now  numbered  with  the  things  that 
were.  Where  its  streets  were  laid  out  now  nods  the  bending  corn, 
and  where  its  citizens  trod,  with  the  proud  step  of  the  metro- 
politan, now  echoes  only  to  the  tread  of  lowing  kine  and  the 
whistling  ploughman. 

The  first  brick  edifice  erected  within  the  limits  of  the  county 
was  built  in  Forest  City  in  the  year  1857,  and  was  a  woodhouse, 
henhouse,  etc.,  and  owned  by  the  Hon.  Hiram  Bailey;  the  mason 
who  laid  the  bricks  in  the  walls  was  no  less  a  personage  than  J.  H. 
Powers,  now  one  of  the  most  shining  lights  of  the  Chickasaw 
county  bar.  These  bricks  were  burned  in  a  kiln  owned  and 
operated  by  Zelotes  and  Thompson  Bailey,  who  enjoy  the  credit  of 
making  the  first  bricks  ever  manufactured  in  the  county. 

Williamstown  has  absorbed  all  that  was  of  Forest  City,  and  still 
remains  a  small,  though  enterprising,  village.  It  seems  that  Wm. 
Grant  applied  for  a  postoffice  at  or  near  Forest  City,  and  gave  it 
the  name  of  Williamstown,  but  in  1877  it  was  moved  to  the  corners 
where  it  is  now  located.  The  first  postmaster  after  its  removal 
was  W.  Hood,  who  still  retains  the  onerous  ofiice.  The  store  is 
owned  b}'^  Hood  &  Bailey,  who  also  own  the  creamery. 

The  town  also  boasts  of  a  neat  and  tasty  church,  in  which  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  denomination  meet  for  worship.  It  was 
erected  during  the  year  1881,  by  Bennett  Bros.,  of  New  Hampton, 
at  a  cost  of  SI, 825,  and  reflects  great  credit  upon  them  for  the 
substantial  and  workmanlike,  in  which  it  has  been  built.  It  is  of 
frame,  26x42  feet,  and  has  a  seating  capacity  of  about  250.  The 
present  pastor,  who  presides  over  the  spiritual  welfare  of  this 
flock,  whose  number  is  about  fifty -five,  is  Elder  Jno.  Jones.  And 
here  it  would,  perhaps,  be  as  well  to  say  that  Rev.  Samuel  Prentiss 
delivered  the  first  sermon  in  the  township  at  an  early  day,  but  the 
exact  date  our  informants  were  not  agreed  on. 

The  educational  interests  of  the  younger  generations  are  insured 
by  a  fine  school,  Avhich  is  open  the  whole  year,  and  under  the  wise 
administration  of  Principal  Milo  George,  and  Assistant  Principal 
Bradley  A.  Lillebridge,  the  sixty-five   pupils  make  the  necessary 


283  HISTOEY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  * 

progress.     Anna  Lillebridge  is  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  school 
board  of  the  district. 

DEERFIELD    TOWNSHIP. 

We  have  been  so  fortunate  as  to  obtain  the  MSS.  of  a  historical 
sketch  of  Deerfield  township,  written  by  I.  A.  Sawin,  in  1859, 
which,  as  a  concise  and  accurate  account  of  the  township  to  that 
year,  we  quote  in  full: 

"Deerfield  township  embraces  town  96,  range  14,  and  the  south 
half  of  town  97.  The  surface  is  generally  undulating,  or  gently 
rolling,  being  in  no  part  hilly.  The  bottom  land  of  the  streams, 
say  one-half  mile  in  width,  is  nearly  level.  The  West  Wapsie 
enters  the  township  near  the  northwest  corner,  and  runs  its  entire 
length  in  a  direction  east  of  south.  The  Middle  Wapsie  runs  a  few 
miles  through  the  northeast  corner  of  the  township,  also  in  a 
southeasterly  direction.  I  believe  there  are  no  good  mill  sites  on 
the  streams.  The  water  is  good  and  furnishes  great  facilities  for 
raising  stock.  The  larger  portion  ol  the  township  is  prairie. 
Valuable  groves  of  timber,  principally  of  the  kind  known  as  jack 
oak,  are  found  along  the  streams  and  in  the  northern  part.  This 
timber  is  excellent  for  fencing,  being  easily  made  into  rails.  A 
single  acre  has  been  known  to  yield  four  or  five  thousand.  Timber 
for  building  purposes  is  very  scarce. 

"The  soil  is  generally  of  rich  sandy  loam  from  one  to  three  feet 
in  depth,  lying  on  a  clayey  subsoil.  Water  of  excellent  quality  is 
obtained  by  digging  from  twelve  to  twenty  feet.  In  the  nort^i 
center  of  ninety -six,  extending  into  ninety -seven,  is  a  tract  of 
several  hundred  acres  of  limestone  land,  furnishing  inexhaustible 
quarries  for  lime  and  for  building. 

"Wild  animals,  which  abounded  at  the  time  of  settlement,  are 
now  scarce.  A  few  deer,  of  the  hundreds  which  once  abounded 
here,  are  all  that  now  remain.  A  small  pack  of  grey  wolves — 
perhaps  half  a  dozen — still  make  their  home  with  us.  The  prairie 
wolf — a  skulking,  cowardly  brute,  which  sometimes,  though 
seldom,  performs  the  feat  of  robbing  a  henroost — is  quite  plenty. 
A  few  wildcats,  badgers  and  raccoons  are  also  found.  Of  amphibia 
the  beaver,  otter,  muskrat,  and  mink  are  quite  plenty. 

"The  southeast  quarter  of  section  three  abounds  with  the  remains 
of  human  skeletons,  and  on  the  surrounding  prairie,  to  the  distance 


HISTORY    OF   CHICKASAW    COUNTY.  284 

of  two  miles,  they  are  occasionally  found.  When  the  first  settlers 
came  upon  the  ground,  in  1854,  the  stench  arising  from  the 
slaughter  ground  was  yet  quite  strong.  I  have  not  yet  been  able 
to  obtain  a  very  clear  or  autlientic  account  of  this  massacre,  by 
which  several  hundred  human  beings  must  have  lost  their  lives; 
but  the  following,  obtained  at  second-hand,  two  years  ago,  from  a 
Winnebago  Indian,  is  submitted  in  the  hope  that  inquiry  may  be 
stimulated  and  more  certain  information  be  procured: 

"About  twelve  ye?rs  ago — or  say  in  1847 — a  party  of  Sioux 
warriors  left  their  old  men,  women,  and  children,  to  the  number 
of  three  hundred  or  more,  here,  and  proceeded  to  Prairie  du  Chien. 
A  party  of  Winnebago  warriors  found  the  camp  in  this  unprotected 
condition,  and  murdered  every  soul.  They  then  took  the  road  to 
the  Mississippi,  and  meeting  the  returning  Sioux  warriors,  settled 
the  affair  by  paying  them  fifty  ponies  as  an  indemnity.  The 
skeletons,  many  of  which  were  those  of  infants,  corroborate  the 
main  facts  of  this  account,  but  the  time  given  does  not  agree  with 
the  statements  of  the  first  settlers,  or  the  well  known  condition  of 
the  skeletons  in  1856,  many  of  which  were  entire  at  that  time.  I 
think  the  date  of  the  massacre  must  be  later  than  that  given  in  the 
above  account. 

"On  the  5th  of  May,  1854,  the  first  25ernianent  settlement  was 
made  in  this  township.  Almon  Harris,  of  Massachusetts,  John 
Spurr,  Myrick  Spurr,  and  Edwin  Hale  pitched  their  tents  on 
sections  three  and  four,  and  immediately  commenced  imj^rove- 
nients.  Mr.  Harris  is  still  a  citizen  of  the  townshij?;  the  other 
three  have  left.  Though  a  mechanic  by  trade,  Mr.  Harris'  efforts 
at  farming  are  successful  in  bringing  under  cultivation  a  quarter 
section  of  the  most  beautiful  prairie,  and  at  this  time,  September 
1859,  he  is  building  a  substantial  frame  building,  ample  for  all  the 
purposes  of  his  farm.  His  nearest  neighbor  was  James  Frazee,  of 
Chickasaw,  seven  miles  distant. 

"The  second  settler  was  William  Morris,  an  Englishman  by 
birth,  wh«  settled  on  section  eight  in  the  latter  part  of  May,  1854, 
and  who  is  still  a  resident  of  the  township.  About  the  same  time 
Abner  Gallup  also  settled  on  section  eight,  but  did  not  remain 
long.  William  Doyle  and  Mrs.  Martha  Harris  came  in  early  in 
the  spring  of  1855,  and  settled  in  the  northern  part  of  the  town- 
ship.    M.  P.  Choat   settled   in  the   southern  part  about  the  same 


285  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  • 

time,  and  immigrants  now  came  in  so  rapidly  that  in  the  autumn 
of  1856  there  were  nearly  as  many  settlers  as  at  the  present  time. 

"I  am  not  aware  that  any  mineralogical  or  geological  examina- 
tions have  been  made  by  scientific  men.  I  am  informed  by  C.  H» 
Dore,  Esq.,  tliat  while  digging  a  well  on  the  farm  of  David  Love- 
lace, on  sections  12 — 96,  at  the  depth  of  sixteen  feet  pieces  of 
timber  resembling  cedar  trees  of  several  inches  in  diameter  were 
taken  out.  Small  specimens  of  coal  were  also  found,  which 
ignited  and  burned  readily.  While  digging  a  cellar  on  the  farm 
of  Heman  Culver,  Esq.,  I  found  many  specimens  of  a  petrified 
nut,  resembling  tlie  Madeira  nut  in  every  particular,  save  that  they 
were  larger. 

"Deerfield  township  was  organized  April  7,  1856.  William  F. 
Wright  was  the  organizing  officer.  The  first  election  was  held  at 
the  house  of  C.  D.  French  on  the  same  day.  Heman  Culver, 
Jacob  A.  Cummins,  and  M.  P.  Choat  were  judges,  and  William  F. 
Wright,  and  J.  G.  Farnum,  clerks.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the 
officers  chosen: 

Trustees— M.  P.  Choat,  M.  D.  Harris,  and  C.  D.  French. 

Justices  of  the  peace — Heman  Culver,  and  T.  W.  Ashley. 

Clerk— J.  G.  Farnum. 

Assessor — Jacob  A.  Cummins. 

Constables — D.  Jared,  and  Willard  Bennett. 

Road  supervisor — Chauncey  Boyes. 

Whole  number  of  votes  cast,  24. 

The  almost  total  destruction  of  the  crops  of  1858,  caused  by  the 
extraordinary  floods  of  that  season,  reduced  many  settlers  to  ex- 
tremities, and  many  subsisted  during  the  year  on  the  barest 
necessaries  of  life.  Again,  this  season,  1859,  the  farmer  is  doomed 
to  the  almost  total  loss  of  his  corn  by  the  frost  of  September  2d. 
But  such  is  the  energetic  character  of  the  people,  that  but  little 
discouragement  is  manifested.  They  feel  confident  that  a  suc- 
cession of  good  seasons,  which  must  soon  follow,  will  relieve  them 
of  their  embarrassments  and  repay  them  for  all  their  toil  and 
privations.  Seldom  does  an  entire  township  present  a  more 
industrious  population.  I  do  not  know  of  a  single  ablebodied 
individual,  who  does  not  obey  the  scriptural  injunction,  to  earn 
his  bread  by  laborious   industry.     Surely,  if  any  community  de- 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  286 

serves  a  bountiful  supply  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  this  community 
ought  to  receive  it." 

JACKSONVILLE   TOWNSHIP. 

Jacksonville  township  embraces  all  of  the  territory  known  as 
townships  96,  and  south  half  of  97,  north,  and  12,  west,  and  con- 
tains a  township  and  a  half,  surveyors  measure,  or  54  sections. 
Like  the  balance  of  the  county  it  is  well  watered.  Crane  and  Plum 
creeks,  and  the  Little  Wapsie  traversing  its  almost  entire  length. 
The  soil  is  rich,  dark  soil,  as  most  bottom  lands  are,  with  the 
exception  of  some  sandy  spot  near  the  creeks  and  river.  The 
juicy  grasses,  which  cover  the  unfilled  portion  of  the  land,  are 
such  as  to  draw  the  attention  of  much  of  the  farming  community 
to  the  business  of  stock  raising  and  grazing,  and  we  find  this  to  he 
the  principal  mode  of  farming,  although  some  land  is  given  to 
raising  corn,  wheat,  oats,  barley,  timothy,  and  other  grains  and 
seeds. 

Of  the  early  settlement  of  this  township  it  is  impossi])lc  to 
decide  who  was  the  first  to  locate  within  its  bounderies,  but  the 
weight  of  evidence  seems  to  indicate  that  Henry  Shaffer  was  the 
first  pioneer  who  located  therein;  the  date  of  his  settlement  was 
1853.  Hazzard  Green  located  himself  in  1854,  and  seems  to  have 
been  the  second,  but  we  find  among  those  that  came  the  same  year 
the  names  of  John  Davidson,  Hiram  Palmer,  R.  H.  Mills,  T.  E. 
Mills,  J.  Fitzpatrick,  Frank  Dane,  John  Conner,  S.  Shaft,  and  B. 
B.  Orton.  The  following  year  many  more  located  in 'the  same 
township,  among  them  D.  R.  Kerby,  now  the  banker  in  the  town 
of  Lawler,  and  Francis  Clarkin. 

Hazzard  Green  built  the  first  house  in  the  township,  a  log  hotel 
on  what  was  later  the  plat  of  the  town  of  Jacksonville.  This- 
hotel  he  was  landlord  of  until  1857,  when  it  was  torn  down. 
Shortly  after  he  erected  it,  Allen  and  Wilkerson,  of  McGregor, 
built  a  branch  store  at  this  place,  the  first  in  the  township,  this  was 
in  the  fall  of  1855.  It  was  a  board  shanty  14x20,  erected  in  a 
week,  no  plastering  adorned  the  walls,  and,  the  winter  being  a 
severe  one,  the  wind  and  weather  kept  the  temperature  within  it 
at  so  low  an  ebb  that  John  R.  Jarrett,  who  was  manager  and  Clerk 
(now  a  prominent  merchant  of  McGregor,  Iowa,)  was  compelled 
to  wear  his  overcoat  and  overshoes  all  the  time   to   keep   comfort- 


287  HISTORY    OP   CHICKASAW    COUNTY. 

able.  The  first  blacksmith  in  the  place  was — White  and  Julius  P. 
North  opened  a  hardware  and  tinware  store  in  the  same  3'ear.  In 
the  year  1856,  the  proprietors  of  the  ground  on  which  the  town  of 
Jacksonville  now  stands,  seeing  from  this  growing  settlement  that 
a  town  would  eventually  spring  up  there  laid  out  and  platted  it 
and  and  put  the  lots  in  market.  At  this  time  the  hotel,  stores  of 
Allen  &.  AVilkerson  and  J.  P.  North  the  blacksmith  shop  and  the 
dwelling  houses  of  Messrs.  White  and  North  comprised  the  whole 
of  the  town  yet  it  was  of  considerable  importance  being  a  stopping 
place  on  the  roads  from  Dubuque  to  Austin,  Albert  Lea,  etc. 

All  the  goods  at  this  time  were  brought  from,  Dubuque  except 
flour  and  tliat  was  from  the  nearest  mills  at  Clermont,  Elgin  and 
Elkader,  and  all  the  freight  for  the  places  beyond  traveled  the 
thorough  fare  that  passed  through  Jacksonville  township.  Hazzard 
Green  at  this  time  was  landlord  of  the  hotel,  justice  of  the  peace 
and  postmaster,  for  he  had  by  his  efforts  succeeded  in  having  a 
postoffice  located  here  as  early  as  1855.  Although  he  and  several 
other  parties  had  to  bear  the  expense  of  supporting  the  stage 
which  brought  the  mail  from  West  Union,  this  they  did  for  accom- 
modation of  the-  ]:»eople  as  no  postal  route  was  laid  out  from  that 
place. 

Jacksonville  at  its  first  organization  was  united  with  Utica,  and 
the  two  together  were  known  as. Obispo  township;  the  date  of  this 
first  organization  is  gained  from  an  order  of  the  county  judge  at 
the  March  term  of  court  1855,  wherein  is  ordered  the  organizing, 
•and  necessary  election,  of  Obispo  township.  But  at  the  March  term 
1858,  by  order  of  the  court  the  townships  were  separated  and 
■organized  as  they  now  are,  and  this  one  named,  Jacksonville,  by 
one  of  the  parties  who  was  influential  in  the  movement,  a  Mr. 
Dickinson,  who  came  from  Jacksonville,  Ills. 

The  first  school  according  to  the  best  accounts  was  one  opened  in 
the  town  of  Jacksonville  during  1855,  and  taught  by  aman  by 
the  name  of  Cole,  although  it  is  claimed  that  a  school  was  taught 
in  a  log  cabin  near  Crane  Creek  the  year  before,  by  a  son-in-law  of 
Dickinson's,  but  of  this  there  remains  nothing  certain,  and  the 
question  remains  involved  in  some  obscurity. 

The  first  preaching  in  the  town  was  from  the  lips  of  "Elder 
Dickinson"  as  he  is  commonly  called  to  this  day,  and  occurred  in 
the  year  1856.     In  that  year  there  were  two    church  societies 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  288 

formed,  a  Methodist  and  a  Baptist,  but  neither  ever  erected  a 
church;  nor  has  there  ever  been  one  built  in  the  town  yet,  al- 
though several  are  scattered  throughout  the  township,  both  of 
these  societies  worshipped  in  the  school  house. 

During  the  panic  of  1857,  the  town,  like  many  others  scattered 
throughout  our  grand  old  state,  suffered  from  the  effect  of  the  col- 
lapse in  values,  and  the  wheat  crop  of  that  year  seems  to  have 
failed,  for  man}'  old  settlers  relate  how  in  that  year  starvation 
stared  them  in  the  face;  all  winter  they  fought  the  wolf  from 
the  door,  soft  corn  was  their  only  food  and  especially 
blessed  was  he  that  had  enough  of  that;  every  merchant  failed 
and  went  under,  and  the  whole  business  ot  the  place  seemed  to  be 
paralyzed;  long  had  they  to  remember  that  terrible  winter;  and  it 
seems  that  the  town  has  never  recovered  from  it,  even  to  this  day 
there  is  no  business  transacted  there,  and,  but  a  feeble  remnant  of 
a  town  is  visible. 

Early  in  its  history,  Dr.  Edw.  Hubbard  located  himself  at  the 
town  and  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine,  but  the  country 
proved  so  healthy,  that  he  lingered  along  for  several  years  and  see- 
ing that  his  chances  to  acquire  a  fortune  were  small,  he  "departed 
for  pastures  new"  and  for  many  years  the  place  was  without  a 
physician,  and  as  for  lawyers  it  is  said  none  ever  settled  within  its 
limits. 

Jacksonville  township  has  but  little  of  the  eventful  in  its  his- 
tory that  would  make  it  interesting,  but  it  has  been  said  "that  the 
less  there  is  of  history  to  write  about  a  place,  the  more  it  demon- 
strates that  its  existence  has  been  peaceful." 

At  one  time  there  were  several  stores  in  addition  to  those  named 
above  among  which  we  find — the  names  of  Dickinson  &  Vaughn, 
Kerby  and  Lynch  and  others.  A  store  kept  by  John  VanAuken 
now  of  Lawler,  was  the  last  in  the  place. 

UTICA   TOWNSHIP. 

This  is  the  eastern  of  the  northern  tier  of  townships.  It  is  well 
watered  by  the  Little  Turkey  river,  which  enters  it  on  section  19, 
township  97,  north  range  IJ,  west,  and  running  in  a  southeasterly 
course  passes  out  on  section  25,  township  96,  range  11,  west;  and 
by  Crane  creek,  which  irrigates  the  southwestern  quarter.  The 
land  is  fine  rolling   prairie,  interspersed  with  good  timber;    the 


289  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

latter  being  particularly  fine  on  the  creek  and  river  bottoms. 
There  is  a  postoffice  at  Saude  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township, 
but  most  of  the  community  avail  themselves  of  the  Lawler  post- 
office,  which  is  most  convenient  of  access,  besides  being  their  prin- 
cipal shipping  and  trading  point.  This  township  was  united  to 
Jacksonville  and  known  as  Obispo,  until  March,  1858,  when  they 
were  seperated  by  order  of  the  county  court  and  organized  on 
their  present  basis. 

This  is  a  purely  agricultural  and  stock-raising  township,  no 
towns  or  villages  dot  its  prairies,  and  with  the  exception  above 
mentioned  no  postoffices,  are  located  therein. 

The  northern  part  of  it  is  largely  populated  by  the  Scandina\dan 
element,  but  in  the  southern  part  the  Irish  and  native  American 
prevails. 

Tradition  hath  it  that  the  first  settler  in  what  is  how  Utica 
township  was  Jas.  Lyon,  or  as  he  is  familiarly  known;  "Judge 
Lyon"  who  located  on  land  therein  as  early  as  the  summer  of  1852. 
But  we  are  credibly  informed  that  he  was  preceded  two  years  by 
Terence  Curamerford  who  reared  his  roof  tree  and  ploughed  his 
acres  as  early  as  1850.  These  were  followed  in  185o  by  G.  Clapper 
and  in  1854  by  Wm.  Everingham.  These  scattered  farms,  which 
they  essayed  to  open  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  settlements  of  the 
next  few  years,  that  in  a  short  time  transformed  the  lifeless  waste 
into  smiling  farms,  whose  rich  harvests  gathered  each  year  add  to 
the  wealth  of  the  county.  Among  the  arrivals  for  the  year  1855 
occurs  the  name  of  D.  R.  Kerby,  now  engaged  in  the  banking 
business  at  Lawler. 

DRESDEN   TOWNSHIP. 

Township  94,  north  range  12,  west,  is  known  as  Dresden.  Much 
of  the  land  is  covered  with  timber  and  brush  although  it  has  some 
very  fine  farm  lands,  and  is  well  watered  by  the  East  Wapsipini- 
can  river,  or  as  it  is  more  familiarly  called  "Wapsie."  There  is  no 
village  within  its  boundary,  not  even  a  store  or  postoffice,  and  the 
inhabitants  get  their  mail  either  at  Fredericksburg,  just  across  the 
line,  in  the  township  of  the  same  name,  which  lies  directly  east  of 
it;  or  at  Williamstown  on  the  west.  There  is  no  data  from  which 
to  gather  any  of  the  first  settlers  names  from  oblivion,  and  as  the 
population  is  purely  and  simply  agricultural  has  little  or   no   his- 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  290 

tory.  The  story  of  every  da}'^  life,  while  it  has  the  charms  of 
peacefulness  and  quiet,  has  nothing  in  it  attractive  to  the  historian 
or  romancer,  nor  would  it  be  interesting  to  the  general  reader. 
The  township  was  organized,  as  such,  in  the  year  1859,  the  order 
of  the  county  court  being  issued  at  the  March  term  of  that  year. 
Subsequently,  the  east  tier  of  sections  were  detached  and  added  to' 
Fredericksburg  township,  but  have  since  been  restored,  except, 
the  southeast  quarter  of  section  12,  and  the  northeast  quarter  of 
section  13,  which  still  remain  a  part  of  the  latter.  The  only  in- 
dustrial institution  within  the  township,  as  far  as  we  have  learned 
is,  the  cheese  factory  about  one  mile  north  of  Williamstown.  This 
was  established  by  John  Kolthoff,  May,  1878,  and  has  been  in 
active  business  ever  since.  The  building  is  a  neat  and  substantial 
edifice  and  supplied  with  all  the  modern  machinery  for  turning 
out  a  first-class  article,  and  judging  from  the  prosperity  of  the 
owner,  it  most  likely  does. 

o 


The  following  letter,  in  regard  to  the  "Little  Brown  Church,"  at 
at  Bradford,  was  received  to  late  for  insertion  in  its  proper  place,  in 
the  history  of  that  township,  but  as  it  j^resents  a  picture,  drawn 
by  a  masterly  hand,  of  the  early  labors  of  the  first  pastor;  the 
building  of  the  church,  whose  very  existence  seems  classical;  the 
church  of  which  that  "Sweet  Singer  in  Israel,"  W.  S.  Pitts,  of  Fred- 
ericksburg has  written  such  a  charming  song.  The  winter  Rev.  J. 
K.  Nutting,  was  the  first  shepherd  of  the  church,  and  although 
the  letter  was  not  written  for  publication,  we  have  taken  the  lib- 
erty of  inserting  it  in  full. 

MiLBANK,  Dakota,  February  22,  1883. 
Editor  Chickasaw  County  History: 

I  received  your  note  in  reference  to  the  "Little  Brown  Church" 
at  Bradford,  and  am  happy  to  reply,  tho'  I  shall  hardly  be  able  to 
specify  as  minutely  as  to  dates,  as  you  may  wish,  but  these  you 
can  readily  obtain. 

I  came  to  Bradford  in  October  1859.  At  that  time  the  town 
was  quite  the  metropolis  of  the  county,  and  the  prospect  was 
good  that  manufacturing  would  be  carried  on  to  an  extent  that 
would  sustain  a  large  population.  The  county  seat  had  already 
been  transferred  to   New  Hampton,  which  was  a  lonesome  and 


291  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

unlikely -looking  spot  enough,  tho'  occupied  by  some  most  excellent 
people. 

My  congregation  moved  about,  seldom  more  than  three  months 
in  a  place,  for  several  years.  At  first  we  worshiped  in  a  hall  over 
what  was  then  Thomas'  store  (now,  perhaps,  Dickenson's).  Then 
we  went  to  a  large  square  room  directly  north  of  that — built  by 
Andy  Sample  for  a  store.  This  building  had  been  left  without 
care,  and  had  been  taken  possession  of  by  sheep,  until  our  little 
flock  ousted  them.  Then  we  Avent  to  the  dining  room  of  the  Cory 
hotel,  and  sometimes,  I  think,  to  the  ball  room  of  the  Bronson 
house.  At  last  we  settled  in  the  brick  school  house  (now 
academy),  which,  at  that  time  was  a  most  uncomfortable  place. 

During  the  year  1861-2  (I  should  say),  I  occupied  for  a  study,  a 
room  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Dickinson.  Here  began  the  little  church 
building. 

Our  able  men  were  mostly  in  the  army.  The  times  were  ex- 
cessively hard.  Wheat,  at  McGregor  or  Waterloo,  about  thirty- 
six  cents  per  biishel.  "Stumjitail"  Wisconsin  money  going  back 
on  us;  everything  looking  dark.  S.  F.  Eastman  came  to  my  study 
to  consult  with  me;  he  said  it  would  not  be  possible  to  raise  as 
large  a  salary  as  I  had  been  receiving,  but  hoped  I  would  try  and 
stay  on  what  could  be  raised,  that  is,  four  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars.  I  told  him  (what  he  already  knew),  that  prices  of  all 
merchandise  had  nearly  doubled,  and  that  it  would  be  very 
difticult  to  provide  for  my  family,  but  that  I  would  stay  on  one 
condition:  that  he  should  take  hold  with  me,  heart  and  hand,  to 
build  a  church.  To  this  he  agreed,  and  I  considered  success  a 
certainty  from  that  moment. 

Soon  after  we  made  our  first  move  by  going  to  Mr.  J.  Watson 
for  a  donation  of  timber.  He  went  with  us  to  the  woods,  and 
generously  marked  for  our  use  enough  of  the  finest  oaks  on  his 
land,  to  furnish  nearl}^  all  the  dimension  timber  and  coarse  lumber 
generally,  for  the  whole  building  (the  sills,  however,  were  given  by 
Joseph  Bird).  This  done,  I  next  secured  a  force  of  choppers 
(headed,  I  think,  by  Dea.  Billings),  to  go  into  the  woods  and  get 
these  trees  ready  for  the  mill.  Some  of  the  logs  were  hauled  to 
the  mill  (then  near  by),  on  the  snow,  but  many  were  left  until  the 
next  June.     Then  Wm.  Pomeroy  got  an  ox  team,  and  I  went  with 


HISTORY  OF   CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  292 

him  to  get  the  rest.  I  shall  always  remember  that  job,  because  of 
a  singular  incident.  We  disturbed  a  pheasant  with  a  covey  of  half- 
grown  young.  The  mother  made  the  usual  fuss  and  pretence  to 
draw  our  attention,  while  the  chicks  scattered  in  all  directions. 
The  team  passed  on  and  I  lingered  behind  to  see  wliat  would 
happen.  In  a  few  moments  I  heard  the  peculiar  call  of  the 
mother  bird,  and  in  an  instant  one  and  another  of  the  chicks  came 
whirring  past  me,  to  rejoin  her.  One  oi  them  came  so  near  that 
I  put  out  my  hand  and  caught  it  as  one  would  a  ball,  "on  a  fly.' 
I  feel  reasonably  certain  that  in  this  respect  I  stand  alone  among 
my  race.  Who,  beside  me,  ever  achieved  the  distinction  of  catch- 
ing a  pheasant  with  the  bare  hand,  on  the  wing?  But  I  should 
not  expect  to  do  it  again. 

If  memory  serves,  we  also  got  the  lots  about  the  same  time, 
given,  I  think,  by  Joseph  (or  John),  Bird,  and  beautiful  by  reason 
of  the  encircling  oaks;  and  we  also  got  out  the  stone  for  the 
foundation;  Mr.  Newton  Palmer  taking  a  leading  hand  at  the 
quarrying.  During  the  summer  or  fall  we  again  made  a  bee,  and 
laid  the  foundation,  which,  on  the  inside,  presents  several  varieties 
of  style.  I  recall  the  fact  that  one  brother  laid  the  stone  slanting, 
like  those  in  the  stone  iences  of  New  England,  which  had  been 
the  origin  of  his  stone  craft.  But  all  being  fitly  joined  together, 
answered  the  purpose,  and  we  laid  the  sills  with  rejoicing. 

Was  it  about  a  year  after  that,  that  we  began  to  erect  the  hoiise  ? 
I  should  think  so.  And  I  do  not  remember  that  we  had  any  sub- 
scription paper  (though  I  may  be  mistaken),  till  much  later,  But 
every  one  gave  labor  or  material  as  he  could,  and  ste])  by  step 
progress  was  made.  The  house  was  roughly  enclosed,  except  part 
of  the  tower  that  fall.  Then  rough  boards  were  laid  for  a  floor, 
and  some  use  was  made  of  the  building.  I  specially  remember  a 
school  exhibition  under  Mr.  Taylor.  It  was  well  on  in  December, 
and  there  was  no  way  to  warm  the  building,  but  an  exceptionally 
mild  winter  allowed  the  children  to  appear  on  the  stage  without 
discomfort,  even  in  the  most  gauzy  attire. 

The  next  spring  the  finishing  of  the  house  was  let  by  contract 
to  two  brothers  (names  gone  from  me),  and  a  subscription  was 
made  for  ])ine  lumber  to  finish  with.  This  was  hauled,  I  think 
from  McGregor.  We  were  to  receive  a  certain  amount  from  the 
Congregational  building  fund,  $400  or.  $500.      But  it  began   to  ap- 


293  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

pear  that  even  that  amount  would  not  be  sufficient,  and  we  all 
began  to  think  where  we  could  gain  a  little  more  help.  It  occurred 
to  me  that  perhaps  something  could  be  obtained  from  the  wealthy 
church  of  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  whose  pastor,  Rev.  John  Todd,  D.  D, 
(author  of  "Student's  Manual,"  "Index  Rerum,"  etc.),  had  been 
formerly  pastor  of  the  church  with  which  my  parents  were  con- 
nected. A  letter  to  him  brought  a  characteristic  reply,  inclosing 
more  than  a  hundred  dollars.  This  began  a  most  interesting  per- 
sonal acquaintance  with  the  doctor,  and  led  to  my  visiting  him 
repeatedly,  and  it  happened  that  I  had  the  privilege  of  attending 
him  during  a  portion  of  his  last  sickness,  in  1873. 

The  first  religious  use  of  the  house  was  in  the  fall  after  it  was 
furnished,  but  not  seated — date  forgotten — for  the  funeral  obsequies 
of  Mrs.  Smith,  wife  of  Capt.  John  Smith.  The  dedication  occurred 
I  should  think,  during  the  following  winter,  bad  weather  prevent- 
ing the  presence  of  most  of  those  invited.  This  brought  us  to  the 
spring  of  1865,  when,  as  a  delegate  to  the  "Boston  Council,"  I 
went  east.  While  at  Pittsfield  I  received  a  commission  from 
Thomas  Colt,  of  that  place,  to  go  to  Troy,  N.  Y.,  and  select  a  bell 
for  the  church.  I  did  so,  and  sent  it  on.  On  its  way  it  excited 
much  attention,  being  rung  by  the  crowd  at  Dunleith,  Dubuque, 
and  more  or  less  at  nearly  every  station  along  the  line.  On  my 
return  I  found  it  in  place  in  the  belfry.  The  pulpit  of  solid  oak 
was  made  under  my  direction  by  a  carpenter  at  Greenwood;  I 
cannot  call  his  name. 

In  some  of  these  statements  I  may  also  possibly  be  mistaken. 

What  days  those  were  when  we  we  were  all  working  together  for 
that  great  object !  And  though  I  have  since  had  in  hand  much 
heavier  jobs — have  erected  churches  into  which  that  might  be  set 
(without  more  than  docking  the  top  of  the  tower  a  little),  and 
have  plenty  of  room  all  around — yet  never  have  I  more  enjoyed 
my  work. 

The  railroad  destroyed  the  town,  but  I  am  glad  to  know  that 
the  Little  Brown  Church  holds  its  own,  and  is  still  accomplishing 
the  work  for  which  it  was  erected.  Some  day  I  hope  to  revisit  the 
spot,  and  witness  how  much  and  what  of  fruit  remains  of  these 
labors  so  long  ago.  Yours  very  cordially, 

J.  K.  Nutting. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  294 

GENERAL    REMARKS. 

As  will  be  obserTed  it  has  not  been  attempted  to  give  all  the 
churches  and  school  houses  in  the  different  townships,  but  only 
the  more  jjrominent  ones.  Many  of  these  are  scattered  over  the 
rolling  prairies  outside  of  the  various  towns  and  villages,  and 
without  some  special  prominence  being  attached  to  them,  it  would 
be  a  dreary  list  to  enumerate. 

POLITICAL. 

In  politics,  the  county  on  all  national  and  state  issues,  is  gener- 
ally republican,  the  vote  on  the  presidential  election  of  1880,  was, 
republican,  1324;  democrat,  1003;  greenback,  486.  In  county 
matters  however  the  party  lines  are  not  so  closely  drawn,  and  local 
issues  are  nearly  always  able  to  distribute  the  offices  among  the 
parties.  The  greenback  element  in  the  county  has  grown  to  be 
quite  a  power  as  witness  the  vote  of  1882  when  for  representative 
to  congress  from  the  fourth  congressional  district,  L.  H.  Weller, 
the  democratic-greenback  candidate,  received  1,356  votes;  and 
Thos.  Updegraff,  republican,  928. 


295  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


War  Record;  Action  of  Board  of  Supervisors;  Care  of  Sol- 
diers' Families,  Etc.;  History  of  7th  Iowa  Infantry;  38th 
Iowa  Infantry;  4th  Iowa  Cavalry;  Roster  of  Volun- 
teers. 


The  principal  regiments  in  which  Chickasaw  county  volunteers 
served,  were  the  seventh,  and  thirty-eight  infantry,  and  fourth  cav- 
alry, whose  operations  are  briefly  outlined  in  this  chapter,  however 
many  men  were  in  other  regiments,  as  will  be  seen  on  reference  to 
the  roster  of  volunteers.  A  complete  list  of  them  is  however  im- 
possible to  prepare  at  this  day,  but  we  have  endeavored  to  make  it 
as  full  as  a  thorough  search  of  the  adjutant  general's  report  could 
allow,  aided  by  the  testimony  of  those  best  posted  on  the  subject. 
But  first  will  be  taken  up  the  action  of  the  county  government  in 
regard  to  the  matter. 

Chickasaw  county  was  an  intensely  loyal  county  throughout  the 
war  of  the  rebellion,  and  her  part  in  its  history  was  one  upon  which 
her  citizens  are  justified  in  looking  back  with  pride. 

At  the  June  meeting  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  in  1861,  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  was  introduced: 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  ,      296 

"Whereas,  There  is  an  extensive  conspiracy  existing  in  our  nation, 
set  on  foot  for  the  purpose  of  subverting  the  constitution  and  de- 
stroying the  government;  and  several  states  being  in  open  rebel- 
lion against  the  government,  and  now  making  war  upon  the  samej 
and  whereas,  the  president  of  the  United  States  has  issued  his  pro- 
clamation, calling  upon  all  loyal  citizens  to  rally  around  the  'old 
flag,'  and  aid  in  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion;  in  response  to 
which  call,  the  people  of  the  loyal  states  are  freely  offering  their 
lives  and  money,  in  support  of  the  best  government  on  earth;  and 
whereas,  many  of  the  citizens  of  Chickasaw  county  have  enrolled 
themselves  as  members  ofavolunteer  company,  holding  themselves 
in  readiness  to  leave  their  homes  in  the  defence  of  their  country 
therefore, 

"Resolved,  That  an  appropriation  be  made  to  each  volunteer,  resi- 
dent of  their  county,  who  may  enlist  from  this  county,  either  in 
the  state  or  national  service,  of  the  sum  of  ten  dollars,  as  an  outfit 
and  the  sum  of  three  dollars  per  month,  and  the  further  sum  of 
four  dollars  per  month,  each,  to  the  wives  of  such  as  have  families, 
and  the  parents  of  those  who  depend  upon  said  volunteers  for  sup- 
port; and  the  sum  of  one  dollar  per  month  for  each  child  of  said 
volunteers  under  the  age  of  six  years.  Said  amounts  to  be  paid 
for  the  time  and  during  the  absence  of  the  volunteers  from  their 
homes,  in  the  service.  The  said  money  to  be  paid  to  the  order  of 
the  volunteers,  or  their  wives,  from  the  county  treasury,  out  of  the 
county  funds  not  otherwise  appropriated,  on  the  warrant  of  the 
clerk  of  the  board  of  supervisors  of  this  county.  And  in  further- 
ance of  this  object,  it  is  hereby  made  the  duty  of  the  supervisors 
of  each  township,  to  furnish  the  clerk  with  a  certified  list  of  the 
names  of  the  volunteers  who  go  from  his  township,  together  with 
the  names  of  the  parents,  wives  and  children  of  said  volunteers, 
who  may  be  entitled  to  money  by  this  appropjriation.  And  the 
clerk  is  instructed  to  keep  on  file  in  his  office  said  list,  and  when 
any  person  shall  present  a  valid  claim  for  money  under  this  appro- 
priation, whose  name  shall  appear  on  either  of  said  lists,said  claim, 
on  being  duly  sworn  to,  the  clerk  is  authorized  to  draw  his  warrant 

for  said  amount." 

This  resolution  was  adopted  by  a  vote  of  ten  yeas  to  one  nay. 

The  age  of  children  to  be  aided  by  the  appropriation,  was  after- 
wards changed  from  six  to  twelve   years.     It  will  be  readily  seen 


297  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

that  in  their  haste  to  testify  the  county's  loyalty  to  the  Union' 
and  in  their  eagerness  to  aid  in  its  preservation,  the  board  entailed 
a  very  heavy  expense  upon  the  young  and  sparsely  settled  county; 
so  great  an  expense,  in  fact,  as  to  become  a  burden  scarcely  able 
to  be  borne,  and  it  is  no  wonder  that,  subsequently,  alterations  in 
the  plan  became  necessary,  and  expedients  were  resorted  to  for  the 
purpose  of  making  the  burden  lighter,  while  at  the  same  time  con- 
tinuing to  render  the  assistance  needed  to  the  volunteers  and  their 
families. 

At  the  January  meeting  of  the  board,  1862,  a  committee  of  three 
was  appointed  to  devise  a  plan  to  extricate  the  county  from  the 
difhculty  occasioned  by  the  appropriation  for  the  benefit  of  the 
volunteers.  This  committee  presented  a  majority  report,  signed  by 
M.  L.  Palmer  and  M.  L.  Choate,  and  a  minority  report,  signed  by 
William  B.  Grant. 

The  majority  report  was,  in  substance,  that  there  were  105  vol- 
unteers entitled  to  the  benefits  of  the  appropriation,  and  the  month- 
ly amount,  to  which  they  were  entitled,  was  $483,  or  $5,796  per  an- 
num, without  reference  to  future  enlistments.  It  was  evident  to 
the  committee  that  the  county  could  not  meet  its  liabilities  as  fast 
as  they  accrued,  and  county  warrants  must  depreciate  to  a  merely 
nominal  sum,  thus  defeating  the  very  object  of  the  appropriation. 

To  remedy  this  state  of  affairs;  it  was  proposed:  1st.  That  com- 
missioned officers,  who  are  receiving  the  benefits  of  the  appropria- 
tion, in  view  of  the  ample  pay  they  are  receiving  from  the  govern- 
ment, be  requested  to  release  the  county  absolutely  from  further 
payments  to  themselves  or  their  families.  2d.  All  single  men, 
volunteers  from  this  county,  not  having  parents  or  friends  depend- 
ent on  them  for  support,  be  requested  to  sign  an  olDligation,  defer- 
ring further  claims  to  the  end  of  the  war.  3d.  That  those  having 
families,  be  also  requested  to  sign  an  obligation,  or  agreement,  de- 
ferring the  payment  of  one-third  of  their  accruing  claims  until  the 
close  of  the  war.  4th.  That  a  promise  shall  be  inserted  in  said 
agreement,  in  relation  to  the  deferred  claims,  that  they  shall  not 
be  assignable,  and  that  they  shall  only  inure  to  the  benefit  of  the 
claimants  and  their  families;  and  that  $3,000  only  of  the  deferred 
claims  shall  be  paid  in  any  one  year.  It  was  proposed  also 
that  the  clerk  embody  the  above  agreement  in  proper  form,  and 
forward  them  at  the  earliest  practical  moment  to  Capts.  Gardner, 


HISTOKY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  298 

Powers  and  Crawford,  with  a  request  that  action  be  taken  thereon  by 
those  intended,  at  the  earliest  possible  moment.  The  report  closed 
with  the  following  proposed  resolution:  Resolved,  that  all  bounties 
and  payments  to  persons,  who  may  enlist  in  the  service  of  this 
state,  or  the  United  States,  hereafter,  from  this  county,  shall  cease 
from  this  date." 

This  report  was  laid  on  the  table,  by  a  vote  of  9  to  3. 

The  minority  report  recited  the  inability  of  the  county  to  bear 
the  burden  of  the  appropriation,  and  proposed  the  following  reso- 
lutions: 

"Resolved,  That  said  appropriation,  as  far  as  volunteers  to 
those  that  do  not  need  assistance,  that  have  volunteered  in  the 
service  of  the  state,  or  of  the  United  States — residents  of  this  coun- 
ty— be  discontinued  from  and  after  this  date;  and  that  families  of 
volunteers,  who  are  in  need  of  assistance,  have  such  appropriation 
from  the  county  as  the  supervisors  or  trustees  of  their  respective 
townships  shall  deem  necessary.     And  be  it  further 

Resolved,  That  the  volunteers  from  this  county,  who  shall,  or 
have  returned  sick,  or  in  any  way  disabled  in  the  service,  have 
such  appropriation  as  may  be  deemed  necessary  by  the  county 
board  of  supervisors.  And  further,  that  the  wives  and  children, 
or  those  dependent  upon  the  volunteers,  who  have  been  killed  in 
battle,  or  died  in  the  service  of  this  state,  or  the  United  States, 
shall  be  liberally  provided  for  by  the  county  board  of  super- 
visors." 

A  motion  to  table  the  minority  report  was  lost,  by  a  vote  of  3  to 
9,  but  at  a  subsequent  meeting,  a  motion  to  table  prevailed. 

The  following  resolution  was  offered  by  D.  A.  Jackson,  and  was 
adopted  by  a  vote  of  9  to  3. 

"Resolved,  That  the  appropriation  made  by  the  board  of  super- 
viaors  of  this  county,  at  the  June  meeting,  1861,  for  the  benefit  of 
volunteers  and  their  families,  be  and  the  same  is,  hereby  repealed, 
from  and  after  the  6th  day  of  January,  1862." 

D.  A.  Jackson,  D.  R.  Kerby  and  J.  H.  Vantassell  were  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  draft  a  resolution  as  to  the  manner  of  pro- 
viding for  the  destitute  families  of  Chickasaw  county  volunteers. 
The  resolution  was  immediately  prepared,  received,  and  the  com- 
mittee discharged.  At  the  evening  session,  the  resolution  was  put 
upon  its  passage  and  unanimously  adopted  as  follows: 


299  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

"Whereas,  A  number  of  our  fellow  citizens  have  volunteered, 
and  entered  into  the  military  service  of  the  government,  leaving 
families  in  destitute  circumstances;  therefore,  be  it 

"Resolved  by  the  board,     That  all  those  who  have  volunteered 

from  this  county,  and  are  in  actual  service  of  this  state,  or  the 
United  States;  who  may  have  families,  residents  of  this  county; 
that  all  those  families  of  such  volunteers,  who  are  only  receiving 
pay  as  private  soldiers,  are  by  this  board  considered  to  be  entitled 
to  an  appropriation  authorized  by  law  to  be  made  by  the  county 
board  of  supervisors,  for  the  benefit  of  those  families  who  are  in 
destitute  circumstances.     And  it  is  hereby: 

"Resolved,  by  this  board.  That  an  appropriation  of  $4.00  per 
month  be  made  to  the  wives  of  said  volunteers,  and  $1.00  per 
month  to  each  child  under  twelve  years  of  age,  and  $4.00  per 
month  to  the  parents  of  such  volunteers,  for  support;  to  be  paid 
from  the  county  treasury,  as  hereinafter  prdvided.  And  be  it 
further. 

."Resolved,  That  although  the  families  of  said  volunteers  may 
remove  from  the  county,  for  temporary  stay,  during  the  absence 
of  the  aforesaid  volunteers,  they  still  are  considered  by  the  board 
as  residents  of  this  county.     And  be  it  further 

"Resolved,  That  non-commissioned  officers  shall  be  deemed  as 
privates,  so  far  as  relates  to  this  appropriation." 

A  pension  of  $4.00  per  month  to  widows,  and  $1.00  per  month 
to  each  child  of  deceased  volunteers,  was  unanimously  voted. 

On  examination  of  the  books  in  relation  to  the  appropriation  to 
volunteers,  the  board  found  the  amount  in  warrants  issued  as 
bounty  to  volunteers,  $1,100.21;  amount  in  warrants  issued  as 
monthly  appropriations,  $1,279;  amount  now  due  as  monthly 
appropriations  to  January  6th,  1862,  $637.48;  total,  $3,016.69. 

Teamsters  from  the  county,  in  the  service  of  the  government, 
were  declared  not  entitled  to  the  benefit  of  the  county  appropria- 
tion. 

At  the  September  meeting,  1862,  it  was  resolved  to  ask  the  gen- 
eral assembly  of  the  state  to  authorize  the  board  of  supervisors  of 
Chickasaw  county  to  levy  an  additional  tax  of  three  mills,  to  meet 
the  deficiency  in  the  county  funds  on  account  of  the  appropria- 
tions to  the  families  of  volunteers.  At  the  October  meeting,  it 
was  resolved  to  levy  a  tax  of  four  mills  for  the  benefit  of  the  fami- 


HISTOEY    OF   CHICKASAW    COUNTY.  300 

lies  of  vqlunteers,  to  be  called  the  volunteer  fund.  At  an  adjourned 
meeting  of  the  November  term,  1862,  the  appropriation  was  re- 
duced to  $2.00  per  month  for  the  wife,  and  $1.00  per  month  for 
each  child.  At  the  January  meeting,  1864,  the  appropriation  was 
increased  to  S4.00  per  month  for  grown  persons  and  ■ll.OO  per 
month  for  children  under  the  age  of  twelve  years,  "in  consideration 
of  the  high  price  of  necessaries,  and  the  hardness  of  the  winter," 
this  increase  to  continue  until  the  June  term. 

The  following  appears  among  the  proceedings  of  the  same  meet- 
ing: 

"Whereas,  G.  R.  Rowley,  of  Chickasaw  county,  Iowa,  is  entitled 
to  the  banner,  by  having  more  sons  in  the  United  States  service 
than  any  other  man  in  said  county;  he  being  poor  and  dependent 
entirely  on  the  efforts  of  one  son  only  for  his  and  his  wife's  sup- 
port; therefore,  be  it 

"Resolved,  That  the  sum  of  $5.00  per  month  be  allowed  him 
from  the  county  until  further  action  by  this  board." 

At  the  September  meeting,  1864,  the  following  was  spread  upon 
the  minutes: 

"The  friends  of  the  volunteers  now  in  the  field,  who  enlisted  in 
1861,  are  requested  to  notify  them  that  they  will  be  entitled  to 
$3.00  per  month  from  the  time  of  their  enlistment  up  to  the  time 
they  may  be  honorably  discharged  from  the  service." 

At  the  November  meeting  1864.  It  was  adopted  "That  it  is 
the  sense  of  the  board,  that  when  a  drafted  man  of  this  county's 
families  pays  a  substitute  to  take  his  place,  that  the  drafted  man's 
family  is  to  receive  the  appropriation  from  the  county  the  same 
as  if  said  drafted  man  was  in  the  service  personally. 

And  upon  the  records  of  the  board  for  the  January  meeting  of 
1865,  we  find  the  following: 

"Resolved,  That  the  clerk  be  authorized  to  issue  county  war- 
/  rants  for  full  pay  to  the  families  of  volunteers,  from  this  date, 
to-wit:  The  sum  of  four  dollars  per  month  to  the  wives  and 
parents  of  the  volunteers,  and  one  dollar  per  month  for  each  child 
under  twelve  years  of  age,  dependent  on  the  volunteer  for  support. 
Provided,  That  this  apply  only  to  such  as  volunteered  and 
entered  the  service  prior  to  November,  1862,  and  also  that  the 
clerk  draw  warrants  for  the  sum  of  two  dollars  per  month  to  the 
wive,  and  parents  of  volunteers,  and  fifty  cents  per  month  for  each 


301  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

child  under  twelve  years  of  age  dependent  upon  the  volunteers  for 
support  this  to  apply  to  all  who  entered  the  service  since  Novem- 
ber, 1862." 

At  the  regular  session  of  the  board  of  supervisors  in  September, 
1865,  a  resolution  was  passed;  allowing  the  widows  of  all  deceased 
soldiers  to  draw  the  allowance,  from  the  county  for  six  months 
after  death  of  the  husband. 

And  at  a  meeting  in  October  of  the  same  year,  the  following 
resolution  appears  on  the  minutes,  as  having  been  carried:  Re- 
solved, That  all  who  have  enlisted  and  served  as  privates,  in  the 
U.  S.  army,  from  Chickasaw  county  during  the  late  war,  be  placed 
on  the  same  footing,  and  paid  the  same  monthly  wages  as  by 
resolution  of  this  board  is  allowed  to  volunteers  who  have  enlisted 
since  January  1st,  1862,  excepting  such  regulars  from  the  benefit 
of  this  resolution  as  may  have  received  $300,  and  upwards,  as 
bounty  trom  the  United  States. 

SEVENTH   IOWA   INFANTRY. 

During  the  heats  of  the  summer  of  1861,  while  the  pulse  of  the 
nation  beat  with  feverish  intensity,  while  all  hearts  were  aching 
with  the  dread  of  civil  war,  and  the  sound  of  men  flocking  to  arms, 
in  their  country's  cause,  resounded  through  all  the  hills  and  val- 
leys, forests  and  prairies  of  this  northland;  then  the  spirit  of 
Chickasaw  county  was  stirred,  and  men  came  forward,  with 
alacrity,  at  the  call  of  the  government,  for  its  preservation,  com- 
pany B.,  seventh  regiment  of  Iowa  volunteers  was  raised,  and  com- 
posed almo8t  entirely  of  the  sons  of  Chickasaw,  Capt.  Gideon 
Gardner  and  all  the  officers  being  residents  of  the  county. 

The  history  of  the  company  is  nearly  always  the  history  of  the 
regiment,  especially  so  in  infantry,  therefore  we  give  an  abridged 
account  of  the  movements  of  the  regiment  for  which  we  are 
indebted  to  the  official  reports. 

"The  seventh  Iowa  infantry  was  organized  at  Burlington,  Iowa, 
in  1861.  The  first  companies  were  mustered  into  the  United 
States  service  on  the  24th  of  July,  and  the  last  company,  I,  was 
mustered  in  on  the  2d  day  of  August.  Col.  J.  G.  Lauman  was  in 
command  of  the  regiment.  On  the  6th  day  of  August  they  broke 
camp  marched  to  Burlington  under  a  burning  hot  sun  and  em- 
barked on  the  steamer  Jennie  Whipple  for  St.  Louis.  Arrived  at 
St.  Louis  on  the  morning  of  the  8th,   and   were  marched  to  the 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  302" 

arsenal,  where  they  bivouacked  for  several  days.  Moved  I'rom 
thence  to  Jefierson  Barracks,  where  they  remained  for  several 
more  days;  were  then  ordered  to  St.  Louis,  where  the  regiment 
was  armed,  the  flank  companies  with  Springfield  rifles,  and.  the 
other  eight  companies  with  the  improved  Springfield  muskets. 
The  same  night  they  took  the  cars,  and  went  to  Pilot  Knob,  and 
after  remaining  there  half  a  day,  marched  to  Ironton,  where  the 
regiment  went  into  camp  and  remained  there,  drilling  and  getting 
into  discipline  for  tAVO  weeks,  and  were  then  ordered  through 
southeast  Missouri  to  Cape  Girardeau.  This  commenced  the  first 
campaign  of  the  regiment.  The  division  consisted  of  six  regi- 
ments, and  was  commanded  by  Brig.  Gen'l.  B.  M.  Prentiss.  iVr- 
riving  at  Jackson,  Mo.,  during  the  last  days  of  August,  the  com- 
mand remained  one  week,  then  moved  to  the  cape,  where  tli^y  took 
transports,  and  went  to  Cairo,  and  were  sent  from  thence  to  wliat 
was  afterwards  known  as  Fort  Holt,  Kentucky.  The  ground  was 
covered  with  a  dense  forest  and  under  growth,  but  in  a  short  time 
the  camp  was  cleared  up,  and  policed,  and  all  hands  were  comfort- 
able. The  regiment  remained  at  Holt  about  two  weeks  wlien  it 
was  moved  down  to  Mayfield  creek,  and  established  camp  Critten- 
den, distant  from  the  Mississippi  river  about  three  miles,  and  from 
Columbus  the  rebel  stronghold,  about  eight.  Here  Lieut.  Col. 
Wentz  reported  to  the  regiment  for  duty.  Remaining  but  a  short 
time  at  camp  Crittenden,  the  regiment  was  moved  to  Fort  Jefier- 
son, on  the  Mississippi,  nearly  opposite  to  Norfolk,  Mo. 

During  their  stay  at  Fort  Jefierson  they  still  kept  a  strong 
picketguard  at  their  old  camp  Crittenden,  at  which  place  the  regi- 
ment had  its  first  skirmish,  in  which  one  man  was  slightly' 
wounded. 

On  the  6th  of  November,  1861,  the  regiment  received  orders  to" 
embark  on  transports,  and  about  night  steamed  down  the  Missis- 
sippi a  few  miles  rounded  to,  and  lay  all  night  at  Lucas  Bend. 
Early  on  the  morning  of  the  7th,  they  got  under  way  and 
landed  on  the  Missouri  shore  about  three  miles  above  Bel- 
mont; disembarking  there  the  troops  formed  line  of  battle,  and 
proceeded  to  the  attack  of  the  latter  place.  The  seventh  Iowa 
and  twenty-second  Illinois  were  brigaded  together  and  com- 
manded by  Col.  Dougherty  of  the  latter  regiment.  The  battle  of 
Belmont  was  a  bloody  day  for  the   seventh;  which  went  into  fight 


303  HISTORY    OF   CHICKASAW    COUNTY. 

with  but  eight  companies  numliering  in  all  410  men;  two  com- 
panies, K.  and  G.  being. detailed  as  fleet  guard  were  not  in  the 
engagement.  The  regiment  lost,  in  killed,  wounded  and  missing, 
237  men.  It  was  on  this  field  that  the  gallant  and  lamented 
Wentz  fell  with  many  other  brave  officers,  viz:  G.  W.  S.  Dodge, 
second  Lieut,  company  B.;  Benj.  Ream,  second  Lieut,  company 
C;  Chas.  Gardner,  second  Lieut,  company  I.;  Col.  Lauman  and 
Major  Rice  were  both  severely  wounded,  as  were  also  Capt.  Gard- 
ner, company  B.;  Capt.  Harper,  company  D.;  Capt.  Parrott, 
company  E.;  and  Cajjt.  Kitteridge,  company  F. 

It  was  in  this  fight  that  Iowa  officers  and  soldiers  proved  to  the 
world  that  they  were  made  of  ,the  right  kind  of  material,  and 
added  to  the  lustre  of  our  young  and  gallant  state. 

On  the  evening  of  the  7th  of  November,  1861,  the  shattered 
remnant  of  the  seventh  Iowa  arrived  at  Bird's  Point,  where  they 
remained  a  few  days,  and  were  then  ordered  to  St.  Louis,  Miss- 
ouri, to  rest  and  recruit.  This  terminated  the  first  battle  -for  this 
brave  and  gallant  host  of  heroes. 

On  the  13th  of  January,  1862,  the  seventh  were  embarked  at  St. 
Louis,  on  the  steamer  Continental,  and  although  the  weather  was 
intensely  cold,  which  detained  the  boat,  finally  got  under  way  and 
proceeded  down  the  river  about  twenty  miles;  but  when  that  dis- 
tance was  reached  the  floating  ice,  with  which  the  river  was 
filled,  blocked  the  boat  with  its  freight  of  brave  boys  in  blue  and 
was  frozen  in.  Here  they  staid  for  two  days,  until  the  cold  had 
so  congealed  the  ice  that  it  was  solid  enough,  when  the  regiment 
with  its  baggage  was  removed  to  the  shore,  and  took  the  railroad, 
and  returned  to  St.  Louis.  The  weather  was  intensely  cold,  but 
the  good  citizens  of  that  city  tendered  Col.  Lauman  the  use  of  the 
chamber  of  commerce  to  shelter  his  men  in,  and  the  boys  found 
comfort  in  the  hot  coffee,  warm  rooms,  etc.,  so  generously  provided 
by  their  friends. 

Next  morning,  the  regiment  started  for  Cairo,  marching  through 
Illinois  and  after  reaching  that  place  moved  forward  again.  After 
a^fatiguing  march,  interspersed  Avith  some  delays  for  rest,  the  regi- 
ment was  ordered  to  go  up  the  Tennessee,  with  balance  of  the  troops 
to  attack  Fort  Henry. 

Landing  on  the  morning  of  the  6th,  of  February,  they  took  up 
the  line  of  march  to  invest  the  fort,  but  learned  that   Commodore 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  304 

Foote  had  already  taken  it  before  their  arrival.  After  remaining  a 
week  at  the  Fort,  on  the  12th  of  February,  1862,  the  march  was 
resumed  with  Fort  Donclson  as  the  objective  point,  which  point 
was  reached  next  day.  About  5  p.  m..,  the  seventh  was  ordered  to 
the  front  to  support  battery  H.,  first  Missouri  light  artillery;  and 
spent  the  night  without  shelter  or  blankets.  The  next  day  the 
regiment  was  ordered  to  take  its  place  with  the  brigade  as  that 
was  going  into  action.  But  after  reaching  headquarters  it  was  not 
considered  advisable  to  make  the  charge  so  the  brigade  remained 
all  day  in  line  of  battle  until  the  shades  of  night  gave  the  neces- 
sary cover  for  their  removal. 

The  weather  became  quite  boisterous.  A  heavy  shower  of  rain 
falling  at  midnight,  but  before  morning  had  dawned  it  had  changed 
to  snow,  and  the  face  of  the  earth  was  covered  with  a  wintry 
mantle,  and  the  temperature  remaining  cold,  the  men  suffered 
much,   owing  to  their  exposed   positions  and  general  want  of 

blankets. 

On  the  morning  of  the  15th  the  skirmishers  were  deployed,  and 

at  2  p.  M.  the  brigade  was  ordered  to  charge  the  rebel  works.  The 
second  Iowa  never  having  been  in  a  fight,  having  only  joined  the 
brigade  on  Friday  the  14th,  was  given  the  post  of  honor  in  leading 
the  charge,  supported  by  the  balance  of  the  brigade.  The  seventh 
Iowa  moved  up  to  the  works  in  fine  style,  entered  the  sally-port, 
and  gained,  with  the  second  Iowa,  a  position  inside  the  rebel 
works.  Then  were  ordered  to  fall  back  and  take  shelter  on  the 
outside  of  the  fortification,  where  they  bivouacked  all  night  with- 
out fires,  and  suffered  much  from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather. 
Next  morning,  Sunday,  February  16th,  when  the  day  dawned,  the 
white  flag  from  the  grim  summit  of  Fort  Donelson,  told  quite 
plainly  that  the  strife  for  its  mastery  was  ended,  and  in  a  short 
time  our  boys  were  marching  in  and  taking  possession.  So  fell 
this  noted  rebel  stronghold,  and  the  gallant  seventh  Iowa  claims 
its  meed  of  praise. 

Here  the  regiment  remained  for  three  weeks,  and  were  then 
ordered  to  proceed  up  the  Tennessee  river  on  transports  to  Pitts- 
burg Landing.  They  were  nearly  a  week  making  the  voyage, 
being  unable  to  land,  owing  to  the  tempestuous  weather.  The 
regiment  remained  in  camp  until  the  memorable  6th  of  April, 
1862,  when  Beauregard  with  his  host  of  rebels  attacked  our  whole 
line.  ■  .  ^ 


305  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

The  7th  Iowa  was  on  parade  for  inspection  when  the  battle  com- 
menced, but  in  a  few  minutes  it  was  moved  to  the  front,  where  it 
was  engaged  the  balance  cf  the  day.  About  four  o'clock  p.  m.  the 
whole  brigade  was  ordered  to  fall  back,  in  which  retrograde  move- 
ment Gen.  W.  H.  L.  Wallace,  commanding  the  division,  fell,  and 
the  7th  lost  one  officer,  color-sergeant,  and  seven  men  killed,  and  a 
number  wounded.  The  regiment  was  rallied  in  the  edge  of  the 
timber,  and  helped  stop  the  advance  of  the  rebels,  and  a  short 
time  afterwards  fell  back  to  the  main  road,  where  the  weary  troops 
bivouacked  for  the  night,  the  rain  falling  in  torrents. 

The  next  morning  the  whole  line  advanced  on  the  rebels,  and 
before  noon  they  were  in  full  rout.  At  night  the  regiment  returned 
to  the  old  camp  and  got  a  warm  supper,  the  first  they  had  had  in 
two  days,  but  were  compelled  to  lie  without  shelter,  the  tents 
being  occupied  by  the  wounded  of  both  armies.  They  remained 
in  camp  here  until  the  27th  of  April,  when  the  whole  army  moved 
to  the  memorable  seige  of  Corinth.  On  this  march  the  regiment 
used  the  shovel  for  the  first  time  in  throwing  up  works  and  rifle 
pits,  and  about  the  first  of  June,  when  contiguous  to  Corinth,  it 
was  ascertained  that  the  enemy  had  evacuated  it,  and  the  seventh, 
with  the  division,  was  ordered  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy.  After  an 
arduous  tramp  without  coming  up  with  them,  it  returned  and 
went  into  camp  near  Corinth  and  remained  quiet  for  the  balance 
of  the  summer,  doing  picket  and  guard  duty. 

On  the  17th  the  regiment  reached  luka,  having  left  camp  two 
days  before,  and  from  Gen.  Grant's  order  No.  1,  the  division  to 
which  it  was  attached,  deserves  as  much  credit  and  praise  as  the 
troops  which  were  actually  engaged. 

Leaving  luka  the  same  night,  the  regiment  tramped  back  to 
their  old  quarter  at  Camp  Montgomery,  where  they  remained  until 
the  3d  of  October,  1862,  when  they  were  ordered  to  the  front  to 
meet  the  forces  of  Van  Dorn  and  Price.  The  seventh  was  on 
hand,  and  a  more  gallant  fight  the  men  never  made.  On  the  3d 
of  October,  in  the  afternoon,  Geri.  Dains,  who  commanded  the 
division  when  our  weak  line  was  driven  back  to  Fort  Robinette, 
placed  the  seventh  Iowa  in  a  position  of  honor  in  support  of  a 
battery,  which  was  then  stationed  at  the  above  fort.  At  8  a.  m. 
the  next  day  they  were  thrown  out  to  support  skirmishers,  the 
enemy  being  in  strong  force  in  front.     The  skirmish  line  fell  back, 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  306 

and  upon  the  fact  being  reported  to  Gen.  Dains,  he  ordered  the 
seventh  to  take  position  on  their  old  ground,  and  but  a  few 
minutes  elapsed  before  the  enemy  appeared  in  their  front  in  vast 
numbers;  but  thanks  to  the  nerve  of  Iowa's  sons,  the  second  and 
seventh  Iowa  held  the  ridge,  when  there  was  no  support  from  the 
balance  of  the  division.  Gen.  Sweeny,  who  was  in  command  of 
the  briga  e,  gave  the  order  for  them  to  retire  a  short  distance,  and  in 
his  official  report  made  special  mention  of  the  two  regiments  in 
question. 

The  seventh  Iowa  retired  about  fifty  yards,  when  they  were 
rallied  and  made  a  charge  on  the  enemy,  which  put  him  to  flight, 
and  the  victory  was  won.  Returned  next  day  to  Corinth,  where 
they  remained  until  the  6th,  when  they  moved  to  Rienzi,  from 
thence  to  Kossuth,  then  to  Boneyard,  where  they  staid  a  month, 
then  returned  to  Corinth,  where  under  tents  they  spent  the  winter. 
In  March,  1863,  the  regiment  went  to  Bethel,  Tenn.,  where  it 
remained  until  June  1st,  when  it  was  returned  to  Corinth.  After 
much  such  marching  and  countermarching  all  summer,  they 
arrived  November  11,  1863,  at  Pulaski,  Tenn.,  where  they  went 
into  camp  doing  escort  duty  for  the  various  trains  of  supplies. 

About  the  20th  of  December,  1863,  orders  were  received  allowing 
men  who  had  been  in  the  service  two  years  to  veteranize,  and  in  a 
few  days  three-fourths  of  the  men  present  for  duty  re-enlisted. 
The  regiment  started  home  on  the  7th  of  January,  1864,  and  were 
furloughed  for  thirty  days  from  the  20th  of  January.  On  the  20th 
of  February  the  boys  commenced  to  rendezvous  at  Keokuk  with 
some  two  hundred  recruits,  which  were  mustered  into  the  regi- 
ment. Left  Keokuk  February  27th,  and  proceeded  to  Prospect, 
Tenn.,  which  point  they  garrisoned  until  the  27th  of  April,  when 
they  started  on  the  ever-memorable  Atlanta  campaign. 

This  march  was  one  of  continual  skirmishing  and  fighting.  The 
seventh,  upon  crossing  the  Oostanaula  river,  at  Lay's  ferry.  May 
15th,  was  thrown  to  the  front  to  feel  the  enemy,  who  were  in 
strong  force,  and  but  a  few  minutes  sufficed  to  bring  on  the  deadly 
conflict,  which  lasted  but  a  few  moments,  and  terminated  in  the 
complete  rout  of  the  rebels,  consisting  of  an  entire  division  com- 
manded by  Gen.  Walker.  The  sevmth  Iowa  did  not  number 
four  hundred  muskets,  and  yet  out  of  this  small  number  it  lost 
sixty-five  men,   killed  and   wounded,  inside  of  ten  minutes.     No 


307  HISTORY  OP  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

regiment  in  the  United  States  service  ever  behaved  with  more 
gallantry,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  the  men  could  be  drawn 
off  from  a  force  five  times  their  number. 

This  was  the  first  severe  fighting  of  the  campaign,  but  it  con- 
tinued from  that  time  until  the  first  of  September,  including  Rome 
cross-roads,  Dallas,  New  Hope  Church,  Big  Shanty,  Kenesaw 
Mountain,  Nick-a-Jack  creek,  and  in  close  proximity  to  Atlanta,  in 
all  of  which  the  seventh  bore  an  honorable  part.  On  the  22d  of 
July,  during  the  engagement  in  which  Gen.  McPherson  fell,  the 
regiment  was  an  active  participant,  and  added  new  laurels  to  her 
former  bright  wreath. 

The  regiment  moved  from  the  front  of  Atlanta,  and  struck  the 
West  Point  railroad,  near  Palmetto,  and  from  thence  to  Jonesboro, 
supporting  Kilpatrick's  cavalry  in  driving  the  enemy,  and  was  with 
the  command  under  Gen.  Sherman,  which  compelled  Hood  to 
evacuate  Atlanta.  The  regiment  went  by  rail  from  East  Point  to 
Rome,  Ga.,  where  it  arrived  September  20th.  It  was  then  ordered 
to  Allatoona  on  the  4th  of  October,  but  did  not  reach  there  in  time 
to  take  part  in  the  bloody  fray  of  the  5th.  By  orders  received  the 
regiment  returned  to  Rome  on  the  7th  of  October,  and  remained 
until  November  11th,  when  they  took  up  the  line  of  march  with 
that  dauntless  band  of  heroes,  who  marched  with  Sherman  from 
Atlanta  through  the  heart  of  Georgia,  and  with  that  matchless 
captain  entered  the  city  of  Savannah  December  21,  1864. 

HISTORY    OF   THE   THIRTY  EIGHTH    IOWA   INFANTRY. 

In  the  fall  of  1862,  in  response  to  a  call  for  more  troops,  made 
by  President  Lincoln,  the  county  felt  its  patriotism  again  aroused, 
and  a  full  company  was  raised  to  go  to  the  front.  This  was  in- 
corporated in  the  38th  Iowa  Infantry,  and  was  known  as  company 
C,  and  as  we  before  traced  the  movements  of  the  Chickasaw  boys 
by  their  regiment,  we  will  once  again  follow  their  fortunes. 

The  regiment  was  organized  at  Dubuque,  and  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service  November  4,  1862.  The  aggregate  number 
at  that  date  being  910  men. 

In  obedience  to  orders  received,  the  regiment  moved  from  the 
camp  of  organization  December  15,  1862,  and  arrived  at  Benton 
barracks,  St.  Louis,  December  17th,  by  way  of  the  Illinois  Central 
railroad.  On  the  28th  they  were  ordered  by  Maj.  Gen.  Curtis, 
commanding  the  department  of  the  Missouri,  to  report  at  Helena> 


HISTORY  OF   CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  308 

Ark.  Embarking  on  board  the  steamer  Platte  Valley,  the  regi- 
ment proceeded  doAvn  the  river  as  far  as  Columbus,  Ky.,  where  it 
was  stopped  on  the  30th  and  ordered  by  Brig.  Gen.  Davies,  com- 
manding department  of  Columbus,  on  an  expedition  out  on  the 
Ohio  and  Mobile  railroad,  to  Union  City,  under  the  command  of 
Col.  Moore,  of  the  twenty-fourth  Missouri.  On  their  arrival 
there  the  next  day  the  forces  were  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle  to 
receive  the  enemy,  after  patiently  waiting  for  it  all  day,  they 
failed  to  make  its  appearance. 

January  1,  1863,  orders  were  received  from  Brig.  Gen.  Davies  for 
the  expedition  to  return  to  Columbus,  where  further  orders  were 
awaiting  the  regiment  from  Gen.  Curtis,  to  re-embark  on  the 
steamer  and  proceed  to  New  Madrid,  Mo.;  all  orders  to  the  contrary 
countermanded.  On  the  arrival  of  the  thirty-eighth  at  New 
Madrid,  on  the  2d,  it  took  possession  of  Fort  Thompson,  which 
had  been  evacuated,  magazines  blown  up,  guns  spiked  and  dis- 
mounted, and  carriages  burned,  as  also  were  the  barracks.  The 
boys,  however,  went  to  work,  built  new  barracks,  unspiked  and 
remounted  the  guns,  and  remained  at  New  Madrid  doing  guard 
duty  until  June  7th,  when,  by  order  of  Gen.  Curtis,  the  regiment 
embarked  on  the  steamer  Daniel  G.  Taylor,  and  proceeded  down 
the  Mississipjji  and  up  the  Yazoo  to  Sherman's  Landing,  where 
they  arrived  on  the  11th,  and  were  ordered  to  report  at  Young's 
Point,  where  they  arrived  the  same  day.  From  thence  marching 
across  the  point,  and  crossing  the  river  at  Warrenton  on  the  15th 
found  themselves  in  front  of  the  enemies'  works  at  Vicksburg,  and 
on  the  extreme  left  of  Grant's  army.  Here  the  regiment  was 
assigned  to  the  first  brigade,  second  division,  thirteenth  army 
corps,  and  were  constantly  engaged  in  filling  details,  supporting 
the  first  Missouri  battery,  constructing  earthworks,  digging  rifle- 
pits,  and  advancing  our  lines  until  the  glorious  4th  of  July,  when 
the  city  capitulated. 

Many  of  the  regiment  were  overcome  by  the  iieat  and  the  ardu- 
ous duty,  and  the  miasma  which  Avas  constantly  arising  from  the 
swamp  on  whose  border  the  regiment  was  encamped,  was  the 
cause  of  fevers  and  disorders  which  arose,  and  reducejcl  it  to  half 
its  original  number.  Disease  thinned  the  ranks  each  day  while 
the  casualties  resulting  from  the  siege  wei-e  slight. 

July  5th,  in  company  with  the  other  troops,  it  marched  into  the 


309  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

works,  and  on  the  12th,  while  embarking  for  Port  Hudson,  the 
news  was  brought  of  the  capture  of  that  place,  and  the  regiment 
ordered  up  the  Yazoo  river. 

It  was  with  Gen.  Herron  at  the  capture  of  Yazoo  City,  and  in 
the  raid  into  the  country  of  the  Big  Black  river,  from  which  they 
returned  laden  with  horses,  cotton,  mules,  and  negroes. 

Returned  to  Vicksburg  on  the  21st,  and  on  the  25th  again 
embarked  for  Port  Hudson,  La.,  where  it  arrived  the  27th.  At 
this  place  the  regiment  was  so  reduced  by  sickness,  that  the 
morning  report  for  August  13th  shows  only  eight  officers  and 
twenty  men  fit  for  duty.  Many  valuable  officers  were  lost,  among 
whom  was  Col.  D.  H.  Hughes',  who  died  on  the  steamer  Lebanon, 
August  7th. 

August  15th,  embarked  on  the  steamer  Sally  Robinson  for 
Carroliton,  La.,  and  arrived  the  following  day.  While  at  this 
place  many  who  had  been  sent  up  the  river  sick,  or  had  been  left 
in  the  hospital  at  Vicksburg,  rejoined  the  regiment,  which  was 
now  again  ready  for  the  field,  and  joined  the  expedition  under 
Gen.  Banks  against  Texas, 

The  fleet  sailed  from  New  Orleans,  October  23,  1863,  and  after 
experiencing  a  heavy  gulf  storm,  arrived  at  Brazos  Santiago, 
Texas,  November  2d.  The  regiment  with  the  balance  of  the  com- 
mand was  landed  on  the  3d,  and  on  the  6th  moved  forward  toward 
Brownsville,  encamping  the  same  night  on  the  old  battle  ground 
of  Pido  Alto.  On  the  9th  the  regiment  advanced  to  Brownsville, 
which  it  found  in  possession  of  our  forces,  to  whom  it  had  been 
surrendered  without  opposition. 

Here  the  regiment  went  into  camp  and  continued  to  do  guard 
duty  until  the  evacuation  of  the  place,  which  took  place  July  28, 
1864,  when  it  returned  to  New  Orleans. 

Arriving  at  that  port  on  the  5th  of  August,  the  thirty -eighth 
was  ordered  again  to  embark  on  the  steamer  Josephine,  and  sailed 
for  Mobile  bay,  arriving  at  Fort  Gaines  (which  had  been  taken  on 
the  7th),  on  the  9th,  and  were  landed  on  Mobile  point,  in  the  rear 
of  Fort  Morgan,  the  same  day.  While  here  the  regiment  was 
engaged  in  picket  and  fatigue  duty,  until  the  surrender  of  Fort 
Morgan,  on  the  morning  of  the  23d  of  August.  After  remaining 
on  Mobile  Point  until  September  8th,  the  regiment  was  ordered 
back  to  New  Orleans?  where   it  remained   for  some  time.     The 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  310. 

regiment  was  engaged  in  the  last  battle  of  the  war,  which  was  the 
taking  of  Fort  Blakely  the  day  before  Lee's  surrender.  The  regi- 
ment was  mustered  out  of  the  service  at  Houston,  Texas,  but  did 
not  disband  until  its  arrival  in  Davenport.  While  at  Morganzie 
Bend,  above  New  Orleans,  the  regiment  was  consolidated  with  the 
thirty-fourth,  but  still  retained  its  old  number;  by  this  consolida- 
tion some  officers  were  necessarily  dispensed  with. 

THE   FOURTH   IOWA   CAVALRY. 

Chickasaw  county  raised  a  company  for  this  favorite  and  gallant 
regiment,  which  was  known  as  company  H,  and  also  furnished 
some  more  men  for  company  B.  The  regiment  was  organized  with 
A-sbury  B.  Porter,  as  colonel;  Thos.  Drummond,  as  lieut.  col.; 
S.  D.  Swan,  J.  E.  Jewett,  and  G.  A.  Stone,  as  majors,  and  was 
mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  at  Mount  Pleasant, 
November  21,  1861. 

Of  the  service  performed  by  the  cavalry  it  is  difficult  to  give  a 
connected  history,  so  much  of  it  being  done  by  detached  com- 
panies, but  this  regiment  has  covered  itself  with  unfading  laurels 
throughout  its  numberless  campaigns,  distinguishing  itself  and 
losing  men  at  Guntown,  Miss.;  Helena,  Ark.;  Bear  Creek,  Miss.; 
near  Memphis,  Tenn.;  Town  Creek,  Miss.;  Columbus,  Ga.; 
Mechanicsburg,  Miss.;  Little  Blue  River,  Ark.;  Brownsville,  Miss. j 
Ripley,  Black  River  Bridge,  and  Tupelo,  Miss.;  little  Red  River^ 
Ark.;  Granada,  Miss.;  Yazoo  River,  Miss.;  White  River,  Ark.; 
Osage,  Kan.;  Lick  Creek,  Ark.;  Okalona,  Miss.,  and  St.  Francis 
River,  Ark.  After  partaking  of  the  hardships  of  many  a  weary 
campaign,  and  suffering  the  privations  and  losses  attendent  on  a 
mourrted  regiment,  it  was  mustered  out  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  August 
10,  1865, 

ROSTER  OF  VOLUNTEERS  FROM  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

COMMISSIONED    OFFICERS. 

Major  G.  W.  Howard,  Lieut.  G.  J.  Tisdale, 

Captain  Gideon  Gardner,  Lieut.  Albert  E.  Rupe, 

Captain  J.  H.  Powers,  Lieut.  John  A.  Green, 

Captain  H.  C.  Baldwin,  Lieut.  F.  W.  Barron, 

Captain  D.  E.  Bronson,  Lieut.  Geo.  Dodge, 

Captain  S.  S.  Troy,  Lieut.  F.  D.  Bosworth, 

Captain  C.  W.  Foster,  Lieut.  E.  A.  Haskill, 


311 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


Captain  D.  McTaggart, 
Captain  J).  C.  Crawford, 
Lieut.  W.  W.  Birdsall, 
Lieut.  Chas.  Trout, 


Lieut.  J.  A.  Albertson, 
Lieut.  R.  W.  Foster, 
Lieut.  0.  0.  Poppleton, 
Asst.  Surg.  S.  C.  Haynes. 

non-commissioned  officers  and 


The  following  is  a  list  of  the 
privates  as  far  as  can  be  gathered  from  the  reports  of  the  State 
Adjutant  General.  It  has  been  found  almost  impossible  to  pre- 
pare a  complete  list  at  this  day,  but  no  pains  have  been  spared  to 
make  as  full  a  report  as  possible. 

THIRD  INFANTRY. 

George  IV.  Stocks. 

SEVENTH   INFANTRY — CO.  B. 


Dudley  L.  Campbell, 
Gilbert  J.  Tisdale, 
Dan.  McTaggart, 
Wm.  W.  Birdsall, 
Andy  J.  Felt, 
Geo.  S.  Arnold, 
Geo.  Morse, 
0.  A.  Holmes, 
H.  S.  Wisner, 
Geo.  Pease, 

C.  J.  Channer, 
F.  Albertson, 
J.  B.  Bailey, 
Zelotes  Bailey, 
Frank  Birdwell, 
H.  Bean, 

L.  L.  Bean, 
Z.  Z.  Bryant, 
Levi  Carkin, 
Allen  Case, 

D.  H.  Shannon, 

E.  J.  Taylor, 
J  no.  Thomas, 
Wm.  Tannehill, 
Jeff.  Thomas, 
Jno.  Morse, 


D.  Campbell, 
Irving  M.  Fisher, 
C.  M.  Fisher, 

C.  W.  Foster, 

E.  A.  Haskell, 

F.  M.  Hurley,   ^ 
T.  Horton, 

Jas.  R.  Howard, 
Benj.  E.  Morton, 
A.  H.  Morton, 
Jno.  McGee, 
R.  H.  Mills, 
Henry  W.  Montrose, 
Meltiah  Nye, 
Wm.  Nurman, 
Burton  H.  Poppleton, 
Julius  H.  Powers, 
Thos.  E.  Rollins, 
Josiah  A.  Rutherford, 
Horatio  P.  Smith. 
E.  M.  Thayer, 
C.  F.  Palmester, 
A.  G.  Strong, 
W.  H.  Mills, 
0.  0.  Poppleton, 
Chas.  J.  Channer. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  312 

NINTH   INFANTRY — CO.  E. 

David  VanKleick,  G.  J.  Tisclale. 

CO.  F. 

D.  L.  Benedict,  Myron  R.  Benedict. 

CO.  H. 

Wm.  Everinghani. 

CO.    I. 

A.  C.  Johnston,  Jno.  Williams, 

Geo.  W.  Johnston,  Isaac  Demott, 

Jno.  W.  Stuart.  Sam.  Sutton. 

THIRTEENTH  INFANTRY — UNASSIGNED. 

G.  C.  Reed,  A.  J.  Allen, 

Jno.  Welsh,  F.  M.  Drake. 

FOURTEENTH   INFANTRY — CO.  B. 

Thos.  R.  Boyce,  Chas.  Bird. 

L.  P.  Hawley. 

TWENTY-SEVENTH   INFANTRY — CO.  G. 

Jno.  E.  Beitler,  Richard  Bean, 

Frank  McConnell,  Sylvester  Bement, 

Wm.  Dyas,  W.  F.  Clark, 

Robt.  Beck,  N.  W.  Cotton, 

Chas.  Victor,  D.  J.  Caswell, 

Jno.  McConnell,  .  Albert  Cuffell, 

Newel  Helms,  J.  S.  Dowd, 


Amos  F.  Ripley,  Jno.  Felcher, 

L.  S.  BuUard,  B.  G.  Feeney, 

Geo.  W.  Bean,  Henry  Greineisen, 

Jacob  Beck,  Chas.  Hickok, 

E.  W.  Hall,  D.  Hall. 

John  Harris,  Alex.  Jones, 

B.  R.  Horton,  E.  Ludden, 

Byron  Hovey,  John  McConnell, 

J«  W.  Pratt,  J.  Morris, 

Smiley  Sample,  Warren  Parrish, 

Geo.  Wood,  Benj.  Parker, 
Jno.  Rowe. 

THIRTY-FOURTH   INFANTRY — CO.    G. 

Jas.  M.  Jackson,  Z.  H.  Morton, 


313 


HISTOKY  OP  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


D.  D.  Beynolds, 


L.  H.  Yeager. 


John  Pullar, 
C.  W.  Sherman, 

THIRTY-EIGHTH   INFANTRY. 

Sergent  Major,  C.  W.  Foster. 

CO.    A. 

Culman  Kelley, 
CO.   c. 


James  N.  Kerr, 
F.  D.  Barron, 
T.  D.  Cotant, 
F.  Loveless, 
Henry  L.  Sholts, 
H.  B.  Trask, 
0.  H.  Clause, 
C.  E.  Tyler, 
A.  B.  Legg, 

C,  H.  Rogers, 
Wm.  Johnson, 
Geo.  Strong, 
James  A.  Glass, 
H.  H.  Hufiman, 
Ozro  Hill, 
Jacob  Horning, 
Wm.  W.  Hawkins, 

D.  Henderson, 
M.  B.  Johnson, 
Henry  F.  Steindroph, 
S.  W.  Byers, 

F.  M.  Ajjpleberry, 
Zenas  Bigelow, 
Geo.  W.  Beach, 
Alvin  A,  Brown, 
H.  Baker,  Jr. 
A.  M.  Coffinger, 
Wm.  Cotant, 
W.  A.  Cole, 
Richmond  Carkins, 
Benj.  Carter, 
D.    F.  Culver, 


Jethro  Jones, 
Henry  Kepler, 
Samuel  Kephart, 
C.  0.  Kingsberry,- 
R.  W.  Kidder, 
J.  A.  King, 
J.  D.  Keith, 

E.  G.  Miller,  Jr., 
Luke  Milmine, 
T.  E.  Mills, 

J.  H.  Parsons, 
H.  H.  Parks, 
Chas.  S.  Parks, 
M.  C.  Roby, 
W.  C.  Rembaugh, 
John  Roe, 
Henry  Shoemaker,, 
Geo.  Strong, 

F.  F.  Still, 
Chas.  P.  Snow, 

G.  W.  Simpson, 
G.  C.  Scripture, 
W.  H.  Stone, 
Jos.  Stutton,  Jr., 
Chas.  Stowell, 
Josiah  Spencer, 
Allen  Vaughn, 
N.  Vaughn, 

A.  Vantassell, 
John  G.  Wright, 
S.  A.  Wood, 
Abram  Wortendyke,, 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


314 


O.  J.  Clapper, 
Jos.  Dupas, 
John  Dayton, 
Geo.  Demiston, 
E.  H.  Ellis, 
Geo.  Forsman, 
L.  Fairbanks, 


J.  Weiler, 
John  C.  Whittier, 
T.  W.  Williams, 
Alonzo  Wheeler, 
Allen  Wheeler, 
L.  Yeager, 
Albert  Slater, 


CO.    F. 

Jacob  Rush. 

FORTY-FIRST  INFANTRY — CO.    B. 


Jno.  W.  Dixon, 


Jos.  Dixon. 


SECOND   CAVALRY — CO.    I. 


Howard  Weikle 
Jesse  Weikle, 


Fred  Young, 
Peter  Young. 

FOURTH   CAVALRY. 

E.  A.  Haskell,  3d  Brig.  Q.  M. 

CO.    B. 


Andw.  Bray, 
Thomas  Legg, 
W.  G.  McDonald, 

Stephen  W.  Grosbeak, 
Seth  Martin, 

D.  A.  Babcock, 

E.  W.  Beach, 
Norman  A.  Chapell, 
T.  W.  Robb, 

A.  R.  Toms, 
Geo.W.  Miller, 
Wm.  Doyle, 
Oreites  Wilcox, 
D.  Campbell, 
N.  J.  Watson, 
W.  Reardon, 
J.  H.  Stocks, 
Jas.  Albertson, 
S.  M.  Legg, 
Jas.  Miller, 


CO.  H. 


George  Miller, 
Milo  S.  Pelton, 
Levi  M.  Smith. 

Chas.  W.  Session, 
Jas.  Rooney, 
Henry  K.  Martin, 
Geo.  Patrick, 
Jas..  Arnott, 
A.  J.  Bray, 
C.  A.  Baldwin, 
Martin  Bigger, 
Lewis  Choate, 
F.  A.  Coe, 
H.  A.  Cornet, 
And'w   Gibson, 
Adin  B.  Harris, 
L.  H.  Huffman, 
Zenas  Thomas, 
H.  K.  Thomas, 
Thos  Legg, 


815 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 


Geo.  Miller, 
C.  K.  Miller, 
M.  S.  Pelton, 
Oliver  Pelton, 
L.  Patrick, 
Amos  C.  Rowley. 

M.  E.  D.  Witted, 
Jerome  Bourcey, 
J.  H.  Brown, 
J.  F.  M.  Clark, 
V.  A.  Fuller, 

Francis  Burdick, 
Geo.  Hawkins, 
R.  L.  Bean, 
Daniel  Blorhan, 
M.  Hinchy, 
W.  McNoble, 

Ambrose  Legg, 


C.  P.  Campbell, 
F.  K  Coe, 
AncTw  Laird, 
Jas.  Miller, 
E.  W.  Swift, 
Chas.  Ready. 


SIXTH   CAVALRY — CO.    B. 


CO. 


M.  V.  Marion, 
T.  H.  Merritt, 
Frank  Stephenson, 
Wm.  F.  Tucker, 
M.  S.  Whitney. 

M.  Nolan, 
Fred  Padden, 
J.  R.  Stephenson, 
C.  H.  Starboard, 
S.  H.  Todd. 


CO.     L. 


L.   Phillips. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Lucius  Bemet,  14th  U.  S.  Regulars. 
Morgan  A.  Hance,  1st  Nebraska  Cavalry. 


HISTOBY   OF   CHICKASAW   COUNTY.  316 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


Record  of  Events  Occurring  in  the  County  From  the  Earliest 
Time  to  the  Present  Time  Chronologically  Arranged. 


This  chapter  is  largely  devoted  to  a  brief  review  or  chronology 
of  prominent  events  in  the  history  of  the  county,  bringing  them 
down  to  the  present;  omitting,  however,  the  records  of  elections, 
and  the  officers  elected  each  year,  as  they  are  given  elsewhere. 

1836. 
About  this  year  a  trading  post  was  established,  by  the  govera- 
ment,  at  or  near  where  the  town  of  Bradford  now  stands. 

1840. 
Land    broke  and   fenced   at  the  forks   of  the  Cedar  river  for 
Indians  to  cultivate;  the  government  treating  it  as  a  reservation. 

J  847. 
Reported  massacre   of  women  and  children,  belonging  to  a  large 
party  of  Sioux  Indians,  by  a  land  of  Winnebagoes  on  the  warpath. 
This  was  in  Deerfield  township  as  now  known. 

1848. 
Truman  Merritt,  the  first  white  man  to  make  a  settlement  within 
the  boundaries  of  the  county,  located  near  the  Cedar  river,  in  the 
southwestern  part  of  the  county. 


317  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

1850.  ' 

First  white  child  born  in  the  county,  being  a  daughter  of 
Truman  Merritt. 

T.  G.  Staples  made  the  first  settlement  in  what  is  now  known 
as  Stapleton  township. 

Terrence  Cummerford,  first  man  to  locate  in  Utica  township. 

1851. 
First  male  white  child  born   within   the   limits   of  the  county, 
Elmer  Case,  at  Greenwood. 
John  and  J.  A.  J.  Bird   and   others  settled   at   Bradford  village. 

1852. 
First  school  at  village  of  Bradford  and  the  first  one  in  the  county. 
James  Lyon,  afterwards  the  first   county  judge,  located  in  what 
is  now  Utica  township. 

1853. 

During  this  year  the  first  attempt  was  made  towards  organizing 
the  county  and  an  election  was  held,  but  John  Bird,  organizing 
sheriff,  for  some  reason  withheld  all   returns   and  it  was  a  failure. 

The  first  settlement  made  in  what  is  now  Chickasaw  township 
by  Williamand  Joel  Bartlett,  Jos.  Lee,  L.  D.  Hoisington,  Samuel 
Moru'oe,  James  L.  Frazee,  and  others.  ' 

Henry  Shaffer  located  in  the  township  of  Jacksonville,  being  the 
first  to  do  so  within  its  limits. 

The  first  sermon  was  preached  during  the  year  by  Mr.  Ingam 
at  the  house  of  John  Bird  at  villiage  of  Bradford. 

The  first  store  in  the  county  was  also  opened  this  year  at  the 
same  place  by  J.  A.  J.  Bird. 

The  first  marriage  license  was  granted  to  Joseph  Aving  and  Eliza- 
beth Jarrard,  September  5. 

1854. 

County  organized,  with  but  one  election  precinct,  called  Bradford, 
May  3rd. 

First  license  to  peddle  issued  to  L.  E.  Hackleton,  Feb.  10,  by 
the  county  court. 

Commissioners,  appointed  for  that  purpose,  locate  the  county  seat 
at  Bradford  village. 

First  court  house  built  the  same  year,  being  a  log  house,  with- 
out ceiling. 

Andy  Sample,  built  the  first  saw  mill  and  George  Bronson  the 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  318 

first  hotel  in  the  county,  both  these  at  Bradford,  where  alone  there 
was  any  settlement  to  amount  to  much.  William  Dow,  who  has 
the  honor  to  be  the  first  blacksmith  also  located  this  year. 

The  town  of  Chickasaw  surveyed  and  platted,  and  the  sawmill 
at  that  place  erected,  this  year,  as  was  also  the  school  organized  and 
taught  by  Miss  Jane  Billings. 

September  1st,  Frederick  Padden,  located  at  Fredericksburg,being 
the  first  settler  in  that  township  Samuel  Marsh  and  others  follow- 
ing in  this  same  year. 

The  first  settlement  was  made  in  Deerfield  township,  this  year, 
by  Almon  Harris,  John  and  My  rick  Spurr,  Edwin  Hale  and  others, 
in  May. 

Hazard  Green,  one  of  the  most  prominent  men  of  the  early  days, 
first  settled  in  Jacksonville  township,  this  year,  and  built  the  first 
building,  in  what  was  in  later  times  the  village  of  Jacksonville. 
He  was  afterwards  hotel  keeper,  justice  of  the  peace,  postmaster 
and  sundry  other  things. 

The  first  tax  levy  was  made  this  year  also. 

At  Nashua,  in  Bradford  township,  the  first  settlement  is  recorded 
as  occuring  this  year. 

Wm.  Millikan  located  in  Dayton  township,  and  established  on 
an  island  in  the  "Wapsie,"  a  cabin  known  far  and  wide  as  the 
"hunter's  home;"  this,  with  the  location  of  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Smith,  was  the  first  attempt  at  settlement  in  that  township. 

The  first  settlers  in  Richland  township  are  recorded  as  coming 
in  this  year  also,  among  them  we  find  the  names  of  J.  B.  Upham, 
Joel  Parsons,  and  David  Tingley. 

1855. 

It  is  recorded  that  the  first  church  society  organized  in  the 
county,  was  of  the  Congregational  denomination,  and  was  estab- 
lished under  the  ministrations  of  Rev.  0.  Littlefield  during 
this  year. 

William  Tucker  opened  the  first  store  in  the  village  of  Chicka- 
saw, in  the  spring,  and  the  grist  mill  and  a  steam  saw  mill  was 
erected  during  the  summer  of  the  year. 

At  Jacksonville,  in  the  township  of  the  same  name,  this  year, 
was  established  the  first  store  in  the  town,  as  was  the  postofiice. 

The  first  settlement  in  Washington  township  dates  from  this 
year,  as  does  that  of  the  town  of  New  Hampton,  the  first  house  in 


319  HISTORY   OF   CHICKASAW   COUNTY. 

the  latter  being  a  small  board  building,  owned  by  David  Edwards. 
The  first  store  by  Jacobs  &  Ross. 

The  township  of  Obispo  was  organized  and  an  attempt  made  to- 
do  the  same  in  Washington,  but  was  9  failure,  being  set  aside  for 
informality. 

Dr.  S.  C.  Haynes,  the  first  physician  in  the  county,  also  located 
this  year,  at  Greenwood. 

During  this  year,  at  Fredericksburg,  Rev.  S.  M.  Prentiss,  a 
Baptist  clergyman  preached  the  first  serman.  The  first  hotel  and 
store  were  also  erected  at  the  same  place.  The  following  named 
persons  also  began  to  carry  on  their  respective  business  at  the 
village  of  Fredericksburg,  this  year,  viz:  Emory  Combs,  black- 
smith; J.  V.  Carpenter,  shoemaker;  George  Hillson,  wagonmaker. 

Postoffice  established  this  year  at  New  Hampton.  Osgood 
Gowan,  postmaster. 

H.  Bartlett,  the  first  child  born  in  Chickasaw  township,  dates 
his  advent  from  this  year. 

The  township  of  Chickasaw  was  organized 

1856 

June,  Rosa  Padden,  the  first  child  in  the  township  of  Fredericks- 
burg, was  born.  The  town  was  also  laid  out,  this  year,  by  Fred- 
erick Padden  and  Daniel  Bloxham.  In  the  same  township  occurs 
the  following  events,  this  year:  Steam  saw  mill  erected ;  Methodist 
society  organized,  and  the  postoffice  established  at  the  "Burg," 
with  F.  Padden,  as  postmaster. 

First  election  takes  place  since  organization  of  county,  and  296 
votes  cast.  There  was  also  a  special  election  this  year  in  aid  of 
the  McGregor,  St.  Paul  &  Miss,  railroad,  the  vote  being  by  a  large 
majority  in  favor  of  such  aid. 

This  year  the  county  divided  into  various  election  precincts,  and 
Deerfield  and  Richland  townships  were  organized. 

With  this  year  the  county  seat  question  comes  to  the  front.  In 
February  a  petition  was  presented  to  the  county  court,  asking  that 
a  vote  be  taken,  at  the  next  election,  on  the  location  of  the  county 
seat,  as  between  Bradford  and  New  Hampton.  The  petition  was 
granted,  and  at  the  April  election  the  question  was  submitted  to 
the  voters,  and  decided  in  favor  of  Bradford,  by  the  board  of  can- 
vassers throwing  out  the  vote  of  Washington  township  and  ten 
votes  in  Deerfield,   for   alleged   informity.     This   led  to  lawsuits,. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  320 

etc.,  but  was  finally  settled  in  favor  of  New  Hampton,  that  being 
the  geographical  centre  of  the  county. 

During  the  year  "Brinks  Folly"  was  erected;  this  was  a  large 
hotel,  far  in  advance  of  the  town,  built  at  Bradford. 

Deerfield  township  was  organized  April  7th  of  this  year;  W.  F, 
Wright,  organizing  constable. 

The  first  school  in  the  town  of  Jacksonville  was  established  by 
a  party  named  Cole,,  and  the  village  laid  out  and  platted  in 
March. 

Miss  Maggie  Nichols  teaches  the  first  school  in  Nashua.  Also 
the  first  store,  in  the  same  place,  established,  being  that  of  Smiley 
Sample. 

1857. 

This  was  a  hard  year  on  the  early  settlers,  and  is  now  remem- 
bered by  them  as  "starvation  year,"  many  subsisting  all  winter  on 
soft  corn. 

In  May  the  Jacksonville  Republican,  the  first  newspaper  in  the 
county,  was  established.  This  was  followed,  the  next  week,  by 
the  Cedar  Valley  News.  The  first  was  edited  by  Isaac  Watson, 
and  the  latter  by  Andy  J.  Felt.  In  November  of  the  same  year, 
was  formed  a  stock  company,  known  as  the  Chickasaw  County 
Republican  Association,  who  i^urchased  the  Jacksonville  paper  of 
Watson,  and  changed  the  name  of  it  to  The  Chickasaw  County 
Republican. 

The  first  agricultural  society  of  the  county  was  organized  this 
year.     This  was  a  failuare  and  finally  collapsed. 

During  this  year  we  find  the  first  mention  of  the  tovrn  of 
Nashua  on  the  records  of  the  county  judge. 

An  election  held  in  aid  of  the  Chicago,  Iowa  &  Minnesota  rail- 
road results  in  a  majority  in  favor  of  such  aid  of  said  road,  being 
309  for  and  216  against  it. 

Washington,  Dayton,  New  Hampton,  and  Fredericksburg  town- 
ships organized. 

The  first  kiln  of  brick  burned  and  first  brick  building  erected 
in  the  county,  being  some  out  building  on  the  place  of  Hiram 
Bailey,  at  Forest  City. 

A  party  by  the  name  of  Montgomery  erects  the  first  hotel  in 
Nashua,  and  Andy  SamjDle  erects  the  first  grist  mill  a*  the  same 
place. 


321  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

Saw  mill  at  Fredericksburg  destroyed  by  fire. 

The  following  are  among  the  events  happening  in  the  township 
of  Fredericksburg,  this  year:  First  school  opened  by  Miss  Anna 
Bishop;  the  first  marriage  was  celebrated,  being  that  of  Charles 
Zwick;  D.  B.  Hanan  locates  as  attorney;  Julien  house  built. 

Plat  of  New  Hampton  is  recorded  this  year,  and  recites  that 
Gideon  Gardner,  H.  Hamlin,  David  Edwards,  H.  Gurley,  and  E. 
T.  Runion  were  the  original  proprietors  thereof. 

Jno.  Nicholas  erects  first  store  in  Stapleton  township,  near  Crane 
creek,  and  the  township  of  Stapleton  organized. 

1858. 
April  5th  a  vote  was  taken  on  the  county  seat  question,  as 
between  New  Hampton  and  Forest  City.  On  account  of  alleged 
informality  in  some  votes  in  Deerfield,  and  the  board  throwing 
■out  the  entire  vote  of  Washington  township.  Forest  City  is  decided 
to  have  had  the  matter  adjudged  in  its  favor,  and  court  adjourned 
to  that  place.  The  matter  was  taken  to  the  courts,  and  the  next 
year  decision  Avas  given  that  New  Hampton  was  entitled  to  the 
distinction  qf  being  the  seat  of  the  county  government. 

In  many  pavts  of  the  country  the  crops  were  lost,  this  year,  by 
entailing  much  misery. 

Utica  and  Jacksonville  townships  organized  in  March  of  this 
year. 

By  a  vote  of  the  count}'  the  aid  in  favor  of  the  McGregor,  St. 
Peter  &  Miss,  river  railroad  was  rescinded  in  April. 

February  8th  the  Congregational  church,  at  New  Hampton,  Avas 
organized  under  the  name  of  the  Pilgrim  Church  of  New  Hampton. 
Sawmill,  at  Fredericksburg,  rebuilt. 

Dr.  Mack,  the  first  physician  in  the  latter  town,  locates. 

1859. 

The  county  seat  relocated  at  New  Hampton,  where  it  has  re- 
mained ever  sin'ce. 

During  this  year  was  erected  at  tha  village  of  Bradford  the  Con- 
gregational church,  well  knoAvn  everywhere  as  the  "Little  Brown 
Church."  This  was  the  first  church  edifice,  properly  so  called,  in 
the  county,  and  stands,  to-day,  a  monument  of  early  days.  J.  R. 
Nutting  was  the  first  pastor. 

Dresden  townshi])  was  organized  this  year. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  322 

1860. 

This  year  was  made  eventful  by  the  first  issue  of  the  New 
Hampton  Courier,  a  paper  that  still  survives  the  vissitucles  of 
a  newspaper  life. 

In  April  was  organized  the  agricultural  society  of  Chickasaw 
county,  at  New  Hampton,  and  in  September  27th  and  28th  was 
held  the  first  exhibition  of  the  same.  This  was  a  success,  and 
the  society  still  is  in  existence  and  maintains  a  healthy  organi- 
zation. 

Baptist  church,  at  Fredericksburg,  organized,  with  Rev.  E.  G. 
Groat  as  pastor,  as  was  the  Presbyterian  mission,  of  the  same 
place,  with  Rev.  L.  R.  Lockwood  as  minister. 

First  board  of  supervisors  meet.  The  tocsin  of  war  having 
resounded  throughout  the  land,  and  the  President  of  the  United 
States  having  called  for  men  to  put  down  the  rebellion  that 
threatened  the  life  of  the  government,  the  board  pass  a  resolution, 
granting  to  all  volunteers  from  the  county  a  bounty  and  support 
for  those  dependent  upon  them,  who  are  left  to  the  tender  mercies 
of  the  world. 

In  June,  of  this  year,  is  raised  a  full  company  in  the  county, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Gideon  Gardner,  and  which  was 
incorporated  in  the  famous  seventh  Iowa  infantry  regiment,  «and 
known  as  company  "B." 

In  November  was  also  raised  a  full  company,  which  was  attached 
to  the  fourth  Iowa  cavalry,  and  known  as  company  "H."  Besides 
these  many  men  were  enlisted  in  the  county  for  various 
other  regiments. 

New  Hamj)ton  cemetery  association  organized. 

October,  company  "C,"  thirty-eighth  I^a  infantry,  was  raised 
in  the  county  and  went  to  the  front. 

Saw  mill,  at  Fredericksburg,  destroyed  by  fire  for  the  second 
time. 

1863. 
During  the  year  the  congregational   church,   at  New  Hampton, 
was  erected.     The  noted  Philadelphia  banker.  Jay  Cooke,  donating 
the  sum  of  five  hundred  dollars  in  aid  of  the  same. 

1864. 

Mary  Case,  appointed  deputy  clerk,  being  the  first  instance  in 
the  county  of  a  woman's  right  to  public  9fiice. 


323  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY. 

October  3d  the  first  teachere  institute  held. 

1865. 

The  Congregational  church,  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the 
state  of  Iowa. 

Gideon  Gardner,  donates  the  land,  in  New  Hampton,  on  which 
to  build  a  court  house  for  the  use  of  the  county.  The  contract 
to  erect  the  building,  was  let  to  J.  H.  Powers,  June  6th,  and  was 
to  cost  $2,986.00. 

Cornet  band,  at  Fredericksburg,  organized. 

The  present  school  house,  at  the  same  place,  erected. 

1866. 

During  the  year,  a  committee  appointed,  by  the  board  of  super- 
visors, to  let  a  contract,  to  build  the  bridge  over  Cedar  river,  at 
Nashua;  and  to  oversee  the  work  on  the  same. 

1867. 

The  committee,  appointed  by  the  board,  report  that  they  have 
let  the  contract,  to  build  the  bridge  at  Nashua,  to  A.  Spaulding, 
and  that  he  has  complied  with  the  terms  thereof,  and  said  bridge 
is  completed. 

The  school  house  at  New  Hampton,  erected. 

The  city  of  Nashua  incorporated,  under  the  laws  of  the  state   of 
Iowa. 
W.  S.  Pitts,  M.  D.,  locates  in  village  of  Fredericksburg. 

1868. 

During  the  summer  of  this  year,  the  first  railroad  broke  ground 
within  the  limits  of  the  county.  This  was  the  Cedar  Valley 
and  Minnesota  railroad,,  which  entered  the  town  of  Nashua  in 
July.  It  is  now  known  as  the  Cedar  Valley  branch  of  the  Illinois 
Central  railroad. 

Meeting  held  in  Stapleton  township,  November  14th,  appoint  a 
committee  to  wait  upon  the  officers  of  the  Milwaukee  and  St. 
Paul  railroad,  approaching  the  boundary  of  the  county,  to 
ask  upon  what  terms  they  would  put  a  station  at  or  near  Crane 
Creek. 

The  fires  settlement  at  the  town  of  Lawler,  dates  from  this  year 
also. 

Rosenbaum  Brothers,  start  a  bank  in  Nashua,  the  first  in  the 
county. 


HISTORY  OF   CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  324 

1869. 
In  the  early  summer  the  Milwaukee  and  St.  Paul  railroad  broke 
the  ground  of  Chickasaw  county,  and  located  the  station  at  Lawler 
(or  as  it  was  at  first  called,  Crane  creek  station.)  This  road  was 
then  known  as  the  McGregor  and  Sioux  City,  but  was  shortly 
after  absorbed  into  the  present  company,  and  known  as  the 
Iowa  and  Dakota  divison  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  and  St.  Paul 
railway.  The  settlement  of  the  town  of  Lawler  really  dates  from 
this  year.  The  first  postoffice  was  also  established  with  J.  A. 
Green  as  postmaster. 

August  13,  Arcana  Lodge  No.  274,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  instituted  at 
New  Hampton. 

1870. 

The  Chickasaw  county  bank,  organized  in  January,  this  year. 

The  town  of  Lawler,  was  incorporated,  with  J.  W.  VanAuken, 
as  mayor.  Bryan  J.  Castle,  also  established  the  Lawler  Gazette, 
which  however,  was  of  short  life  as  it  only  run  about  a  year. 

Methodist  church  at  Fredericksburg  erected,  and  John  H.  Kil- 
ler's saloon  at  same  place  destroyed  by  fire. 

1871. 
Congregational  and  Catholic  churches,  of  Lawler,  organized. 
Also  the  German  Lutheran  church  at  New  Hampton  organized, 
in  March  of  this  year. 

Independent  school  district  of  Fredericksburg  organized. 

1872. 

The  poor  farm  purchased,  by  the  county,  of  Don  A.  Jackson, 
for  the  sum  of  $3,200,  being  160  acres  of  land,  and  contract 
awarded  A.  W.  Utter,  New  Hampton,  to  erect  the  necessary  build- 
ings, for  the  accomodation  of  the  destitute. 

Several  churches  erected  during  the  year;  notably,  the  Catholic 
and  Congregational,  at  Lawler,  and  the  Methodist  at  New  Hamp- 
ton. 

J.  V.  Carpenter's  residence,  at  Fredericksburg,  burned  in  the 
spring  the  year. 

1873. 

Town  of  New  Hampton  incorporated,  and  first  city  election 
takes  place  May  21st. 

Roman  Catholic  church  at  Nashua  organized,  and  Catholic 
cemetery  at  New  Hampton,  established. 


325  HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW   COUNTY. 

1874. 
German  Congregational  church,  at  New  Hampton,  organized. 
Mount  Horeb  Lodge,  333,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  at  village   of  Freder- 
icksburg, established. 

1875. 
Chickasaw  County  Times,  a  weekly  newspaper,  started  at  Lawler, 
by  F.  M.  Haislet,  now  owner  of  the  New  Hampton  Tribune. 
Cheese  factory  at  Fredericksburg  established. 

1876. 
There  being  some  irregularity  in  the  pievious  incorporation 
of  the  town  of  Lawler,  a  new   act  of  incorperation  was  past  this 
year. 

September  2nd,  a  lodge  of  workmen  organized,  at  New  Hamp- 
ton. 

1877. 

This  year  is  marked  by  the  big  fire  at  I^awler,  that  wiped 
out  nearly  the  entire  business  portion  of  the  community.  It  de- 
stroyed, the  Times  office,  the  stores  of  Green  and  Lynch,  E.  A. 
Ervin,  Miss  E.  Lawrence,  J.  Fitzsimmons,  F.  Clarkin,  W.  M. 
O'Brien,  P.  O'Reilly,  John  Nicholas,  Lovejoy  and  McFarland,  Mrs. 
M.  F.  Binns,  Genshaw  and  Co.,  J.  N.  Baker  and  Co.,  the  saloons 
of  Fitsimmons  Bros.,  and  John  Doyle,  the  Lawler  litrary,  law  lit- 
rary  of  D.  West,  the  butcher  shop  of  J.  A.  Real,  five  grain  ware- 
houses and  numerous  other  building,  and  property,  aggregating  in 
value  $83,500  on  which  there  were  was  an  insurance  of  only 
$56,450. 

The  Episcopal  church,  at  New  Hampton,  was  organized  July 
30th. 

Conflagration  at  Fredickersburg,  destroying  the  buildings  and 
stocks  of  Padden  Bros.,  Mrs.  Howe  and  Mrs.  Stone,  and  A.  Smith. 

1878. 

John  Kolthoff  starts  the  cheese  factory,  in  Dresden  township. 

New  church  erected  in  Nashua,  by  the  Methodist  denomina- 
tion, the  finest  religious  edifice  in  the  county. 

Lawler  Oddfellows  organize  a  lodge. 

1879. 

Smith  and  Darrow,  organize  a  banking  office  at  New  Hamp- 
ton. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICKASAW  COUNTY.  326 

Again  fire  devastates  the  town  of  Lawler,  burning  McNevins, 
saloon,  R.  D.  Parker's  store  King's  hotel,  Exchange  bank  and  the 
barber  shop.  The  loss  was  about  seven  or  eight  thousand  dollars, 
but  the  people  whose  property  was  thus  destroyed,  were  not  dis- 
couraged, but  went  to  work  with  a  will  and  almost  before  the  fire 
had  died  out,  were  making  arrangements  to  continue  their  busi- 
ness. 

First  National  bank  of  Nashua  organize,  with  A.  G.  Case  as  pres- 
ident, and  A.  J.  Felt,  cashier. 

1880. 

Court  house  at  New  Hampton  destroyed  by  fire,  supposed  to 
.  have  had  an  incendiary  origin.  This  necessitated  a  new  court 
Jaouse  and  on  this  issue  hinged  the  contest  for  the  county  seat  of 
this  year.  Nashua,  offering  to  build  a  court  house  and  loan  it  to 
county  for  as  long  as  they  occupied  it  for  that  jDurpose,  but  New 
Hampton  merchants,  and  business  men  generally,  accepthig  the 
situation,  donated  to  the  county  of  ^5,000  toward  a  building. 
This,  together  with  the  influence  of  a  remonstrance,  signed  by  a 
majority  of  the  voters  of  the  county,  induced  the  board  of  super- 
visors, to  relocate  the  seat  of  county  government  at  New  Hamp- 
ton and  build  the  present  elegant  and  commodious  building  which 
graces  the  city. 

1881. 

Again  fire  visits  the  apparently  doomed  city  of  Lawler,  devouring 
the  stores  of  H.  S.  Blackett,  G.  Miller,  A.  Bechelt,  A.  P.  Johnson, 
P.  O'Reiley  and  many  other  buildings,  making  a  loss  of  about 
$55,000,  of  which  but  a  small  portion  is  covered  by  insurance. 

School  house,  at  New  Hampton,  is  also  burned  during  the 
spring. 

During  the  year,  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  at  Williams- 
town,  is  erected. 

This  being  a  good  year  for  fires,  the  Dixon  house,  one  of  the 
oldest  hotels  in  New  Hampton  is  destroyed  by  flames. 

First  National  bank  at  New  Hampton,  was  organized  December 
15th. 

1882. 

Vote  on  the  amendment,  to  prohibit  the  manufacture  or  sale  of 
intoxicating  liqour,  in  the  state  results  as  follows:  1382  for  the 
adoption  of  the  amendment  and  1068  against  adoption. 


327  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 


HISTORY    OF  HOWAED   COUBTY. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Introductory;  Geography;  Geology;  Recources;  Early  Settle- 
ment; Names  of  Settlers,  and  Date  of  Location;  Early 
Mills,  Churches,  Stores,  Schools,  Postoffices,  Etc.;  First 
Births,  Marriages,  Court,  and  Newspapers. 


From  the  early  days,  when  the  adventurer,  seeking  his  future  in 
this  new  world,  landed,  on  the  sunny  shores  of  Virginia,  when  the 
rigid  puritan,  in  search  of  the  religious  liberty  so  dear  to  him, 
moored  his  bark  on  New  England's  bleak  and  inhospitable  coast, 
the  searcher  after  wealth  or  liberty  has  been  pushing  westward, 
ever  westward,  overflowing  the  eastern  and  middle  states,  deluging 
Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  until  the  great  tide  of  emigration,  which  is 
still  pressing  on,  toward  the  setting  sun,  reached  our  own  fair 
state.  In  1854  quite  a  number  came  into  the  land,  now  known  as 
Howard  county,  then  an  unbroken  wilderness,  emerald  prairie, 
majestic  groves,  and  smiling  water  courses — all  in  primeval  loveli- 
ness— blest  their  sight;  but  few  white  men's  feet  had  pressed  its 
sod,  and  the  habitations  of  man  was  represented  by  the  skin 
wigwam  of  the  Indian,  or  the  rude  shanty  of  the  few  hunters  or 
trappers  that  infested  the  streams.     Among   those   whose   names 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  328 

are  mentioned  as  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  county,  how 
many  still  are  with  us?  Alas,  there  number  is  small  and  diminish- 
ing every  day.  Many  removed  from  the  county  ere  many  years 
had  flown,  others  followed  from  year  1^  year  in  hopes  to  better 
their  condition  in  other  localities;  others  have  passed  to  the 
"shining  shore"  of  the  beautiful  river,  while  others  still  linger  in 
the  homes,  among  us,  that  they  have  reared  by  their  industry  and 
perseverance  on  these  beautiful  prairies  of  Howard  county. 

What  changes  the  intervening  years  have  ^brought!  These  wild 
glades  and  grassy  meads  have  been  converted  into  magnificent 
farms,  gardens  of  beauty,  comparatively  speaking.  The  rude 
habitations  of  the  barbarian  and  semi-civilized  has  given  place  to  the 
substantial  farmhouse  and  palatial  dwelling.  The  camping  ground 
of  the  Winnebago,  Sac,  Fox,  and  kindred  tribes  of  red  men,  are 
now  occupied  by  cities,  towns,  and  villages;  zig-zag  trails  are 
superceded  by  broad  roads,  and  fine  bridges  span  the  streams 
where  once  the  bark  canoe  was  the  only  means  of  transport  from 
shore  to  shore. 

Howard  county  is  in  the  extreme  northern  tier  of  counties,  and 
the  third  west  from  the  Mississippi  river,  and  is  bounded  on  the 
east  by  Winnesheik  county,  on  the  south  by  the  county  of 
Chickasaw,  west  by  Mitchell  and  on  the  north  by  the  state  of 
Minnesota. 

In  speaking  of  the  surface,  soil,  timber,  and  geological  forma- 
tion, Andreas'  Atlas,  says: 

"This  is  chiefly  a  prairie  county.  The  surface  is  undulating, 
and  the  elevation  such  that  it  is  healthful  and  agreeable,  while  the 
landscape  is  beautiful  and  pleasing  in  any  direction  the  observer 
may  choose  to  look.  All  the  rough  land  lies  in  the  northeastern 
part,  Albion  township.  No  county  in  Iowa  presents,  in  propor- 
tion to  its  size,  less  waste  land  than  Howard. 

The  soil  is  very  uniform;  it  is  a  black  loam,  with  clay  sub-soil. 
In  some  places  the  loam  reaches  to  the  underlying  limestone 
formation.  In  point  of  productive  worth  it  can  not  be  excelled, 
and  all  grains,  grasses,  and  cereals  common  to  highly  valuable 
agricultural  districts,  succeed  well. 

The  timber  region  embraces  a  small  proportion  of  Howard 
county,  probably  one-twelfth.  A  large  proportion  of  this  is  young 
timber  of  difierent  varieties,  but  chiefly  oak  and  poplar,  but  small 


329  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

bodies  of  burr  oak  may  be  found  about  the  county  at  various 
points,  skirting  the  rich  prairies.  There  is  also  considerable 
timber  along  the  western  Wapsipinicon,  and  in  places  along  the 
other  streams. 

The  rock  basis  of  Howard  county,  in  the  northeast  corner, 
belongs  to  the  Lower  Silurian  age.  On  the  southwest  nearly  one- 
half  its  area  lies  within  the  Devonian  region.  The  intervening 
space  is  that  of  the  Niagara  limestone  of  the  Upper  Silurian  age. 
There  are  frequent  exposures  of  rock  along  nearly  all  the  streams, 
furnishing  good  quarries  of  excellent  building  stone  and  lime." 

The  Wapsipinicon  floAvs  through  the  county,  while  the  Little 
Wapsipinicon  rises  within  the  limits  of  the  county.  The  deriva- 
tion of  the  name  is  Indian,  and  there  seems  to  be  some  question 
as  to  the  exact  meaning,  but  on  the  authority  of  Antoine  Le  Claire,. 
of  Davenport,  one  of  the  best  Indian  linguists  of  his  day,  it  is  a 
corruption  of  Wau-bis-e-pin-e-ka,  and  translated,  would  be  Waubis, 
white;  pineka,  potato;  so  that,  if  rendered  into  English,  it  would 
be  the  White  Potato  river. 

The  Upper  Iowa  river,  the  largest  stream  in  the  county,  pursues  a 
winding  course,  running  through  the  northern  tiers  of  townships 
in  a  general  easterly  direction.  The  headwaters  of  the  Turkey 
river  is  near  the  center  of  the  county  in  the  township  of  Howard) 
Center,  aud  Paris.  Crane  creek  waters  a  large  part  of  the  county, 
flowing  in  a  southeasterly  course,  rising  in  Jamestown  township, 
and  traversing  the  entire  county.  The  Upper  Iowa  affords  a  very 
excellent  water  power,  which  is  improved  to  a  considerable  extent. 
These  streams,  with  their  numerous  affiuents,  well  supjjly  the 
county  with  never-failing  water — the  dryest  season  failing  to 
produce  a  lack  of  that  necessity. 

The  natural  resources  of  the  county  are  great,  but  the  loss  of  the 
wheat  crop  of  1878  has  paralyzed  the  energies  of  many  farmers, 
and  business  seems  to  stagnate,  but  under  the  judicious  manage- 
ment of  tlie  present  the  outlook  is  good,  and  we  may  soon  see 
Howard  take  the  place  among  the  counties  which  it  should  hold — 
that  of  a  leader.  The  farming  community  have  seen  the  folly  of 
sticking  to  the  raising  of  wheat  alone,  and  the  fine  herds  of  cattle 
and  droves  of  swine  testify  to  the  increasing  prosperity  of  the 
people. 

The  first  white  man  tha{  we  have  any  record  of,   that  inhabited 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  330 

this  county,  is  said,  by  reliable  tradition,  to  have  been  one  Hiram 
Johnson,  of  whom  it  is  told  that  he  erected  a  cabin  and  settled 
near  Oregon  Grove,  but  as  he  never  broke  up  or  cultivated  any 
land,  but  subsisted  by  hunting  and  fishing;  the  old  settlers  dis- 
claim all  right  of  his  to  be  considered  in  the  light  of  one  of  them- 
selves. The  date  of  his  location  was  December,  1851.  But  the 
actual  pre-emptors,  as  they  were  called,  did  not  attempt  anything 
until  sirring  of  1853,  when  the  tide  of  emigration  first  cast  its 
ripples  this  way;  we  give  below  the  list  of  all  the  early  settlers, 
whose  names  we  could  learn  with  the  year  of  their  inc(miing. 
Many  more  were  there,  but  time  has  wrapj^ed  their  names  in  his 
oblivious  mantle,  and  it  is  impossible  to  find  any  record  of  them. 
Those  who  first  located  in 

1853, 

were  Henry  Brown,  in  May,  in  Oakdale;  Daniel  Crowell  and 
Andrew  Nelson,  in  the  spring,  in  Albion;  Wm.  Cottrell,  Thos. 
Lewis,  H.  Shuttleworth,  and  Wm.  Brown,  at  New  Oregon;  Owen 
Sprague,  Wm.  Harlow,  Thos.  Fitzgerald,  Thos:  Granathan,  and 
" —  Noonan,  at  Vernon  Springs. 

1854. 

S.  M.  Col5,  George  Schofield,  J.  F.  Mitchell,  Jas.  G.  Upton,  E. 
Gillett,  M.  G.  Goss,  M.  L.  Goss,  M.  L.  Shook,  H.  Blodgett,  J.  M. 
Fields,  Thos.  Lewis,  and  C.  M.  Munson,  in  Vernon  Springs  town- 
ship; R.  S.  Buckminster,  A.  D.  C.  and  Jos.  Knowlton,  Jno.  Adam, 
R.  E.  Bassett,  Benj.  and  Geo.  Gardner,  Oscar  Cheseboro,  and  the 
three  Mertimers  in  Forest  City  township;  Jared  Sigler  and  Chas. 
Salmon,  in  Saratoga;  C.  S.  Thurber,  and  L.  Aspinall,  in  Albion; 
A.  Pooler,  Jos.  Hall,  Lemuel  Potter,  Martin  Boardman,  Edward 
Butters  and  W.  P.  Hough,  in  Afton;  W.  S.  Pettibone,  in  Howard; 
Robt.  Jerod,  Josiah  Laws,  0.  M.  Thayer,  M.  Gates,  in  Oakdale;  A. 
W.  Kingsley,  Norman  Freeman,  C.  M.  Sawyer,  in  Chester. 

1855. 

Thos.  Griffin  and  Patrick  Richards,  in  Paris;  Joseph  Daniels,  S. 
L.  Cary  and  G.  M.  Van  Leuvan,  in  Forest  City,  Augustus  Beadle, 
in  Vernon  Springs;  Oliver  Arnold,  Thos.  Osborne,  H.  D.  Lapham, 
and  W.  D.  Darrow,  in  Albion;  Royal  0.  Thayer,  Alfred  Eldridge, 
W.  E.  Thayer,  Ira  Eldridge,  Michael  Creamer,  Patrick  Mullen,  and 
Aseph  Webster,  in  Howard  Center  township. 


331  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  , 

C.  D.  Cutting,  Geo.  Edward,  Stephen  and  Albert  Tuples,  Ed- 
ward Irish,  Samuel  Hallett,  Willis  Spencer,  David  Patterson, 
Thos.  DeMoss,  L.  Fassett,  Wm.  and  Dennis  Rice,  James  E.  Bennett, 
James  A.  Cutting,  D.  P.  Bradford,  John  Moffitt,  Lyman  Southard, 
Milo  S.  Torsey,  Hazen  Ricker,  John  Fiefield,  Asel  Wilmot,  and 
Luther  Titeum,  in  the  present  township  of  Jamestown. 

1856. 

J.  S.  Sturgis,  in  Paris;  Wm.  Conery,  Jno.  F.  Thayer,  W.  A.  and 
Calvin  F.  Webster,  Henry  A.  Cook,  Laban  Hassett,  and  Lawrence 
Long,  in  Howard  Center;  and  Darius  and  Smith  Seeley  in  the 
same. 

One  of  the  first  locations,  chpsen  by  the  pioneers  and  a  favorite 
one  for  many  years,  was  at  "Oregon  Grove,"  as  it  was  called, 
now  known  as  New  Oregon  and  Vernon  Springs;  here  in 
the  fine  timber  on  the  Turkey  river,  the  early  settler  pitched 
his  tent,  rearing  his  humble  log  cabin  and  breaking  the  sod  put  in 
his  little  crop;  here  he  first  essayed  to  wring  from  the  reluctant 
earth  the  living  for  himself  and  family,  which  was  his  only  ambi- 
tion; not  knowing  that  he  was  planting  the  germs  of  the  civiliza- 
tion that  has  borne  such  grand  fruit  in  these  later  days.  Although 
but  thirty  years  have  elapsed  since  the  plough  first  broke  the 
grassy  covering  of  mother  earth  in  the  county,  since  the  first  cabin 
was  erected  within  its  boundaries;  it  has  grown  with  a  mighty 
growth  in  spite  of  many  adverse  circumstances,  until  it  has  be- 
came a  garden  spot;  teeming  with  rich  and  fertile  farms. 

Of  its  natural  resources  and  present  status  it  may  be  said,  that 
there  is  no  swamp  or  waste  lands  in  the  county,  and  over  90  per 
cent,  of  the  lands  are  improved,  that  is  to  say,  the  land  is  broken  up 
and  some  cheap  buildings  built  for  present  use  until  money 
enough  is  made  out  of  the  land  to  build  better  ones;  occasionally 
the  old  temporary  buildings  are  torn  down  and  good  farm 
houses  and  barns  built  in  their  stead;  but  as  a  rule  the  first 
buildings  erected  on  a  farm  have  not  been  improved  upon. 
Groves  have  been  planted  and  native  timber  generally  taken  care 
of,  so  that  there  is  plenty  of  timber  for  all  time  to  come,  provided 
it  is  not  wantonly  destroyed  and  wasted.  There  is  an  abundance 
of  good  pure  water  to  be  had  wherever  wanted  by  digging  for 
it.  It  is  found  at  aji  average  of  about  twenty  feet  from  the 
surface. 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  332 

The  surface  of  the  county  is  undulating,  not  bluffy,  affording 
excellent  drainage.  The  pure  running  water  in  the  numerous 
Btreams,  with  an  absence  of  swamps  and  stagnant  sloughs,  renders 
the  atmosphere  salubrious  at  all  seasons.  Malarious  diseases,  and 
that  scourge  of  some  of  the  Eastern  and  Southern  States,  the  fever 
and  ague,  are  seldom  if  ever  known. 

THE  FINANCES 

of  the  county  are  in  a  very  healthy  condition  indeed,  the  total 
indebtedness  being  only  $5,600,  which  is  bonded  and  drawing 
interest  at  6  per  cent.  There  is  no  floating  debt  and  no  probabil- 
ities that  the  future  expenditures  necessary  to  run  the  county  will 
ever  exceed  the  present  low  levy.  Taxes  are  not  burdensome  and 
are  growing  lighter  every  year. 

Howard  county  is  not  situated  away  out  on  the  frontier.  It  is 
the  third  county  Avest  from  the  Mississippi  river  in  the  northern 
tier  of  counties,  and  has  a  population  of  10,837.  as  shown  by  the 
census  taken  last  June.  Cresco,  the  county  seat  has  a  population 
of  1,875.  The  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway  passes 
throvigh  the  northeastern  and  northern  portions  of  the  county,  and 
two  more  lines  are  being  surveyed  and  grade  stakes  set  through 
the  western  part  of  the  county  now,  both  of  which  will  probably 
be  built  during  the  coming  season. 

The  reason  for  the  present  depression  in  the  price  of  land,  is  not 
because  tlie  land  is  poor  in  quality,  but  because  so  many  of  the 
farmers  have,  to  quote  Beecher,  "tried  to  carry  all  their  eggs  in  one 
basket, "to-wit:  raised  nothing  but  wheat. 

Still  good  improved  land  is  worth  from  twenty  to  thirty  dollars 
per  acre. 

THE  SOIL 

is  a  dark,  deep  sandy  loam,  no  alkali,  with  a  lime  stone  and  clay 
subsoil,  and  is  very  productive  of  all  kinds  of  crops,  especially  the 
different  varieties  of  grasses.  Kentucky  blue  grass  can  be  grown 
plentifully  with  ease.  Kentucky  herself  cannot  compete  with  our 
prairies  in  the  production  of  the  famous  forage  plant.  In  fact 
blue  grass  and  white  clover  are  taking  the  place  of  the  native  grasses 
wherever  the  land  is  pastured  to  any  extent.  Timothy  and  clover 
are  a  sure  and  immense  crop;  in  short,  there  is  no  end  to  the  capa- 
bilities of  this  soil  for  all  this  class  of  products.  Corn,  oats,  barley^ 
and  flax,  are  always  sure  crops  and  yield  largely.    All  kinds  of  root 


333  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  ' 

crops  do  well  and  yield  enormously.  Nearly  all  kinds  of  fruits 
are  grown  successfully.  Wheat  has  always  been  a  sure  and  profit- 
able crop  until  within  a  few  years.  In  1876  our  people  experienc- 
ed their  first  set  back  in  wheat  raising;  the  wheat  was  struck  with 
the  rust  and  we  had  less  than  half  a  crop.  In  1877  we  had  a  good 
wheat  crop,  the  yield  was  enormous.  In  1878  the  Mdieat  crop 
promised  a  greater  yield  than  the  crop  of  1877,  but  it  was  destroyed 
just  before  maturity  by  heavy  rains  and  exceedingly  hot  weather; 
it  was  literally  cooked  by  the  hot  sun  and  vapor,  from  the  wet 
ground.  In  1879  and  1880  the  wheat  crop  failed  entirely.  As  a  rule 
the  people  in  this  section  of  Iowa  with  the  people  of  southeastern 
Minnesota  have  made  wheat  rajsing  a  specialty,  perhaps  seven  out 
of  every  ten  of  the  farmers  have  raised  nothing  else  but  wheat,  in 
many  cases  they  did  not  raise  enough  corn,  oats,  and  hay  to  feed 
their  horses  througii  the  winter  and  would  have  to  buy  feed  for 
them.  They  never  raised  any  vegetables  or  garden  stuff  and  did 
not  keep  any  cattle,  hogs  or  sheep. 

THE  CLIMATE 

is  healthful  and  invigorating.  The  summers  are  very  warm; 
the  winters  are  very  cold.  Yet  neither  of  these  seasons  is  ordinarily 
oppressive,  for  the  hot  days  of  summer  are  usually  followed  by 
cool,  clear  nights,  and  the  winters  are  particularly  distinguished 
for  a  dry,  pure  and  invigorating  atmosphere.  Cyclones,  hurri- 
canes, whirlwinds  and  water  spouts  have  never  been  known  in 
this  section.  The  formation  of  the  face  of  the  country  is  such^ 
that  storms  of  this  class  are  either  broKcn  up  or  turned  aside  long 
before  they  reach  us.  The  terrible  "blizzards"  that  used  to  sweep 
over  the  country  every  winter  when  the  country  was  new  have 
lost  their  dangerous  element.  The  fences  and  numerous  groves 
planted  on  the  different  farms  break  their  force,  so  that  now  it  is 
not  any  more  uncomfortable  or  dangerous  to  travel  through  the 
country  here  during  the  winter  than  in   any  of  the  Eastern  States. 

THE  PUBLIC  OR  FREE  SCHOOL  SYSTEM 

of  Iowa  is  noted  for  being  the  best  of  any  in  the  United  States, 
and  the  schools  in  Howard  county  are  of  the  best,  and  the  high 
school  of  Cresco  is  not  surpassed  in  the  State. 

SOCIETY  AND  CHURCH  PRIVILEGES 

will  compare  favorably  with  any  and  surpass  many  sections  of  the 
East  where  there  is   the  same   population  in  town   and  country. 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  334 

Nearly   all   denominations    are    represented  in   the  towns,   and 
churches  are  built  at   convenient   distances  through  the  county. 
The  people  as  a  rule  are  intelligent,    well  informed,  industrious 
temperate  and  law  abiding  citizens. 

Contrast  the  first  feeble  attempts  at  settlement,  with  the  above, 
and  then  if  you  can,  say  that  the  future  of  Howard  county  does 
not  seem  grand.  If  in  the  brief  years  that  have  elapsed  since  the 
foot  of  the  first  Avhite  man  trod  this  virgin  land,  so  much  improve- 
ment has  been  made,  may  we  not  look  for  much  more  in  the  years 
to  come. 

But  everything  has  its  beginning,  and  the  settlement  of  the 
county  was,  of  course,  no  exce])tion  to  the  rule.  We  are  told  that 
in  1853,  the  first  saw  mill  was  erected,  near  what  is  now  the  town 
of  Vernon  Springs,  on  the  Turkey  river;  it  was  in  the  grove,  and 
built  and  owned  by  Oren  Sprague.  This  was  a  great  convenience 
to  those  who  shortly  came  into  the  country.  And  for  many  years 
lumber  was  hauled  from  it  to  all  parts  of  the  country.  In  the 
summer  and  fall  of  1854^  however,  another  saw  mill  was  erected  by 
W.  Harlow,  about  one  and  a  half  miles  from  the  present  site  of 
New  Oregon;  and  in  February,  1856,  another  was  erected  on  the 
Cedar  river,  in  Jamestown,  by  a  company,  of  whom  James  D.  Cut- 
ting, D.  P.  Bradford,  John  Mofifett  and  Lyman  Southard  were 
members.  The  first  grist  mill  was  erected  in  Foreston  about  1854, 
and  in  the  .summer  of  1855,  the  second  was  built  at  Vernon 
Springs,  on  the  Turkey  river. 

The  first  store  ever  opened  for  business,  within  the  limits  of  the 
county,  was  at  Vernon  Springs.  Here,  in  the  year  1854,  Henry 
Milder,  put  up  a  building,  and  opened  a  store,  where  was  kept  the 
usual  miscellaneous  stock  of  the  early  merchants.  This  store  was 
known  for  many  years,  far  and  wide,  as  the  "blue  store,"  from  the 
color  with  which  its  owner  saw  fit  to  decorate  its  front.  Here,  to 
the  "store"  came  all  the  pioneers,  to  buy  their  groceries,  etc.,  and 
sit  around  the  store  in  winter  and  exchange  opinions  on  politics, 
crop  prospects,  local  gossip,  etc,  as  the  manner  of  such  is  yet  to 
this  day. 

Miss  Harriett  Cole,  has  the  honor  of  being  the  first  to  teach  a 
school  in  Howard  county.  In  1854  it  was  first  opened  in  a  little 
log  cabin,  and  she  was  installed  as  the  first  teacher,  and  her  fitness 
for  the  position  is  testified  to,  by  many  of  her  pujDils,  and   by   the 


335  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

fact  that  she  has  continued  to  wield  the  ferule  for  so  many  years. 

The  pioneer  church  was  one  organized  at  the  town  of  New 
Oregon,  in  1856,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  John  W.  Windsor,  to 
whose  energy  and  perservence  it  owes  its  inception  and  origin.  It 
was. of  the  Congregational  denomination,  and  still  existed  when  the 
town  of  Cresco  came  into  being,  when  finding  that  many  of  its 
members  were  moving  to  that  city,  the  church  was  transferred 
there  also,  and  preserves  its  existance  with  an  unbroken  chain  from 
the  earliest  church  unto  the  present  time.  In  later  years  many 
other  church  organizations  have  sprung  into  being,  which  are  men- 
tioned elsewhere. 

In  1854  a  postofiice  was  established  at  "Oregon  Grove",  which 
was  the  first  in  the  county.  Hiram  Johnson  was  the  first  post- 
master, acting  as  such  for  a  short  time;  as  before  his  commis- 
sion could  reach  him  in  those  days  of  slow  mail  facilities,  he  re- 
moved from  the  county  and  state;  going  to  Carmonia,  Fillmore 
county,  Minnesota,  where  he  resided  a  few  short  years  and  then 
emigrated  to  California,  where  he  died.  S.  M.  Cole  was  then  com- 
missioned as  postmaster,  being  the  first  that  was  legally  and  truly 
such.  The  office  was  at  his  house  in  New  Oregon  township  about 
three  miles  from  where  Cresco  now  stands.  This  office  he  held 
until  1857,  when  J.  S.  Lawver  succeeded  him  and  moved  the  post- 
office  to  village  of  New  Oregon. 

In  regard  to  who  was  the  first  child  born  in  the  county,  there 
seems  to  be  some  dispute,  but  out  of  all  the  contradictory  reports 
we  have  gathered,  the  fact  seems  to  be  that  Lucy  Thurber  should 
enjoy  that  pre-eminence.  This  may  be  an  error,  but  the  weight 
of  evidence  seems  to  point  that  way. 

The  first  male  child  born  in  the  county  was  Jacob  Harlow, 
whose  advent  occurred  in  October,  1854.  A  son  of  Jacob  Kramer's 
was  born  April  1855,  and  C.  S.  Thurber,  jr.,  came  into  being 
August  27,  1855.  We  have  been  very  particular  to  give  these 
dates,  as  the  question  seems  to  have  been  discussed  and  disputed, 
and  we  have  taken  pains  to  give  the  facts  as  they  really  occurred. 

The  first  record  of  any  marriage  in  the  county,   relates,  that  on 

February  21,  1856,  Edmund  Gillett  led  to  the  hymenal  altar,  Miss 

Helen  Barber. 

Among  the  early  arrivals  in  the  new  settlement,  at  New  Oregon, 

then  the  most  important  village  in  the  county,  we  find  the  names 

of  several  of  the   legal   fraternity;    among   them    M.  V.  Burdick, 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  336 

who  later  sat  upon  the  judicial  bench,  D.  E.  Mills,  and  W.  R. 
Mead,  the  latter  now  and  for  many  years  the  editor  of  the  ''Plain- 
dealer,"  later  came,  a  gentleman  by  the  name  of  Gilchrist,  ol  whom 
old  settlers  tell  a  good  story,  which  will  bear  repetition. 

It  was  at  a  meeting  of  the  district  court,  Judge  Samuel  Mur- 
dock,  presiding.  Some  cause  or  other  had  given  rise  to  a  feeling 
of  ill  will  between  Gilchrist  and  Murdock,  and  it  was  continually 
cropping  out,  through  all  the  case,  which  was  being  tried.  Every 
point  raised  by  Gilchrist  in  the  interest  of  his  client,  was  overruled 
by  the  bench;  every  question  decided  against  him  until  his 
patience  was  worn  out.  Throwing  himself  into  an  imposing 
attitude,  with  head  thrown  back  and  arms  folded  majestically 
across  his  chest,  when  the  last  point  was  gone,  he  exclaimed:  "My 
God,  what  shall  we  do  now?"  The  answer  came  from  Judge  Mu^-- 
dock  in  the  cutting,  sarcastic  tone  he  knows  so  well  how  to  use; 
•'Why,  m}^  advice  would  be  to  hire  an  attorney."  The  situation 
can  easier  be  imagined  than  described.  The  roar  that  greeted  the 
judge's  answer,  together  with  the  sarcasm  of  the  reply,  crushed 
Mr.  Gilchrist,  and  for  many  years  he  endeavored  to  get  even  with 
the  learned  jurist,  but  never  could  recover  the  ground  lost,  and 
finally  left  the  place. 

The  first  term  of  the  district  court  was  held  at  Vernon  Springs, 
in  June,  1857,  Samuel  Murdock  being  the  judge,  and  was  held  in 
a  hall  rented  for  the  purpose.  At  this  term  of  tln^  court  the  fitst 
naturalization  papers  were  issued  in  the  county  to  one  Joseph 
Schafer,  an  alien,  who  desired  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States. 

The  pioneer  hotel  was  one  kept  by  S.  M.  Cole,  familiarl}^  known 
throughout  the  county  as  "Matt  Cole,"  and  was  the  stopping 
place  for  all  those  who  moved  through  New  Oregon,  and  for  M.  O. 
Walker's  stage  line,  of  which  latter  Mr.  Cole  was  the  agent. 

The  first  newspaper  started  was  the  Howard  county  Sentinel, 
established  in  the  town  of  New  Oregon,  February  18,  1858,  J. 
Howard  Field  being  the  editor.  A  fuller  history  of  this  paper 
will  be  found  further  on. 


337  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  II. 


Organization;  Records;  Proceedings  of  the  County  Boards; 
Burning  of  the  Court  House;  The  Flying  Kyte;  Tax  Levys; 
Treasurers  Reports;  Resolutions,  Etc. 


The  first  mention  we  find  of  the  county  of  Howard,  viewed 
from  a  judicial  point  of  view,  is  the  following  from  the  records  of 
Chickasaw  county,  to  which  it  appears  to  have  been  attached: 

March  term,  Chickasaw  county  court,  1855: 

"Ordered,  that  Howard  county  be  divided  into  two  election 
districts,  dividing  the  same  into  an  eastern  and  a  western  district, 
from  a  line  drawn  north  and  .south  through  the  center  of  the 
county.  And  that  an  election  be  held  on  the  first  Monday  of 
April,  to  elect  two  justices  of  the  peace  and  two  constables  in 
each  precinct.  Election  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  W.  S.  Pettibone, 
in  the  western  district,  and  at  the  house  of  Geo.  Schofield,  in  the 
eastern  district." 

The  election  was  held  in  accordance  with  the  above,  and  we 
have  been  so  fortunate  as  to  procure  a  copy  of  the  original  poll 
book,  as  returned  for  the  western  district,  which  we  copy  verbatim, 
as  it  is  quite  a  curiosity  in  its  way : 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  338 

POLL    BOOK    OF    HOWARD    COUNTY,  IOWA: 

1.  John  Geer. 

2.  A.  Pooler. 

3.  Wm.  S.  Pettibone. 

4.  A.  S.  Butters. 

5.  Wm.  P.  Hough. 

6.  James  Hall. 

TALLY    LIST. 

For  Justices  of  Peace — 

Wm.  S.  Pettibone 6  votes. 

John  Harlow 6  votes. 

For  Constables — 

A.  S.  Butters 6  votes. 

John  Brown 6  votes. 

At  an  election  at  the  house  of  W.S.  Pettibone,  in  Howard  town- 
ship, Howard  county,  state  of  Iowa,  on  the  2d  day  of  April,  A.  D. 
1855,  there  were  six  ballots  cast,  as  follows: 

Justices  of  the  Peace — 

Wm.  S.  Pettibone 6  votes. 

John  Harlow 6  votes. 

Constables — 

A.  S.  Butters '. 6  votes.   . 

John  Brown 6  votes. 

A  true  return, 
A.  Pooler, 


W.  S.  Pettibone,    [  Judges  of  the  Election. 


A.  8.  Butters.        j 

Attest :        Wm.  P.  Hough,  |  ^^^^^^  ^^  Election. 
J  AS.  Hall.         j 
The   following  is   also   an   exact   copy  of  the  original  petition, 
presented  to  Judge  Lyon,  of  Chickasaw,   at  the  July  term  of  the 
county  court,  of  Chickasaw  county,  1855,  which  explains  itself: 
"To  the  honorable  county  judge  of  Chickasaw  county: 

The  undersigned  legal  voters  of  Howard  county  respectfully  ask 
your  Honor  to  take  the  necessary  steps  to  effect  the  organizatiotL 
of  said  Howard  county  at  the  coming  August  election: 
And  your  petitioners  will  ever  pray : 
John  Odeen,  James  Mahood, 

James  W.  Snider,  George  Duffy, 

Nye  Gushing. 


339  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

We  are  given  to  understand  that  there  was  considerable  opposi- 
tion to  the  organization  of  the  connty  at  this  time,  but  the  thing 
was  skillfully  handled,  the  petition  presented  and  the  order  of  the 
court  issued,  granting  the  same  before  any  one,  from  whom  the 
opposition  might  be  expected,  was  aware.  On  the  record  book  of 
the  county  judge  we  find  the  following,  in  regard  to  the  matter: 

"A  petition  was  presented  to  me  on  the  17th  day  of  July,  1855, 
for  organizing  Howard  county. 

"Ordered,  that  the  same  be  granted  and  an  election  be  held  at 
the  houses  of  W.  S.  Pettibone  and  G.  W.  Schofield,  in  said 
county,  to  elect  a  county  judge;  sheriff;  recorder  and  treasurer; 
prosecuting  attorney;  coroner;  surveyor;  school  fund  commis- 
sioner, and  a  district  clerk,  and  that  Edmund  Gillett  be  organi- 
zating  sheriff  to  call  the  election  on  the  first  Monday  of  August, 
1855.  Jas.  Lyon,  county  judge." 

The  election  was  held  in  accordance  with  the  order,  as  above, 
and  the  officers  chosen  were: 

County  judge — James  G.  Upton. 

Clerk— Edmund  Gillett. 

Recorder  and  treasurer — Wm.  Woodward. 

Sheriff — John  Harlow. 

Prosecuting  attorney — M.  V.  Burdick. 

The  first  entry  we  find  upon  the  record  of  the  new  county 
judge,  bears  the  date  of  September  15,  1855,  and  is  an  order  of 
the  court  to  pay  1).  B.  Cook  &  Co.,  of  Chicago,  $126.00  for  books 
and  stationery  for  the  use  of  the  county. 

As  the  clerk  could  not  write  very  well  while  holding  his  book  or 
paper  on  his  knee,  the  court  also  ordered  that  a  desk  be  purchased 
for  his  use  at  an  expense  of  thirty  dollars. 

The  first  regularly  laid  out  road  evidently  dates  from  the  year 
1857,  as  we  find  it  recorded  that  John  C.  Miles  be  paid  for  survey- 
ing road  number  one.  A  state  road  was  also  built  through  the 
southern  part  of  the  county  during  the  same  year.  Before  this 
the  roads  were  more  properly  trails  than  surveyed  and  built  roads, 
winding  through  the  prairies  and  groves  in  zig-zags  that  lengthened 
the  distance  considerably.     Sometimes  marked  and  oftener  not. 

At  the  June  term  of  the  county  court,  1857,  it  was  ordered  that 
hereafter  the  jury  should  be  seated,  and  that  twelve  chairs  be 
ordered  for  their  accommodation. 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  340 

The  following  proclamation  was  placed  upon  the  records  of  the 
court  during  the  July  term,  1857: 

State  of  Iowa,     ] 
County  of  Howard,    j 

In  pursuance  of  the   code   of  Iowa,   and   at  the   request  of  a 

portion  of  the  people  of  said  county,  an  election  is  hereby  ordered 

to  be  held  in  the  several  townships  in  said  county  of  Howard,  oa 

the  third  day  of  August,  A.  D,  1857,  at  the  places  where  the  last 

April  elections  were  held,  to  vote  upon   the  question,  whether  the 

said  county  of  Howard   should  take  $150,000  of  the  stock  of  the 

Northwestern   railroad   company,   and    issue  bonds  in   payment 

therefore,  bearing  interest  at  the  rate  of  ten  per  cent,  per  annum, 

the  principal  sum  to  be  paid  in  twenty ^years.     And  that  a  tax  be 

levied  upon  the  taxable  property  of  said  county    for'^the  payment 

of  principal  and  interest.     The  said  railroad  company  to  pay  the 

interest  on  said  bonds,  until  said  road   is   in   operation  to  the  east 

line  of  said  county  of  Howard.     Said   bonds  to   be  issued  when 

said  road  shall  be  in  operation  to   Decorah,   Winnesheik  county, 

and  permanently  located  to  the  west  line  of  Howard  county. 

The  form  of  the  vote  shall  be:  "For  the  Railroad  Stock." 
"Against  the  Railroad  Stock." 

Every  affirmative  vote  shall  be  considered  for  the  proposition 
entire. 

In  testimony,  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed 
the  seal  of  said  county,  this  first  day  of  July,  A.  D.  1857. 

[seal.]  James  G.  Upton, 

County  judge. 

The  court  evidently  desired  the  greatest  light  on  the  sul)ject,  as 
we  find  that  a  bill  was  presented  and  allowed  at  the  August  term, 
1857,  for  $2.90  to  pay  for  candles.  And  at  the  same  term  the 
judge  ordered  the  purchase  of  a  safe  for  the  county  records,  to  be 
purchased  of  Chislet,  Buckley  &  Co.,  of  Dubuque,  to  cost  320 
dollars. 

Again  during  the  October  term  of  court,  1857,  we  are  called  on 
to  lament  the  enervating  effects  of  law,  as  the  sheriff  is  ordered  to 
purchase  a  stove  and  pipe. 

There  were  in  1859  five  townships  regularly  organized  in  the 
county,  viz:  Vernon  Springs,  Jamestown,  Osborne,  Howard  Center, 
and  Iowa.     In  1858  New  Oregon,  Forest  City,   and  Howard  were 


341  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

added  to  the  list.  This  is  according  to  the  only  record  that 
survives  the  fire  that  destroyed  the  Court  House  in  December, 
1876. 

The  judge  at  the  October  term  of  court,  1858,  fixed  the  follow- 
ing as  the  rate  of  tax: 

County  tax,  five  mills  on  the  dollar;  state  tax,  one  and  a  half 
mill;  road  tax,  one  and  a  half  mill;  school  tax,  one  and  a  half 
mill. 

The  bounties  on  wolf  and  wild  cat  scalps  are  quite  numerous 
during  this  yeari  at  every  term  of  court  many  being  paid. 

The  county  seat  was  moved,  by  order  of  the  county  judge,  from 
Howard  Center  to  a  point  -  midway  between  the  towns  of  New 
Oregon  and  Vernon  Springs,  where  the  court  house  was  built  in 
February,  1859,  as  will  be  more  tully  detailed  elsewhere. 

At  the  February  term  of  court,  1860,  a  petition  was  received, 
signed  by  J.  W.  Baird  and  others,  asking  that  the  name  of 
Osborne  township  be  changed  to  Albion.  By  an  order  of  the 
court,  dated  March  5,  1860,  the  prayer  was  granted  and  the  name 
accordingly  changed  to  the  one  it  has  borne  ever  since. 

Under  date  of  August  4,  1860,  we  find  recorded  that  a  license 
was  issued  to  Cook's  circus,  that  it  might  exhibit  at  New  Oregon; 
this  is  the  first  that  ever  made  its  appearance  within  the  limits  of 
the  county,  and  hence  is  a  matter  of  record. 

September  1,  1860,  the  first  sale  of  delinquent  taxes,  those  for 
1857-8  and  9,  occurred,  and  is  entered  in  the  judge's  record,  as 
sliraly  attended. 

The  tax  levy,  ordered  by  the  county  court  for  1860,  places  it  at: 
County  tax,  five  mills  on  the  dollar;  state  tax,  one  and  a  half 
mill,  and  school  tax,  one  and  a  half  mill. 

In  1861,  the  mode  of  government  for  the  county  was  changed 
and  instead  of  tlie  county  judge,  being,  ex-officio,  the  ruler  of  the 
matters  of  government,  the  power  was  lodged  in  a  board  of  super- 
visors, composed  of  one  member  from  each  organized  towiiship. 
January  7th,  1861,  the  first  board  met  and  was  composed  of  the 
following  gentlemen: 

J.  W.  Barrel,  of  Albion;  G.  W.  Ostrander,  of  Howard;  T.  R. 
Perry,  of  Howard  Centre;  T.  Griffin,  of  Paris;  S.  W.  Seeley,  of 
Jamestown;  J.  H.  Boggess,  of  Afton;  S.  Radford,  of  Chester;  M. 
Miles,  of  Iowa  river;  C.  M.  Munson,  of  New  Oregon;  W.  Strother, 


HISTORY  OF  HOWARD   COUNTY.  345 

of  Vernon  Springs;  C.  A.  Salmon,  of  Saratoga;  S.  L.  Gary,  of 
Forest  City.  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  board,  the  following  reso- 
lution was  adopted: 

"Resolved,  By  the  board  of  supervisors  of  Howard  county, 
that  having  examined  the  contract  entered  into,  by  and  between 
Darius  Seeley,  county  judge,  and  the  Northern  Iowa  Railroad 
company,  for  the  conditional  conveyance  of  the  swamp  lands  of 
said  county,  to  aid  in  the  construction  of  such  road,  that  the  said 
contract  hereby  meets  and  has  our  entire  approval. 

"Also,  Resolved,  That  a  suitable  person  be  sent  to  the  meeting 
of  the  bondholders,  meeting  in  Milwaukee,  of  the  Milwaukee  and 
Mississippi  railroad,  and  also  a  meeting  of  the  directors  of  the 
Northern  Iowa  railroad,  January  18,  1861,  to  look  after  the  inter- 
ests of  the  county." 

At  the  February  meeting  of  the  board,  the  committee,  appointed 
to  examine  the  books  of  .the  county  judge,  reported,  that,  they 
found  the  books  in  such  inextricable  confusion,  that  it  was  impos- 
sible to  audit  them,  or  make  anything  out  of  them.  And  they, 
also,  found  that  the  records  of  the  county,  as  kept  by  the  county 
recorder,  during  the  year  1856,  were  upon  loose,  unbound  paper, 
and  many  of  them  liable  to  be  easily  lost  to  the  great  detriment  of 
the  interests  of  the  people. 

June  session  of  the  board  of  supervisors  J.  H.  St.  John  was  ap- 
pointed to  fill  the  vacancy,  caused  by  the  removal  from  the  county, 
of  S.  W.  Seeley,  late  member  of  the  board  from  Jamestown  town- 
ship. 

The  mighty  march  of  civilization,  moves  onward  hand  in  hand 
with  crime;  the  clerk  is  instructed  to  purchase  two  pair  shackles 
and  three  pair  of  hand  cuffs  for  the  use  of  the  sheriff's  office. 
This  at  the  June  session,  1861. 

At  the  same  time,  the  board  made  the  rate,  for  the  tax  levy  of 
1861  as  follows: 

For  county  tax,  four  mills  on  the  dollar;  state  tax,  one  and  one- 
half  mills;  school  tax,  one  mill  and  for  bridge  fund  three-fourths 
of  a  mill. 

In  January,  1862,  we  find,  that,  owing  to  the  prospective  wealth 
of  the  county  looming  up  so  large,  the  county  treasurer  was  unable 
to  write  with  a  common  steel  pen,  and  the  honorable  board  of 
supervisors  pass  a  resolution  to  purchase   a  gold   one,   to   be  the 


346  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

property  of  the  county,  and  to  be  placed  in  the   custody   of  the 
treasurer,  but  without  his  giving  any  additional  bonds. 

At  the  session  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  held  in  June,  1862,  a 
petition  of  the  citizens  of  Iowa  river  township  was  granted  chang- 
ing the  name  of  said  township  to  Oakdale. 

The  following  will  show  the  status  of  the  finances  of  the  county 
in  1862,  being  the  report  of  the  treasurer,  delivered  June   1st,   of 
that  year: 

COUNTY    FUND. 

To  cash  in  treasury  at  last  report $      17.89 

Amount  collected  since 2173.71 

Amount  warrants  issued 632.22 

$2823.82 

By  county  warrants  redeemed 2611.00 

By  cash  in  treasury 212.82 

$2823.82 

STATE    TAX    FUND. 

To  amount  in  the  treasury,  last  report 124.59 

To  amount  collected  since 737.86 

To  amount  due  A.  M.  McCowan 12.13 

$874.58 
By  disbursements 874.58 

COUNTY    SCHOOL   FUND. 

To  amount  in  the  treasury   last  report 444.23 

To  amount  collected  since 544.74 

$988.97 

By  disbursements 831 .60 

Cash  in  treasury 157.37 

$988.97 

POLL   TAX   FUND. 

To  amount  collected  to  date 90.40 

By  amount  transfered  to  general  county  fund..  90.40 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  347 

BRIDGE    FUND. 

To  cash  in  treasury,  last  report 24.54 

To  cash  collected  since 227.86 

$252.40 
By  amount  transferred  general  county  fund 252.40 

FEDERAL   TAX    1861. 

.To  amount  collected  to  date 227.41 

By  amount  in  treasury 227.41 

During  the  Indian  outbreak  and  massacres  in  the  state  of  Min- 
nesota, during  the  summer  of  1862,  may  people  in  Howard  county 
became  seriously  alarmed,  and  the  board  of  supervisors  passed  the 
following  resolution : 

"To  his  excellency,  Samuel  J.  Kirkwood,  governor  of  the  state 
of  Iowa,  or  the  agents  acting  therefore; 

Believing  it  to  be  the  duty  of  good  citizens  to  prepare  for  war, 
especially  on  the  era  of  danger  from  the  savage  foe,  now  ravaging 
our  northern  frontier,  and  desolating  the  homes  of  our  fellow-citi- 
zens in  the  adjoining  state  of  Minnesota,  do  hereby  humbly  request 
you  send  five  hundred  stand  of  arms,  with  their  accouterments,  to 
the  county  of  Howard,  and  the  said  county  pledges  itself  for  the 

yeturn  of  the  same,  excepting  such  as  may  be  lost  in   the   casual- 
ities  of  war." 

However,  before  this  could  be  acted  upon,  the  danger  had  passed 
away  and  once  more  the  community  retired  in  peace  at  night, 
with  no  fear  of  the  dreaded  savage,  to  disturb  their  slumbers. 

A  resolution  was  adopted,  by  the  board,  at  the  September  ses- 
gion,  1862,  which  recites  that  "owing  to  the  unusual  expense  of  the 
county  in  giving  bounties  to  soldiers  and  their  families,  [The 
record  of  this  may  be  found  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  war 
record. — Ed,]  and  the  consequent  depreciation  of  the  county  war- 
rants; therefore, 

Resolved,  That  the  clerk  be,  and  is  hereby  directed,  to  give 
proper  notice,  and  submit  to  the  people  at  the  next  general  elec- 
tion, the  question  of  levying  a  special  tax  of  six  mills  on  the 
dollar.  As  to  whether  this  election  was  carried  out,  the  records 
are  entirely  silent. 

At  the  January  session,  1863,  of  the  board,  a  resolution  was 
adopted,  donating  all  the  swamp  lands,  belonging  to  the   county, 


348  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  ' 

to  aid  in  the  construction  and  equipment  of.  the  McGregor  West- 
ern raih'oad,  on  condition,  that  the  aforesaid  raih'oad  should  build 
a  road  from  North  McGregor,  westward,  to  intersect  the  said 
county,  from  east  to  west.  The  resolution  was  to  be  submitted  to 
a  vote  of  the  people,  for  ratification,  at  the  next  general  election, 
and  the  clerk  ordered  to  make  the  necessary  proclamation. 

At  the  general  election  held  October  19th,  1863,  the  people  rati- 
tified  the  above,  by  a  heavy  majority. 

At  the  January  session,  C.  E.  Berry  resigne  I  the  position  of 
county  judge  and  the  board  appointed  D.  Seeley  to  fill  the  va- 
cancy. 

The  treasurers  report  for  January,  1863,  shows  as  follows: 

To  cash  on  hand,  last  report $        17.89 

To  amount  collected  during  year 34351.72 

Total $32369.61 

By  warrants  redeemed 22934.78 

By  cash  refunded 24.62 

By  delinquent  county  tax 9225.67 

B}'  rebateable  county  tax 454.39 

By  delinquent  bridge  tax 975.12 

By  rebateable  bridge  tax 19.38 

By  delinquent  poll  tax 443.00 

By  rebateable  poll  tax 292.75 

Total  $34369.61 

At  the  June  session,  1865,  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  C.  E. 
Brown,  resigned,  his  position  on  the  board,  and  James  G.  Upton 
was  admitted  in  his  place. 

June  6th,  1865,  S.  W.  Seeley,  resigning  his  position,  as  county 
judge,  the  board  of  supervisors  appointed  D.  0.  Preston,  his  suc- 
cessor, P.  T.  Searles  also  resigning  the  office  of  sheriff,  C.  S. 
Thurber  was  appointed,  to  fill  the  vacancy. 

The  following  resolution,  adopted  by  the  honorable  board,  at  the 
September  meeting,  1865,  explains   itself: 

"Whereas,  the  building,  now  occupied  by  the  county  officers,  of 
Howard  county,  has  become  so  dilapitated  by  age,  as  to  render  it 
unfit  for  oflfice  purposes  and  an  unsafe  repository  for  the  records 
of  said  county."  And  as  the  county  is  offered  the  first  and 
second   buildings,  in   his   stone   block,   in   the   village  of  Vernon 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  349 

Springs,  by  L.  L.   Halstead,  for   the  use  of  the  county   as  a  court 

house  with  lease  and  receipt  for  one  years  rent,  therefore  the  board 

ordered  the  records  to  be  removed  thither  with  the  county  officers 

and  ordered   also  that  such  building  be   considered  the   court 

house. 

October,  1865,  a  resolution  was  adopted  by  the  board,  submitting 

to  the  people  the  question   of  extending  the  time  in  the  contract 

with  the   McGregor  Western  railroad   in  which  to  construct  the 

railroad  through  the   county;  also  in   giving   the  said  railroad  the 

benefit  of  all  the  swamp  lands   in  the  said   Howard  county. 

It  seems,  from  the  record,  that  this  session  of  the  board  of  sup- 
ervisors, was  held  at  Vernon  Springs  although  the  seat  of  county 
government  was  not  removed  thither.  Every  effort  was  made  to 
have  the  county  seat  relocat  d.  Vernon  Springs  renewing  their 
offer  to  give  the  use  of  the  Halstead  block  for  a  courthouse  with 
sundry  inducements,  while  New  Oregon  village  in  turn  made  the 
offer  to  erect  in  their  place  a   brick   building,  and   give  the  use  of 

the  same  free  of  charge. 

At  the  June  session  of  the   board,   the   New  Oregon  Plaindealer 

was  made  the  official   organ  of  the  county 
At  the  same  meeting  the  following  resolution   was  adopted: 

"Resolved,  that  a  committee  of  3  consisting  of  the  chair  and  2 
other  members,to  be  appointed  by  the  chair,  to  solicit  terms  for 
the  purchasing  of  a  suitable  farm  for  the  support  of  the  poor  of 
Howard  county,  Iowa.  That  said  conmiittee  report  prices, 
location,  terms,  advantages,  etc.,  of  lands  by  them  thought  suit- 
able for  said  purpose,  at  the  next  meeting  of  this  board;  said  land 
not  to  be  less  in  amount  than  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres. 

The  committee  Avas  also  given  the  power,  to  advertise  for  sealed 
bids,  for  the  same  purpose.  At  the  September  meeting  the  above 
appointed  committee  submitted  the  following  report,  which  was 
adopted,  and  the  committee  discharged:  "That  they  have  received 
several  proposals,  of  farms  for  sale,  but  not  any  in  their  judgement 
answering  the  purposes  of  the  county.  Your  committee  further 
report,  that  in  their  judgement,  they  cannot  purchase  a  farm,with 
the  necessary  improvements,  and  therefore,  would  recommend,  if 
the  board  see  fit,  to  purchase  a  piece  of  unimproved  land  and 
make  the  necessary  improvements. 

Stephen  Radford,  ^ 

C.  W.  Field,  v  Committee. 

C.  S.  Thurber,         3 


350  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

The  honorable  board  of  supervisors,  at  the  September  meeting, 
1866,  fixed  the  tax  levy  for  the  year,  as  follows: 

State,  two  and  a  half  mills  on  the  dollar;  county,  four  mills; 
poll  tax,  fifty  cents;  school,  one  mill:  bridge,  three  mills;  insane, 
one  mill;  bounty,  seven  mills;  relief,  one  mill. 

The  first  mention  of  the  town  of  Cresco,  the  present  county 
seat,  occurs  in  the  record  of  the  January  session  of  the  board  of 
supervisors;  a  resolution  making  the  Cresco  Times  the  second 
official  paper  of  Howard  county.  At  the  same  meeting  a  petition 
was  read,  signed  by  Augustus  Beadle  and  others,  praying  that 
the  county  papers,  records,  files,  etc.,  be  removed  to  Cresco,  and 
making  sundry  proposals  to  build  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
county  officers  and  their  books  and  papers  a  suitable  court  house. 

Furthermore,  an  invitation  was  extended  to  the  honorable  board 
to  view  the  proposed  site  for  said  court  house.  The  members  of 
the  board  of  supervisors,  by  resolution,  decided  to  accept  the 
invitation,  and  it  was  so  recorded.  The  clerk,  being  facetiously 
inclined,  makes  a  marginal  note  to  the  record  of  the  above,  in  one 
word,  "Convivial." 

At  the  same  session,  after  having  apparently  "seen'-'  the  site  of 
the  proposed  court  house,  the  following  resolution  was  adopted: 

"Resolved,  By  the  board  of  supervisors  of  Howard  county, 
Iowa,  that  the  proposition  of  the  aforesaid  Beadle  and  others,  to 
build  a  court  house  and  furnish  it  free  to  the  county,  and  also  a 
hall  for  the  use  of  the  board  of  supervisors  and  for  court  purposes, 
be  and  is  hereby  accepted,  and  the  sheriff"  is  ordered  to  remove 
the  records,  etc.,  at  the  time  contemplated,  on  or  before  June,  1. 
1867." 

At  the  meeting  held  in  June,  1867,  Thos.  Sullivan  was  admitted 
as  a  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors.  At  the  same  time  the 
officers  of  the  county  were  directed  to  remove  their  offices,  etc.,  to 
the  building  then  being  constructed  by  the  Howard  county  court 
house  association,  in  the  village  of  Cresco,  whenever  the  com- 
mittee shall  decide  to  accept  it  as  a  safe  and  suitable  place  for  the 
same.  The  board  also  laid  the  tax  levy  for  the  year  1867,  as 
follows : 

County  fund,  four  mills  on  Ihe  dollar;  state  fund,  two  and  a  half 
mills;  county  school  fund,  one  mill;  bridge  fund,  three  mills; 
insane  fund,  three  mills;  relief  fund,  one  and  a  half  mill. 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  351 

By  a  report  of  a  committee  of  the  board  of  supervisors  to  that 
body,  delivered  at  the  November  session,  18G7,  we  find  tlie  in- 
debtedness of  the  county  stood  thiis: 

Indebtedness  of  the  county  to  date $25,580.07 

Deducting   the   amount   of  tax   due   and   un- 
collected   10,125.00 

Leaving  a  debt  of $15,455.07 

The  former  action  of  the  board  in  regard  to  the  poor  farm  hav- 
ing been  suffered  to  collapse,  they  again  move  in  the  matter  at  the 
January  session,  1868,  when  the  following  resolution  was  spread 
upon  the  records: 

"Whereas,  it  is  deemed  advisable  by  this  board  that  some  pro- 
vision be  made  for  the  poor  of  the  county,  whereby  they  may  be 
subsisted  at  a  less  cost  to  the  county  than  by  the  present  method. 
Therefore, 

"Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  look  for  a 
feasible  site  for  a  ])oor  house  farm,  improved  or  unimproved; 
ascertain  the  cost  of  the  sam.e,  estimate  the  cost  of  the  necessary 
buildings  and  improvements,  and  report  to  this  board  at  the  June 
session  with  a  view  to  submit  the  proposition  to  a  vote  of  the 
electors  of  this  county,  at  the  next  general  election,  according  to 
the  provisions  of  the  code  of  the  state  of  Iowa." 

Messrs.  Thurber,  Griffin,  and  Patterson  were  appointed  as  the 
committee,  in  accordance  with  the  above,  to  carry  out  the  wishes 
of  the  board. 

A  petition  from  the  board  of  supervisors,  bearing  the  date  of 
February  3,  1868,  was  forwarded  to  the  legislature  of  the  state  of 
Iowa,  requesting  them  not  to  pass  the  bill  then  before  them,  to 
legalize  the  action  of  a  previous  board,  in  conveying  to  the 
McGregor,  Western  railroad  all  the  swamp  lands  of  the  county,  on 
the  plea  that  the  said  railroad  had  entirely  failed  to  carry  out  the 
provisions  and  conditions  of  the  original  contract,  entered  into  by 
them,  with  the  people  of  Howard  county. 

The  county  has  suffered,  in  times  past,  many  misfortunes  in  the 
loss  of  money  in  the  treasurer's  oflice.  The  first  of  the  series 
being  upon  the  night  of  the  15th  of  March,  1868,  when  some 
party  or  parties  unknown  burglariously  entered  the  treasurer's 
office,  and  breaking  open  the  safe  therein,  abstracted  moneys  and 


352  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

securities  to  the  amount  of  thirteen  thousand  dollars.  The  board 
immediately  offered  a  reward  of  two  thousand  dollars  for  the 
recovery  of  the  money  and  conviction  of  the  thief  or  thieves,  or 
one  thousand  dollars  for  either.  Suspicion  was  rife,  and  able 
detectives,  with  Allan  Pinkerton  at  their  head,  hunted  for  a  clue, 
but  the  bloodhounds  of  law  were  at  fault,  and  in  spite  of  their 
manifold  and  strenuous  efforts  the  abstractors  were  never  appre- 
hended, whatsoever  evidence  was  collected  being  of  to  slight  a 
nature  to  warrant  any  such  a  course,  and  in  the  end  the  matter 
was  dropped  and  the  county  had  to  suffer  the  loss. 

The  treasurer  was  ordered  to  procure  a  new  safe,  suitable  for 
his  office,  made  more  securely  burglar  proof  than  the  late  one,and 
with  this  the  matter  rested,  except  the  suspicion  that  remains  in 
the  minds  of  many  to  this  day,  that  they  could  point  out  the 
thief;  but  beyond  the  suspicion  nothing  can  be  said,  and  it  may 
be  that  many  an  entirely  innocent  man  is  regarded  by  his  neigh- 
bor as  knowing  more  about  it  than  he  should. 

The  lack  of  timber  being  a  want  long  felt  throughout  the 
county,  a  resolution  was  adopted  by  the  board  of  supervisors  of 
the  county,  at  their  April  session,  to  effect  that  the  real  and  per- 
sonal property  of  each  and  every  person  in  the  county  should  be 
exempt  from  all  taxation,  except  that  for  state  purposes,  who 
should  plant  and  cultivate  for  two  years  one  or  more  acres  of 
forest  trees  for  timber,  the  said  exemption  being  to  the  amount  of 
one  hundred  dollars  per  acre,  provided  that  the  trees  should  not 
be  over  three  feet  apart.  This  was  amended  at  the  June  session 
so  as  to  include  an  exemption  from  taxes  at  the  rate  of  one 
hundred  dollars  per  acre,  all  who  planted  and  cultivated  a  half 
mile  of  tree  hedge. 

The  committee  appointed  at  a  previous  session  of  the  board  in 
the  matter  of  the  poor  farm  reported  at  this,  the  June  session, 
1868,  that  they  had  viewed  the  place  of  Albert  Miller,  at  Saratoga, 
of  which  the  price  was  three  thousand  dollars,  and  contained  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  twenty-five  of  which  was  timber,  forty- 
five  or  fifty  under  cultivation,  the  improvements  on  the  same  con- 
sisting of  a  good  house  and  a  poor  stable,  they  found  the  place 
well  watered  and  the  means  of  access  good,  being  on  the  main 
road  from  Cresco  to  Osage.  Also,  that  they  had  viewed  the  place 
of  Kenling  and  Robinson,  two  miles  south  of  Saratoga,  found  the 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  353 

land  good  and  easy  of  access,  well  watered  and  the  price  reason- 
able, there  being  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  with  some  im- 
provements, and  the  whole  could  be  purchased  for  fifteen  hundred 
and  thirty  dollars.  The  committee  considering  this  very  reason- 
able, indeed,  recommended  that  the  question  be  submitted  to  the 
electors  of  the  county  at  the  next  general  election,  as  to  whether 
the  county  should  purchase  it.  They  also  estimated  the  full  cost 
of  the  farm,  and  the  necessary  equipment  of  the  same  would  not 
exceed  the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars,  and  add  the  recom- 
mendation that  the  vote  had  better  be  taken  on  that  amount. 

In  July,  1869,  at  a  special  meeting,  the  board  of  supervisors  de- 
cided to  withdraw  all  litigation  now  going  on  between  the  coujity 
and  the  McGregor  Western  railroad,  leaving  the  swamp  lands,  the 
source  of  the  trouble,  in  the  hands  of  the  said  railroad  company, 
on  condition  that  the  said  railroad  put  a  station  at  the  town  of 
Chester. 

We  find  that  the  indebtedness  of  the  county  steadily  increased 
through  all  these  years  until  in  Se])tember,  1869,  it  had  amounted 
to  $26,459.16,  that  is,  including  all  outstanding  warrants  and  other 
claims  against  the  treasury  of  the  county. 

The  rate  of  taxation,  ordered  by  the  board  for  the  levy  of  1869, 
was  as  follows: 

State,  two  mills  on  the  dollar;  county,  four  mills;  bridge,  three 
mills;  insane-,  two  mills;  county  school,  one  mill. 

The  contract  was  let  by  the  board  for  the  erection  of  the  bridge 
at  Florence,  during  the  year  1869,  and  the  committee  reported  at 
the  October  session,  the  same  3'ear,  that  the  said  bridge  was 
finished  and  payment  ordered;  the  cost  being  $2,500,  according 
to  the  contract. 

In  1870,  at  the  January  session,  the  committee  of  the  board  of 
supervisors,  on  agriculture,  reported  that  "they  have  examined 
the  claims  of  persons,  who  have  asked  exemption  from  taxation, 
under -the  resolution  of  the  board  and  under  an  act  of  the  12th 
general  assembly  of  the  state  of  Iowa,  entitled: 

"An  act  to  encourage  the  planting  and  growing  of  timber,  fruit, 
and  shade  trees  and  hedges." 

And  the  committee  recommend  that  the  claims  of  the  following 
be  allowed : 


354  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

James  Nichols,  H.  C.  Gardner. 

C.  F.  Webster,  D.  M.  Rand, 

■  S.  A.  Stone,  J.  E.  Webster, 

William  Nichols,  James  Dunn, 

C.  F.  Gardner,  Madison  Taft, 

W.  H.  Treat,  W.  D.  Darrow, 

Henry  Gardner,  Holt  Nichols, 

Robert  Fox,  James  Oakle.y, 

I.  C.  Chamberlain, 

We  give  the  above  with  the  names  of  the  parties  in  detail,  as 
they  are  the  pioneers  in  the  movement  of  arboriculture  in  the 
count3^ 

According  to  a  report  made  by  a  committee  to  the  board,  Jan. 
1870,  the  indebtedness  of  the  county  at  that  time  amounted  to  the 
sum  of  S26,459.11,  divided  between  the  general  county  and  bridge 
funds,  and  at  the  same  time  they  find  no  cash  in  the  treasury  to 
meet  the  said  liabilities. 

The  expenses  of  the  county  were  also  found  to  exceed  the 
revenue,  thereof,  about  three  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  and  as 
a  measure  toward  liquidation  of  the  debt  and  provisions  for  the 
deficit,  the  said  committee  recommended  that  there  be  submitted 
to  the  people  of  Howard  county  a  proposition,  at  the  next  general 
election,  to  levy  an  additional  tax  of  six  mills  on  the  dollar,  and 
further  i-ecommended  that  one-half  of  the  insane  fund,  (for  which 
there  was  but  little  use),  be  transferred  to  the  general  county  fund. 
The  report  of  the  above  committee  was  received  and  the  committee 
was  discharged,  but  the  matter  was  not  submitted  to  the  people 
as  a  law  of  the  state  showed  them  a  better  way,  in  their 
opinion,  to  arrange  the  matter,  viz:  By  bonding  the  indebtedness 
•  and  creating  a  sinking  fund  for  its  redemption.  The  board  at  its 
next  session,  June,  1870,  passed  a  resolution  to  accordingly  bond 
the  debt  of  the  county  to  the  amount  of  twenty  thousand  dollars, 
the  same  to  bear  date  of  October  1,  1870,  payable  on  or  before 
October  1,  1880;  interest  to  be  not  more  than  ten  per  cent.,  pay- 
able semi-annually.  The  treasurer  was,  furthermore,  instructed  to 
negotiate  the  said  bonds  at  the  lowest  rate  of  interest  obtainable. 
The  bonds  were  to  be  issued  in  sums  of  ^100,  and  the  treasurer 
was  to  take  up  the  outstanding  warrants  of  the  county,  and  give 
-in  exchange  the  bonds. 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  355 

All  this  was  in  accordance  with  the  act  of  the  thirteenth  general 
assembly  of  the  state  of  Iowa,  approved  March  30,  1870. 

The"  legislature  having  made  a  change  in  the  number  of  super- 
visors in  each  county,  reducing  them  to  three,  but  alloAving  the 
counties  the  privilege  of  increasing  that  to  live,  the  board  passed  a 
resolution,  at  the  same  session,  to  submit  to  the  people  of  the 
county,  at  the  next  general  election,  the  question:  "Shall  the  board 
of  supervisors  be  increased  to  five." 

The  bridge  at  Lime  Springs,  then  in  the  course  of  construction, 
seems  from  some  imperfection  in  the  building,  to  have  fallen;  the 
board  ordered  the  attorney  of  the  count}'  to  bring  suit  against  the 
contractor  and  his  sureties^  if  thought  advisable. 

At  a  meeting  held  during  the  regular  session  of  the  board, 
in  September,  1870,  the  following  resolution  was  unanimously 
adopted : 

"Resolved,  thid  the  resolution  of  June,  1870,  providing  for  the 
funding  of  the  county  debt,  be  so  amended  as  to  include  the  whole 
debt  of  the  county,  on  May  1,  1870." 

The  tax  levy,  for  the  year  1870,  was  laid  as  follows: 
State,  two  mills  on  the  dollar;  county,  four  mills;  bridge,  three 
mills;  insane,  two  mills;  school,  one  mill;    bond  fund,  four  mills. 
At  the  October  session  of  the  board  the  county   auditor  was  in- 
structed to  sell  all  the  remaining  unsold  lands,  known  as  "school 
lands,"  under  the  provisions  of  the  law. 

January  1,  1871,  the  new  board  of  county  supervisors  met,  and 
drawing  lots  for  the  length  of  term  to  be  held  by  each,  D.  E. 
Potter  drew  for  the  three  years  term,  C.  W.  Wood,  two  years,  and 
Aaron  Kimball  the  one  year  term. 

The  same  board  laid  the  usual  tax  levy  for  the  year  1871,  as 
follows: 

State  tax,  two  mills  on  the  dollar;  bridge  tax,  three  mills; 
general  county  tax,  four  mills;  insane  fund  tax,  one  mill;  school 
tax,  one  mill;  bond  tax,  three  mills. 

The  tax  rate  for  the  levy  of  J  873  was : 

For  count}^  fund,  four  mills  on  the  dollar;  state  fund,  two  mills; 
insane  fund,  two  mills;  county  school  fund,  one  mill. 

We  find  very  little  of  any  moment  in  the  records  about  this 
time,  the  business  of  the  board  being  chiefly  in  regard  to  building 


356  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

and  repairing  bridges,  and  auditing  the  usual  bills  against  the 
county,  which,  Avere  we  to  make  a  faithful  transcript  of,  would 
prove  but  dry  reading. 

At  the  election  held  in  October,  1873,  "Jerry"  Barker  received 
656  votes,  to  \V.  W.  White's  651,  for  county  auditor;  this  the 
latter  contested  on  the  ground  of  fraudulent  voting,  and  having 
possession  of  the  office  would  not  give  up  the  same  to  Mr.  Barker. 
The  matter  was  carried  into  the  courts,  and  was,  seemingly,  de- 
cided against  Barker,  but  the  board  of  supervisors,  having  a  full 
knowledge  of  the  "true  inwardness"  of  the  matter,  stepped  in  and 
appointed  said  Barker  to  the  office  at  their  January  session,  1874; 
this  action  was  also  disputed 'by  Mr.  White  on  the  plea  that  he 
was  auditor  until  his  successor  was  elected  and  qualified,  and  that 
the  board  had  no  power,  vested  in  them  by  law,  to  remove  him. 
He  was  met  by  the  counter  argument,  that  as  the  said  board  had 
appointed  him  to  the  position  of  county  auditor,  which  he  now 
filled,  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  -resignation  of  C.  S. 
Thurber,  who  was  appointed  postmaster,  the  same  power  could 
remove  him.  The  dispute  lasted  some  time,  the  board  even  going 
so  for  as  to  caution  the  county  treasurer,  by  resolution,  not  to  do 
business  with  Wliite  as  auditor.  In  Februpry,  however.  White 
capitulated  and  surrendered  the  office,  which  was  immediately 
placed  in  the  hands  of  Jeremiah  Barker. 

An  act  was  passed  at  the  regular  session  of  the  board,  in  April, 
1875,  to  build  a  wrought  iron  bridge  at  Florenceville,  at  a  cost  of 
$3,500,  and  the  contract  was  let  and  bridge  erected  in  accordance 
therewith. 

Again  at  the  session  of  the  board,  in  September,  1876,  the  matter 
of  the  county  seat  comes  to  the  front,  and  the  said  board  taking 
the  subject  under  advisement,  issued  a  notice  that  at  the  next 
general  election  the  question  would  be  submitted  to  the  people  of 
the  county  as  to  whether  the  said  seat  of  the  county  government 
should  or  not  be  located  at  Cresco,  the  same  being  now  situated 
half  way  between  the  villages  of  New  Oregon  and  Vernon  Springs, 
but  for  convenience  sake,  the  building  at  the  town  of  Cresco  was 
occupied  as  the  county  seat.  These  matters  are  treated  more  in 
detail  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  the  county  seat  controversy. 

December  1,  1876,  the  court  house,  at  Cresco,  was  destroyed  by 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY,  357 

fire.     We  quote  from  the  Howard  County  Times  the  account  of 

the  conflagration. 

"On  Friday  morning  last,  December  1st,  the  county  court  house 

and  county  records  were  destroyed  by  fire.  The  flames  were  dis- 
covered at  a  little  after  twelve  o'clock.  Thanksgiving  night.  The 
festivals  in  Lyric  hall,  and  Dr.  Price's  hall,  with  the  supper  in 
Caward's  building  (all  in  the  vicinity  of  the  court  house),  kept  a 
large  number  of  our  citizens  up  later  than  usual.  A  number  of 
young  men  and  young  ladies,  returning  from  the  supper  room 
about  midnight,  discovered  the  fire  and  gave  the  alarm.  One  of 
the  number  (John  G.  Stradley),  having  the  key  to  the  treasurer's 
ofiice,  opened  the  door  and  entered  the  room  with  others.  There 
was  then  no  fire  in  the  treasurer's  ofiice.  Mr.  Stradley  opened  the 
little  slide  door  between  the  offices  of  the  treasurer  and  auditor, 
and  looking  carefully  into  the  latter,  discovered  that  there  was  no 
fire  therein.  A  further  examination  revealed  a  fire  in  the  floor  of 
the  court  room  above,  immediately  over  the  blind  door  in  the 
partition,  between  the  hallway  and  the  auditor's  office,  on  the  hall 
side,  in  line  with  but  not  over  the  marshal's  lantern,  which  was 

lighted  and  hanging  in  its  usual  place. 

"The  door  on  the  south  side  of  the  court  room    (in   the   second 

story),  was  then  broken   in,   but  the   room    was   then   so   full  of 

smoke  that  M.  L.  Luther,  who  first  entered  it,  was  prostrated  to 

the  floor,  and  had  to   crawl  out  on   his   hands  and  knees.     The 

smoke  and  heat  were  so  inter,se  that  it  was  impossible  to  obtain 

ingress  to  remove  and  save  the  books,  records,  and  contents  of  the 

court  room,  which  the  hungry  flames  soon  devoured.     Only  a  few 

days  before  the  clerk  of  the  courts   had   his   books,   records,  and 

offica  fixtures  moved  to  the  room  above,   for  greater  convenience 

during  the  session  of  the  courts,  and  with  the  intention  of  making 

it  his  permanent   office,   leaving   his   old   room   in  the  southwest 

corner  for  the  use  of  the   sheriff",  juries,  etc.     Thus   it  happened 

that  nearly  all  the  court  records  were  destroyed  by  the  fire. 

"The  recorder  and  auditor  being  absent,  their  offices  were  broken 

into,  and  all  their  valuable  records  saved,    as  well  as  those  of  the 

treasurer,  and  all  the  contents  of  the  safes  of  the  treasurer,  auditor, 
and  recorder  have  been  found  well  preserved,  except  in  some 
instances  slightly  discolored  and  the  bindings  injured. 

*  ;ic  *  ^  * 

The  loss  cannot  be  estimated  in  dollars  and  cents.     The  money, 
real  estate  records,  and  all  other  valuable  books  and  papers,  except 


358  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

the  court  records,  as  before  stated,  were  saved.  The  loss  of  these 
latter  will  cause  great  inconvenience  and  perhaps  litigation,  but  it 
is  probable  that  the  means  may  be  found  to  effect  a  restoration  of 

most  of  them. 

***** 

"The  property  was  insured  for  $3,500,  as  follows:  $1,000  in  the 
Etna,  on  the  building,  for  the  benefit  of  the  court  house  association; 
$1,000  in  the  same  company  on  the  records,  and  $1,500  in  the 
Home,  of  New  York,  on  the  furniture,  fixtures,  etc. 

"The  cause  of  the  fire  is  unknown,  some  attributing  it  to 
accident,  and  others  to  inceuLiiarism.  Some  seem  to  have  almost 
positive  convictions,  that  it  was  the  work  of  an  incendiary,  and 
give  reasons  for  their  opinion,  which  it  would  not  be  advisable  to 
publish.  It  seems  to  be  the  general  Opinion,  however,  that  the 
careless  habit  of  throwing  cigar  stumps  on  the  floor,  is  responsible 
for  the  fire.  A  lighted  cigar  would  light  a  fire  that  would  smoulder 
for  hours  in  the  thick  matting,  with  which  a  part  of  the  court 
room  was  spread.  A  strip  of  this  matting  was  immediately  over 
the  place  where  the  fire  was  first  discovered." 

In  the  light  of  later  developments  many  people,  who  are 
cognizant  of  the  affairs  of  the  county,  connect  the  fire  with  the 
defalcation  and  absconding  of  the  county  treasurer,  and  claim 
that  there  is  an  evident  connection  between  the  two,  that  to  cover 
up  his  tracks  he  fired  the  building.  This  has  never  been  proven, 
and  may  be  a  misconstruction,  human  nature  ever  being  prone  to 
condemn  a  man  for  all  the  wrongs  he  might  do  if  he  only  com- 
mits one — kick  a  man  when  he-is  down,  so  to  speak. 

For  the  facts  in  regard  to  the  above  mentioned  embezzlement  of 
the  funds  by  the  county  treasurer,  Frank  Kyte,  and  his  move- 
ments, at  the  time,  we  are  indebted  to  the  kindness  of  L.  E.  Smith, 
of  the  Cresco  Times,  who  with  rare  courtesy,  extended  to  us  all 
help  in  compiling  the  records  of  Howard  county,  and  who  placed 
at  our  disposal  all  the  papers  in  regard  to  the  matter  in  point. 

On  Monday,  July  12,  1877,  the  community  of  Cresco  was 
startled  by  the  receipt  of  a  telegram  from  McGregor,  stating  that 
Frank  Kyte,  the  county  treasurer,  had  been  drowned  in  the 
Mississippi  river,  on  Sunday  afternoon,  while  bathing  at  a  point 
near  the  pictured  rocks,  some  two  miles  below  town.  Telegrams 
were  sent  to  the  difllerent  members  of  his  family,  notifying  them 


HISTOliY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  359 

• 

of  his  death,  and  John  G.  Stradley,  S.  A.  and  Frank  Sutton 
started  for  McGregor  on  the  first  train,  meaning  to  assist  in 
recovering  his  body.  On  their  arrival  they  were  informed  that  he 
went  in  swimming  in  company  with  Frank  Tryan,  the  son  of  the 
proprietor  of  the  Mondell  house,  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  where  he 
was  stopping.  Kyte  persisted  in  the  assertion  (according  to  his 
story),  that  he  could  swim  to  the  island,  nearly  a  third  of  a  mile, 
and  return,  which  feat  he  accordingly  tried.  Tryan,  whilst  dress- 
ing, heard  Kyte's  scream  and  saw  him  go  down.  Being  under  the 
impulse  of  fear,  he  inmiediately  started  for  Prairie  du  Chien  to 
give  the  alarm,  and  on  arriving  there  told  his  pitiful  tale.  John 
Lawler,  with  his  usual  promptitude  and  generosity,  at  once  ordered 
out  the  ferry  boat  to  search  for  the  body.  Quite  a  number  of  row- 
boats,  also,  went  to  the  place  pointed  out,  and  assisted  in  the 
search. 

On  Monday,  the  body  not  being  yet  recovered,  the  cannon  be- 
longing to  the  artillery  battery  at  McGregor,  was  taken  on  board 
the  ferry  boat,  and  served  by  volunteers,  commenced  firing, 
to  raise  the  body  to  the  surface,  the  merchants  of  Mc- 
Gregor, having  contributed  liberally  to  the  fund  to  buy  powder, 
etc.  All  day  the  bluffs  re-echoed  to  the  booming  of  the  artillery, 
and  the  whole  city  was  on  tif>-toe  of  excitement,  and  every  meana 
was  taken  for  the  recovery  of  the  corpse.  All  efforts  were  in  vain. 
H.  W.  Babcock;  of  Cresco,  who  was  on  business  in  McGregor  at 
the  time,  offered  fifty  d(jllars  for  the  recovery  of  the  body,  and 
Mr.  Stradley,  on  his  arrival,  at  once  offered  one  hundred  dollars. 
All  day  the  search  continued,  under  the  able  direction  of  Amoa 
Pearsall,  of  McGregor,  and  Peter  Velie,  of  Prairie  du  Chien. 
Toward  evening,  however,  a  rumor,  started  on  the  streets,  that 
Kyte  had  purchased  a  new  suit  of  clothes  on  Saturday,  in  xMc- 
Gregor.  This  rumor  and  others,  that  were  floating  around,  were 
diligently  followed  up,  by  the  gentlemen  from  Cresco.  On  Tues- 
day morning  they  learned,  that,  a  man,  answering  the  description 
of  the  supposed  dead  man,  had  been  seen,  walking  on  the  track 
near' Clayton,  and  later  at  the  town  of  Guttenburg.  Immediately 
Messrs.  Pearsall,  Stradley,  and  Sutton  proceeded  to  the  latter 
place,  and  tracked  the  man  to  a  point  about  opposite  to  the  town 
of  Cassville,  Wisconsin.  They  found  evidence  strong  enough  to 
force  conviction  on  their  minds,  that  the  man  they  were  following 


360  HISTOUY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  ^i 

was  indeed  the  absconding  treasurer,  Kyte,  and  that  he,  in  the 
words  of  the  immortal  Webster,  still  lived.  He  had  shaved  o^"  his 
moustache  and  at  Clayton  and  Guttenburg,  was  n,oticed,  from  the 
liberality  with  which  he  threw  around  his  money,  treating  to 
drinks,  etc.  It  was  also  found  that  he  had  crossed  the  river,  at 
Turkey  river  station.  The  party  did  not  pursue  any  further,  but 
returned  to  McGregor,  and  took  legal  advice,  as  what  was  best  to 
be  done  under  the  circumstances.  They  Jearned,  much  to  their 
surprise,  no  doubt,  that  there  existed  no  authority,  in  them,  to 
arrest  him  as  there  was  no  charge  against  him,  or  evidence  that 
he  had  committed  any  crime.  Meanwhile  P.  N.  Glathart,  one  of 
the  Cresco  delegation,  was  watching  the  movements  of  young 
Tryan,  to  prevent  his  escape  or  flight,  and  upon  the  return  of  the 
pursuing  party,  and  the  narration  of  the  facts  learned  by  them, 
-Tryan  was  interviewed.  He  was. told,  in  ])retty  strong  language, 
that  it  was  now  ascertained,  beyond  all  question,  that  Frank  Kyte 
was  not  drowned — that  he  (Tryan)  had  lied  about  it,  and  must 
own  up,  and  more  to  the  same  eflfect.  The  threats  and  menaces 
of  his  interrogators  produced  the  effect,  and  he  admitted  the  fact, 
Kyte  had  skipped  out,  and  that  the  report  of  his  drowning,  was  a 
fabrication.  The  true  story  now  came  out,  partly  extorted  from 
the  young  man,  and  partly  from  other  sources. 

It  seems  that  Kyte  had  been  in  ill-health  for  some  time  past, 
and  had  been  at  the  sanitarium,  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  taking  baths, 
or  as  he  jocularly  termed  it  "taking  a  scald."  While  there,  he  got 
on  very  friendly  terms  with  this  young  Tryan,  getting  on  the 
"right  side  of  him,"  as  the  slang  expression  is  by  liberally  treating, 
and  making  a  companion  of  him.  He  told  Tryan  a  pitiful  tale, 
to  raise  his  compassion,  telling  him,  that  he  had  a  scrape  in  Cresco, 
in  which  a  woman  was  concerned,  and  that  it  would  soon  become 
public  and  that  he  had  better  be  dead,  at  least  to  his  friends — for 
it  would  be  hell  on  earth  to  him,  to  have  it  come  out,  and  live 
among  it.  The  two  inseperables,  after  purchasing  the  suit  of 
clothes,  went  to  the  pictured  rocks,  and  they,  according  to  previous 
agreement,     went     in     swimming.  After     sporting     in     the 

water  some  time  Tryan  climbed  out  and  while  dressing  saw 
Kyte  sink  and  turned  his  back,  so  that  he  might  not  see  him 
emerge.  Kyte  now  having  been  drowned  put  out  for  more  con- 
genial climes,  and  Tryan  hastened  to   Prairie   du  Chien,   to   carry 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  363 

out  his  pait  of  the  comedy.  Kyte  bungled  his  part  of  the  job 
sadly,  but  so  it  seems  "The  best  laid  plans  of  men  and  mice  oft 
gang  agley."  Kyte  left  a  wife  and  child,  a  son  only  two  months 
old,  to  "suffer  the  slings  and  arrows  of  outrageous  fortune,"  and 
bear  the  brand  of  the  felon  shame  of  his  erring  father.  No  man 
had  a  larger  circle  of  acquaintance  and  friends  than  he,  and  he 
was  trusted  and  beloved  by  all. 

The  following  resolution,  of  the  board  of  supervisors  in  special 
session  assembled,  July,  1877  explains  itself: 

"Whereas,  Frank  Kyte,  late  treasurer  of  Howard  county,  has 
absconded,  and  has^not  been  seen  at  the  treasurer's  oflice  in  the 
said  county  for  the  past  twelve  days,  and  is  nowhere  to  be  found, 
and  his  present  whereabouts  is  to  us  unknown,  and  that  it  is  be- 
lieved that  he  has  ceased  to  be  a  resident  of  said  county,  there- 
fore; 

Resolved,  By  the  board  of  supervisors  of  Howard  county,  that 
the  facts  recited  above  have  caused  a  vacancy  in  the  office  of 
county  treasurer,  and  the  office  of  county  treasurer  is  now  vacant, 
and  we  hereby  so  declare. 

"Resolved,  Further  that  James  F.  Borthwick  be  and  is  hereby 
appointed  county  treasurer,  of  Howard  county  to  fill  the  vacancy 
now  existing  in  said  office. 

"Resolved,  That  the  incoming  treasurer  be  required  to  give 
bonds  in  the" sum  of  forty  thousand  dollars,  and  this  appointment 
shall  take  effect  upon  the  approval  of  the  same,  by  this  board." 

Upon  the  receipt  of  the  intelligence  the  board  ordered  the  safe 
to  be  opened,  but  the  an-ival  of  J.  W.  Norris  ,  the  vice-president 
of  the  safe  company  with  Cyrus  Wellington,  the  matter  for  a  while 
came  to  a  halt.  It  would  seem  a's  if  the  safe  belonged  to  the 
Diebold  safe  company.  It  was  locked  with  a  Sargent  time  lock, 
but. the  latter  had  been  tampered  with,  and  would  not  open. 
After  Mr.  Norris  arrived,  he  served  a  notice  upon  the  board  of 
supervisors  of  the  couny,  that  they  must  not  open  the  safe,  until 
they  had  purchased  the  same,  and  the  price  was  affixed  as  being 
$1500.  The  board  however  would  not  be  "bull  dt)zed,"  and  after 
much  discussion  a  contract  was  entered  into  by  and  between  the 
said  b.oard  and  Norris,  the  latter  to  open  the  safe,  lor  the  sum  of 
two  hundred  dollars,  if  it  could  be  done  without  breaking  it,  and 
four  hundred  dollars  if  it  had  to  be  forced,  if  the  latter,  he  was   to 


364  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

rej)air  and  put  in  as  good  sliape  as  before.  He  tried  for  a  long 
time  to  open  it,  using  all  his  skill,  but  in  vain,  he  then  returned 
to  Chicago,  and  brought  with  him  after  the  absence  of  several 
days,  a  skilled  workman  with  tools,  who  proceeded  to  force  the 
safe.  On  Jul}^  20th  the  door  yielding  to  the  effort  stood  wide 
open  and  the  eyes  of  the  board  on  investigation,  beheld  an  empty, 
or  nearly  so,  money  drawer.  A  rigid  examination  of  the  books  of 
the  treasurer  revealed  the  extent  of  the  defalcation  to  be  S18500.66. 
The  board  immaiiately  took  measures  to  attach  the  property 
of  Kyte,  both  real  and  personal.  This  amounted  to  the  sum  of 
about  $6000.  leaving  the  bondsmen  to  pay  the  difference  of 
$12000,  and  the  attorney  of  the  county  was  directed  to  bring  suit 
against  them  to  recover  that  amount.  On  a  search  being  institu- 
ted for  the  bond  it  was  found  to  be  missing  and  the  parties,  whose 
names  wore  supposed  to  have  been  affixed  thereon,  set  up  a  claim, 
that  they  had  signed  no  such  bond.  So  the  matter  rested  for  a  short 
time,  but  the  search  for  the  missing  document  was  diligently 
prosecuted  and  at  last  was  crowned  with  success.  The  paper  was 
found  and  was  immediately  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  legal  lights, 
who  rei)resented  the  county,  for  them  to  commence  suit.  Dire 
was  the  dismay  of  the  disgusted  bondsigners  for  it  meant  financial 
ruin  to  many  of  them.  The  board,  at  an  adjourned  meeting  June 
24th,  1878  (the  matter  having  run  along  until  then,)  were  pre- 
sented with  a  petition,  signed  by  1445  voters  of  the  county,  re- 
questing the  honorable  board  of  supervisors  of  Howard  county,  "to 
comiDromise  the  matter  between  the  county  and  the  bondsmen  of 
Kyte  and  to  withdraw  the  suits  now  pending  between  the  county 
and  them,  and  settle  the  matter  between  the  parties  on  such  terms 
as  may  be  just  to  the  county  without  involving  the  financial  ruin 
off-aid  bondsmen."  As  two-thirds  of  the  said  petitioners  seemed 
to  think  that  $5000  was  the  proper  sum  at  which  to  adjust  and 
settle  the  same,  the  board  resolved,  that  they  would  accept  the 
sum  of  $500  in  cash  to  defray  expenses  the  county  had  been  put 
to,  and  $5000  in  equal  installments,  payable  in  one,  two  and  three 
years  after  date,  the  bondsmen  to  give  their   notes   for  the   same, 

for  the  benefit  of  the  defalcation  fund  of  the  county.     This  seemed 

to  the  board,  as  more  nearly  to  approximate  to  the  wishes   of  the 

most  of  the  petitioners,  and 

"Whereas  the  following  named  bondsmen  of  Frank  Kyte,  J.   F. 


HISTORY  OF  HOWARD    COUNTY.  365 

Donahngh,  Sardis  Sutton,  W.  E.  Roche,  C.  Genshaw,  T.  J.  De 
Lange,  P.  Meighan,  John  Miltz,  P.  Peterson,  Patrick  Brady, 
Thomas  Sullivan  and  William  Burke,  have  signified  their  assent 
to  settle  on  the  basis  above; 

Resolved,  That  the  board  of  supervisors  of  Howard  county, 
accept  and  settle  as  above,  taking  security  for  the  faithful  perfor- 
mance thereof,"  and  ordering  that  all  suits  against  the  gentlemen 
be  withdrawn,  except  as  against  A.  D.  Wright,  against  whom 
judgment  had  already  been  obtained.  The  matter  was  settled 
upon  this  basis  and  here  the  affair  closed,  and  although  the  county 
was  the  loser  still  it  was  better  to  compromise  than  by  a  strict 
construction  of  the  law  to  plunge  into  despair  so  many  innocent 
families.  Further  whereabouts  of  the  absconding  treasurer  is  totally 
unknown,  and  let  us  draw  around  his  act  the  same  charitable 
mantle  of  oblivion;  we  know  not  the  temptation  that  beset  him 
— that  led  to  the  fatal  action  that  blasted  a  life  full  of  promise — 
that  broke  up  a  happy  home.  Let  us  not  apologize  for  the  crime, 
but  pity  and  regard  with  charity,  the  criminal. 

The  court  house  association  having  rebuilt  the  building,  used 
for  county  purposes,  in  what  is  known  as  coiirt-house  square,  in 
the  year  1880.  Again  tendered,  to  the  board  of  supervisors,  the 
use  of  the  same  for  the  use  of  Howard  county  officials  and  as  a 
court  room,  free  of  any  charge  for  as  long  a  term  as  the  said  county 
would  continue  to  use  it  for  such  purpose.  This  new  building  was 
-erected  in  1879,  but  was  not  finished  until  the  early  part  of  1880. 
The  board  accepting  the  offer  moved  the  records,  books,  etc.  of 
the  county,  together  with  the  furniture  and  fixtures  of  the  various 
officers  of  the  county  from  the  house  of  A.  D.  Wright,  which  they 
had  occupied  as  a  temporary  expedient,  to  the  new  court  house, 
where  they  now  remain. 

"By  resolution  of  the  board,  bids  were  asked  for  attendence  on 
the  sick  poor  of  the  county,  and  on  receipt  of  the  same.  1880, 
the  contract  was  awarded  to  Dr.  O.  N.  Hoyt  for  the  yearly  stipend 
■of  S125. 

By  a  report  of  the  county  treasurer,  made  January  1st,  1881, 
we  find  the  funds  of  the  county  in  the  following  condition. 

General  county  fund  on  hand $     351  39 

State  "       "       "     1137  47 

War-defense  bond"      "       «     51  85 


366 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 


County  school  "  "  "  1050  17 

Bridge  "  "  "  179  19 

Insane  "  "  "  1024  62 

Bond  "  "  "  2076  96 

Permanent  school "  "  "  1402  93 

Temporary      "  "  "  "  1857  99 

Apportionment  "  "  "  192  09 

Total '.....     $9324  66 

At  the  June  session  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  in  and  for 
Howard  county,  instructed  the  auditor  to  advertise  for  Ijids  for 
the  erection  and  equipment  of  a  county  jail,  and  also  for  a  place 
of  residence,  for  the  sheriff  of  the  county,  to  be  attached  thereto- 
and  appropriated  some  $4500  for  the  same.  The  auditor  obeyed 
the  order,  but  on  opening  the  bids,  the  board  decided,  that  none 
of  them  were  satisfactory.  They  therefore  undertook  to  build  the 
said  jail  and  residence  themselves.  A.  G.  Hubbard  being  ap- 
pointed commissioner  to  superintend  the  work  thereon  and  carry 
out  the  instructions  of  the  board  in  relation  to  them.  For  a 
description  of  tlijse  building  refer  to  chapter  six  devoted 
county  buildings. 


HISTOEY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  367 


CHAPTER  III. 


Returns  of  Every  Election  Held  in  the  County  From  Its 
Organization  to  the  Present  Time;  Vote  Cast  for  Each 
Candidate;  Names,  Etc. 


The  election  returns  for  some  of  the  earlier  years  are  entirely- 
wanting,  and  for  many  others  are  very  imperfect  but  we  give  below 
all  that  seemed  to  be  authentic.  The  first  election,  after  the  or- 
ganization of  the  county ,was  in 

1855, 
and  was  held  on  the  first   Monday   of  August,   James  G.  'Upton 
being  elected  county  judge;  Edmund  Gillett,  clerk;  William  Wood- 
ward, recorder  and  treasurer;  John  Harlow,  Sheriif;  M.  V.  Burdick 
prosecuting   attorney. 

1856. 
James  G.  Upton,  was   elected   county  judge;  E.  Gillett,  clerk  of 
courts,  F.  N.  Jewett,  treasurer  and  recorder;  John  Harlow,  Sheriff; 
John  F.  Mitchell,  coroner;  John  C.    Miles,  county  surveyor. 

1857. 
Edward  Gillett,seems  to  have  been  acting  as  county  judge,during 
the  spring  of  this  year,  and  James  G.  Upton  the  balance,  Avith 
Gillett  as  clerk;  John  Harlow,  as  sheriff,  and  William  Woodward, 
recorder;  no  records  exist  of  any  election,  but  these  are  taken  from 
some  legal  papers  of  this  date,  which   bear  the  signatures  as  above. 


368  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

1858. 

C.  E.  Brown,seems  to  have  been  county  superintendent  of  schools 
previous  to  this  year,  but  no  record  exist,  to  show  that  such  is  a 
fact,  except  some  records  of  payment  to  him,  as  salary  in  that 
capacity.  At  the  election  held  this  year.  James  G.  Upton,  was 
elected  county  judge;  H.  A,  Cook,  treasurer  and  recorder;  H.  Greer 
surveyor;  C.  E.  Brown,  county  superintendent  of  schools;  James 
H.  B.  Harris,  clerk  of  the  courts,  (this  seems  to  be  an  error,  but  is 
Bo  recorded). 

1859. 

James  G.    Upton,   county  judge;  Edmund   Gillett,  clerk  of  the 

courts;  H.    A.    Cook,  treasurer    and   recorder;  James   Carpenter, 

sheriff. 

1860 

Darius  Seeley,  elected  county  judge;  James  H.  B.  Harris,  clerk 
of  the  courts;  A.  M.  Cowan,  treasurer  and  recorder;  C.  E.  Brown^ 
superintendent  of  schools;  P.  T'  Searles,  sheriff;  Laban  Hassett, 
county   surveyor. 

Board  of  supervisors  to  serve  for  year  1861,  J.  W.  Barrel,  G.  W. 
Ostrander,  T.  R.  Perry,  T.  Griffm,  S.  W.  Seeley,  J.  H.  Boggess,  S. 
Radford,  M.  Niles,  C.  M.  Munson,  W.  Strother,  C.  A.  Salmon  and 
S.  L.  Cary. 

1861. 

At  the  election,  held  in  the  early  spring,  this  year, *the  first  record 
is  made,  of  the  amount  of  votes  polled,  which  is  410. 

D.  W.  Owen,  was  elected  county  judge;  E.  W.  Allen,  clerk  of  the 
courts;  on  the  question  of  donating  the  swamp  lands  to  the 
northern  Iowa  railroad  384  votes  were  cast  in  lavor  of  it,  and  24 
against.  Thos.  Griffin,  E.  V.  White,  H.  D.  Noble,  J.  H.  Boggess, 
W.  D.  Darrow,  J.T.  Mitchell,  J.  E.  Bennett,  were  elected  members 
of  the  board  of  supervisors;  Adam  Fussell,  county  superintendent 
and  P.  T.   Searles,   sheriff. 

This  year  the  time  of  holding  the  election  was  changed,  and  an 
election  ordered  in  accordance  with  the  new  order  of  things;  this 
was  held 

Octobers,  1861. 
Total  number  of  votes  cast,  567, Samuel  J.Kirkwood  receiving  285, 
and  William  H.   Merritt     251,  and   scattering  31    for  governor; 
Ralph  P.  Lowe  253,  Ralph  Lowe  67  and  James  M.  Elwood  256,  fo^ 


HISTOEY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  369 

judge  of  supreme  court;  J.  R.  Needham  312  and  Lawson  Dewey 
255,  for  lieutenant  governor;  D.  G.  Frisbee  283,  S.  L.  Gary  247 
and   T.   W.   Sanders  9,  for  representative  to  the  legislature. 

C.  E.  Berry  296,  Edmund  Gillett  260,  and  2  scattering,  for 
county  judge.  * 

Austin  M.  Cowan  312,  and  A.  M.  Van  Leuvan  241,  for  treasurer 
and  recorder. 

P.  T.   Searles,   receiving  all  the  votes,  566,  for  sheriff. 

Laban  Hassett,  327,  and  Joseph  Knowlton,  233,  for  county  sur- 
vey or. 

Adam  Fussell  233,  J.  W.  Reed  214,  and  C.  E.  Brown  114,  for 
county  superintendent. 

J.  W.  Baird  302  and  T.  W.  Sanders  265,  for  coroner. 

C.  F.  Webster  323,  Michael  O'Donnell  195  for  clerk  of  courts. 

H.  D.  Noble,  J.  F.  Webster,  Gardner  Howe,  G.  W.  Ostrander, 
C.  W.  Fields  and  A.  G.  Hubbard,  were  also  elected  members  of  the 
board   of  supervisors. 

October  13,  1863. 

The  total  vote  of  the  county  this  year  was  647 ,of  which  William 
M.  Stone  received  403  and  James  M.  Tuttle  244  for  Governor; 
Enoch  W.  Eastman  408  and  James  F.  Duncomb  241  for  Lieut. 
Governor. 

James  F.  Dillon,  408  to  Chas.  Mason  242,  for  Judge  of  the  Su- 
preme Court. 

Thos.  R.  Perry  397  and  T.  M.  Atherton  245  for  Representative 
from  52d  district. 

J.  G.  Patterson  408  and  N.  M.  Wilder  241  for  state  senator. 

C.  E.  Berry  397  and  H.  A.  Goodrich  250  for  county  judge. 

A.  W.  Cowan  416  and  Chas  Brownell  220  for  treasurer  and 
recorder. 

P.  T.  Searles  416  and  P.  G.  Nichols  227,  for  sheriff;  Laban 
Hassett  409  and  Joseph  Knowlton  236,  for  county  surveyor. 

J.  J.  Clemmer  406  and  S.  Herrick  240  for  coroner. 

Darius  Seeley  407  and  W.  S.  Pettibone  239,  for  drainage  com- 
missioner. 

For  donating  the  swamp  lands  to  McGregor  Western  railroad 
604,  against,  18. 

The  members  of  the  board  of  supervisors  elected  were  W.  D. 


370  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

Darrow,  A.  M.  Van  Lsuvan,  Darius  Seeley,  H.  A.  Goodrich,  Thos. 
Griffin  and  L.  A.  Russell. 

October  8,  1864. 

The  whole  vote  cast  numbered  639.  The  Iowa  republican  pres- 
idential electors  receiving  419  and  the   democratic  220  votes. 

J.  C.  Cole  421,  his  opponent  221,  for  the  office  of  judge  of  the 
supreme  court. 

James  Wright  421,  and  John  H.  Wallace  220,  for  secretary  of 
state. 

John  A.  Elliott  421,  and  E.  0.  Hendershott  220,  for  state  auditor; 

Wni.  H.  Holmes  421,  and  I.  B.  Lash  220,  for  state  treasurer. 

E.  A.  Allen  421,  and  Chas.  W.  Dunbar,  220  for  attorney  genera"". 

Josiah  A.  Harvey  received  421,  B.  D.  Holbrook  220,  for  register 
of  state  land  office. 

For  congressman,  William  B.  Allison  polled  421,  to  B.  B.  Rich- 
ards' 221. 

Aaron  Kimball  had  458,  and  J.  AVhite  261,  for  clerk  of  the  courts. 

S.  W.  Seeley  456,  and  G.  W.  Fall  265,  for  county  recorder. 

Smith  W.  Seeley  454,  and  G.  W.  Fall  262,  for  county  judge. 

W.  D.  Darrow,  A.  M.  VanLeuvan,  Darius  Seeley,  H.  A.  Good- 
rich, Thomas  Griffin  and  L.  A.  Russell  were  also  elected  members 
of  the  board  of  county  supervisors. 

October  10,  1865. 

At  the  election  held  this  date  there  were  635  votes  polled  for 
governor,  of  which  William  M.  Stone  received  353,  and  Thomas  H. 
Benton  282. 

For  lieutenant  governor,  B.  F.  Gue  362,  and  W.  W.  Hamilton 
received  276. 

Forjudge  of  the  supreme  court,  Geo.  G.  Wright  363,  and  H.  H. 
Trimble  276. 

■   For  superintendent  of  public  instruction,  0.  Faville  had   365  to 
J.  W.  Sennett  270. 

For  representative,  54th  district,  D.  W.  Poindexter  had  343  and 
C.  E.  Berry  245. 

For  county  judge,  D.  0.  Preston  had  330  votes,  A.  D.  Combs 
294,  scattering  3. 

For  treasurer,  J.  F.  Webster  328,  B.  D.  Everingham  305. 

The  other  officers  elected  being,  J.  F.  Powell,  sheriff;  J.  J.  Clem- 
mer,  coroner;  P.  N.  Glathart,  surveyor,   and  T.   W.   Lee,  county 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  371 

superintendent  of  schools.  For  members  of  the  board  of  super- 
visors, C.  E.  Ashley,  C.  T.  Thurber,  J.  H.  St.  John,  H.  A.  Good- 
rich, E.  I.  Isabell  and  L.  A.  Russell. 

Special  election,  October,  1865. 

•  On  the  question  of  extending  the  time  in  the  contract  with  the 
McGregor  Western  railroad,  total  vote  cast  232;  "for  extension," 
212;  "against  extension,"  20. 

On  the  question  of  giving  said  railroad  the  entire  benefit  of  the 
ewamp  lands  of  Howard  county;  "for,"  149;  "against,"  70;  blank, 
13.     Albion  and  Howard  townships  held  no  election. 

October  9,  1866. 

At  this  election  there  were  656  votes  polled,  of  which  S.  G.  Van 
Anda  received  221,  and  E.  D.  Wright,  435  for  secretary  of  state; 
John  A.  Iillliott,  435,  and  Robert  W.  Cross,  231  for  state  auditor; 
S.  E.  Rankin,  435,  and  George  A.  Stone,  221  for  state  treasurer;  F. 
E.  Bissell,  435,  and  W.  Ballingall,  221  for  state  attorney;  C.  C.  Car- 
penter, 435,  and  L.  P.  Mc Kinney,  222  for  register  of  state  land 
office;  C.  Linderman,  435,  and  Fred.  Gottschalk,  222  for  clerk  of 
the  supreme  court. 

For  representative  to  congress  William  B.  Allison  received  439 
votes,  and  Reuben  Noble,  229;  for  district  judge,  Milo  McGlathery 
received  654,  there  being  no  opposition,  and  for  district  attorney 
the  vote  stood  L.  0.  Hatch,  341,  John  T.  Clark,  305,  W.  R.  Mead, 
1,  D.  O.  Preston,  1;  for  clerk  of  courts,  Aaron  Kimball  received 
507,  T.  W.  Lee,  141,  and  William -H.  Patterson,  2;  for  county 
recorder,  William  H.  Patterson  had  507,  C.  W.  Sawyer,  133,  and 
Aaron  Kimball,  2. 

Members  of  the  board  of  supervisors  elected  at  the  same  time 
were:  A.  N.  Harris,  Truman  Robinson,  S.  A.  Stone,  P.  T.  Searles, 
I.  C.  Chamberlain,  Thos.  Griffin,  and  Wm.  Burleigh. 

October  8,  1867. 
Total  number  of  votes  polled,  953.  Samuel  Merrill  receiving 
613,  and  Chns.  Mason,  339  for  governor;  John  Scott,  616,  and  D. 
M.  Harris,  279  for  lieutenant  governor;  J.  M.  Beck,  516,  and  John 
H.  Craig,  337  for  judge  of  the  supreme  court;  Henry  O'Conner, 
616,  and  W.  F.  Barker,  337  for  attorney  general;  D.  F.  Wells,  616, 
and  Maturin  L.  Fisher,  337  for  superintendent  of  public  instruc- 
tion, for  the  full  term,  and  for  the  same  to  fill  vacancy,  D.  F. 
Wells  received  255  votes,  and  M.  L.  Fisher,  92. 


872  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

For  state  senator,  46th  district,  J.  G.  Patterson  received  57& 
votes,  his  opponent,  A.  G.  Case,  tallying  but  332.  For  representa- 
tive, 56th  district,  J.  H.  Brown  received  581,  and  G.  W.  Barker, 
329  votes;  for  county  treasurer  M.  M.  Moon  had  536,  J.  F.  Webster, 
422,  and  "scattering,"  1. 

For  county  judge,  D.  O.  Preston  received  552,  C.  F.  Brecken- 
ridge,  382  votes,  with  a  scattering  of  2;  J.  F.  Powell,  621,  and 
G.  W.  Ostrander,  330  for  sheriff;  T.  W.  Lee,  598,  and  H.  W. 
Partch,  346  for  superintendent  of  county  schools;  P.  N.  Glathart 
being  elected  surveyor  with  a  vote  of  557,  while  his  opponent, 
Laban  Hassett,  received  but  399;  J.  J.  Clemmer  was  re-elected 
coroner  by  a  vote  of  480  to  H.  C.  Price's  472. 

November,  1868. 

The  Iowa  presidential  electors  for  U.  S.  Grant  received  674  votes,. 
and  those  for  Horatio  Seymour,  380,  the  total  vote  being  1054. 
For  secretary  of  state,  Ed.  Wright  had  673,  and  David  Hammer, 
381;  John  A.  Elliott  received  673,  and  Harvey  Dunlevy,  381  lor 
the  office  of  state  auditor;  Samuel  E.  Rankin,  673,  and  Lawrence 
McCarty,  381  for  state  treasurer;  C.  C.  Carpenter,  673,  and  A, 
Davidson,  381.  for  register  of  the  state  land  office. 

For  representative  in  congress,  from  the  3d  district,  W.  B. 
Allison  received  667  votes,  William  Mills,  381,  and  L.  A. 
Thomas,  1. 

For  judge  of  the  circuit  court,  M.  V  Burdick  had  673,  and  E. 
M.  Farns worth,  380  votes;  Wm.  H.  Patterson  received  774,  and 
Gustave  Dorr  359  votes  for  county  recorder;  S.  A.  Stone,  623,  A. 
M.  Gregory,  411,  and  W.  H.  Patterson,    1,  for  clerk  of  the  courts. 

On  the  stock  act,  555  "for,"  and  180  "against." 

On  the  question  in  regard  to  levying  a  tax  to  purchase  a  "poor 
farm,"  the  vote  stood:  92  "for  the  tax,"  and  709  "against  the  tax." 

On  the  amendments  to  the  state  constitution,  618  were  in  favor, 
and  41 2  against  the  proposed  measure. 

October  12,  1869. 

The  total  number  of  votes  polled  at  this  election  was  840. 

Samuel  Merrill  received  534,  and  George  Gillaspy,  304  for 
Governor;  Madison  M.  Walden,  530,  and  V.  P.  Richardson,  310 
for  lieutenant  Governor, 

John  F.  Dillon,  530,  and  W.  F.  Brennon,  307,  for  judge  of  the 
supreme  court. 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  373 

A.  S.  Kissell  received  the  full  vote  of  532  for  the  office  of  super- 
intendent of  public  instruction,  there  being  no  opposition. 

C.  T.  Granger  received  454  votes,  and  W.  R.  Mead,  295,  for 
district  attorney. 

A.  S.  Faville  received  409  votes  and  T.  M.  Atherton,  120,  for 
member  of  legislature. 

C.  S.  Thurber  defeated  his  opponent,  D.  B.  Everingham,  for  the 
office  of  county  auditor,  by  a  vote  of  529  to  310 

M.  M.  Moon  received  568  votes,  and  James  Hall,  259  votes,  for 
county  treasurer. 
For  sheriff  the  vote  stood: J.  F.  Hall,  479,  and  J.  DeNoyelles,  354. 

Patrick  Griffin  having  301,  C.  F.  Breckenridge,  527,  and  T.  W. 
Lee,  1  vote  for  superintendent  of  county  schools. 

J.  J.  Clemmer,  521,  W.  F.  Daniels,  307,  and  "scattering,"  1,  for 
coroner. 

The  members  of  the  board  of  supervisors  elected  were:  John 
Shaw,  Thomas  Sullivan,  James  Oakley,  N.  Lydon,  H.  W.  Partch, 
P.  T.  Searles,  and  Joseph  Burgess. 

October,  1870. 

There  were  749  votes  polled,  in  all,  in  this  election,  C.  C.  Cole 
received  498,  J.  C.  Knapp,  235,  forjudge  of  supreme  court;  W.  E. 
Miller,  511,  P.  H.  Smythe,  234,  for  judge  of  supreme  court  to  fill 
the  vacancy  caused  by  the  declension  of  John  F.  Dillon;  J.  G. 
Day,  509,  Reuben  Noble,  240,  for  judge  of  supreme  court,  to  fill 
the  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of  George  G.  Wright. 

For  auditor  of  state,  John  Russell  received  511,  and  W.  M. 
Garner,  234  votes. 

'For  secretary  of  state,  Ed.  Wright  had  514,  and  Charles  Doerr, 
231  votes. 

For  state  treasurer,  S.  E.  Rankin  polled  511  votes,  and  William 
C.  James,  234. 

Henry  O 'Conner  received  510,  and  H.  M.  Martin,  234  votes  for 
attorney  general. 

On  member  of  congress  the  vote  stood  W.  G.  Donnan,  509,  John 
T.  Stoneman,  238. 

For  judge  of  the  district  court,  Milo  McGlathery  polled  all  the 
votes,  513. 

C.  T.  Granger  had  the  same  luck  and  polled  513  votes  for 
district  attorney. 


374  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

For  clerk  of  the  com'ts,  S.  A.  Stone  received  535  votes,  while 
David  Geer  only  polled  219. 

W.  H.  Patterson  received  557  votes,  and  P.  G.  Nichols,  184  for 
county  recorder. 

For  county  supervisors,  Aaron  Kimball  with  515,  Chas.  H. 
Wood,  447,  and  D.  E.  Potter,  558,  were  declared  elected,  defeating 
■  D.  B.  Everingham,  who  had  302,  R.  S.  S.  Andros,  227,  and  August 
Fallgater,  190. 

On  the  proposition,  "Hhall  there  be  a  convention  to  revise  the 
constitution  of  the  state,  and  amend  the  same,"  "yes,"  100;  "No," 
427. 

On  the  proposition,  "Shall  the  number  of  the  supervisors  be  in- 
,  creased  to  five,"  "Yes,"  235;  "No,"  379. 

On  tlie  stock  act  of  the  12th  general  assembly  there  were  127 
votes  cast,  of  which  114  were  "against,"  and  13  "for." 

October,  1871. 

Total  vote  polled,  1,030;  C.  C.  Carpenter  receiving  659,  and  J.  C. 
Xnnpp,  371,  for  governor. 

H.  C.  Bulis,  658,  and  M.  M.  Ham,  372,  for  the  office  of  lieut. 
■goveri)()r.    , 

For  judge  of  supreme  court,  James  G.  Day,  659,  and  John  F. 
Dunconil),  369  votes. 

For  superintendent  of  public  instruction,  Alonzo  Abernathy 
received  659,  and  Edward  Mumm,  370  votes. 

For  state  senator,  John  E.  Burke  received  636,  and  L.  H.  Weller 
377  vot<'S. 

For  representative  in  the  legislature,  W.  W.  Blackman,  654,  and 
C^a'us  I'\)reman  374  votes. 

M.  ]M.  Moon  was  elected  by  a  nearly  unanimous  vote  to  the 
office  of  county  recorder. 

C.  S.  Thurljer  received  656,  and  Joseph  Knowlton  366  votes  for 
county  auditor. 

J.  T.  I'owell  was  elected  sheriff,  he  having  588  votes  to  his 
opponent's  J.  DoNoyelles,  445,  with  a  scattering  of  4. 

C.  F.  Breckenridge  received  582,  James  Greenleaf,  370,  P.  N. 
'■  ■Glatlinrt,  1,  and  C.  Breckenridge  18  votes  for  the  olfice^f  county 
su])erintondent.  , 

J.  J.  Clemmer  wns  re-elected  over  all  competitors,  having  677 
votes  out  of  70S,  for  coroner. 


HLSTOIIY  OF    HOWAKD  UjUNTY.  375 

P.  N.  Glathart  was  elected  Ijy  O.jO  votes  to  the  ollice  of  county 
surveyor,  there  being  no  opposition. 

For  member  of  board  of  supervisors,  A.  B.  Smedley  received 
692,  Joseph  Lee,  181,  John  Wolf,  18,  and  "scattering"  2  votes. 

November,  1872. 

Out  of  a  totqj  vote  of  1,046  the  Iowa  republican  presidential 
electors  received  772  votes,  and  the  vote  for  the  democratic  electors 
avejages  180. 

For  secretary  of  state  the  vote  stood:  Josiah  F.  Young,  708,  E. 
A.  Gilbert,  161,  and  Charles  liaricer,  42. 

John  Uussell  received  688  to  J.  P.  Cassedy's  248  votes,  for  state 
auditor. 

For  state  treasurer  William  Christy  received  768,  W.  J.  Ituss, 
148,  and  I).  I',.  Bens,  42  votes. 

For  congress,  H.  0.  Pratt  polled  689,  and  A.  T.  Lusch  225  votes. 

For  judge  of  circuit  court  C.  T.  Granger  received  721  votes, 
there  being  no  opposition. 

For  clerk  of  the  courts  S.  A.  Stone  polled  813  votes,  tliere  being 
no  opposition. 

For  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  P.  T.  Searles  had  773, 
and  II.  C.  Marsh,  237  votes. 

For  county  recorder  the  vote  was:  Wm.  M.  Patterson,  834,  and 
H,  Price,  37. 

October,  1873. 

The  number  of  votes  polled  at  this  election  was  1,265. 

ITor  governor,  C.  C.  Carpenter  received  1,232,  J.  G.  Vail,  30,  and 
scattering,  3  votes. 

For  lieut.  governor  Joseph  Dysart  received  l,li36,  C.  K.  Whitney, 
27,  and  Fred.  O'Donnell,  2  votes. 

Forjudge  of  supreme  court  J.  M.  Beck  received  1,232,  and  B.J. 
Hall,  28-  votes. 

For  superintendent  of  public  instructions,  A.  Abernathy,  1,237, 
and  D.  W.  Prindle,  28. 

For  state  senator,  Hiram  Bailey,  received  938  votes,  and  A.  J. 
Felt,  335. 

H.  A.  Goodrich  received  766,  J.  F.  Borthwick,  548,  and  "Gosh," 
1,  for  legislature. 

O.  J.  Clark  received  1225  lor  prosecuting  attorney. 


376  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

The  vote  on  county  auditor  was  very  close,  "Jerry"  Barkei 
receiving  656,  W.  W.  White,  651,  with  one  vote  for  Frank  Kyte. 

For  county  treasurer  M.  M.  Moon  had  620,  Frank  Kyte,  674> 
with  a  scattering  of  two  votes. 

C.  B.  Ashley  polled  589,  and  D.  Ackerson  694  votes  for  the 
office  of  sheriff.  , 

For  superintendent  of  county  schools,  0.  N.  Hoyt  received  641, 
and  A.  Craig,  622  votes. 

Emmett  Barber  received  641,  and  Laban  Hassett,  673  votes  for 
county  surveyor. 

H.  C.  Price  received  696,  and  J.  W.  Reed,  602  votes  for  coroner. 

The  vote  on  supe^'visor  to  fill  vacancy  stood:  S.  Radford,  558, 
and  S.  S.  Lambert,  759,  and  for  the  long  term,  W.  W.  Woodward, 
612,  and  Thomas  Griffin,  701. 

October,  13,  1874. 

An  election  was  held  this  day,  at  which  1,129  votes  were  polled. 

Josiah  F.  Young  receiving  778,  David  Morgan  350,  and  H.  C. 
Hargis,  1,  for  secretary  of  state. 

Buren  R.  Sherman  received  1,045,  and  J.  M.  King,  81,  for  state 
auditor. 

William  Christy,  778,  J.  W.  Barnes,  282,  and  H.  C.  Hargis,  67 
for  state  treasurer. 

David  Secor,  730,  R.  H.  Rondame,  272,  and  J.  D.  Hayes,  1,  for 
register  of  the  state  land  office. 

M.  E.  Cutts,  730,  and  J.  H.  Keatley,  351,  for  attorney  general. 

For  congress,  H.  O.  Pratt  received  369  votes,  John  Bowman, 
749,  and  P.  Nolan,  1. 

Milo  McGlathery  with  337,  and  Reuben  Noble  with  749  were 
the  contestants  for  the  office  of  judge  of  the  district  court. 

0.  J.  Clark  polled  400,  and  G.  L.  Faust,.  720  votes,  for  district 
attorney. 

C.  F.  Webster  was  elected  clerk  of  the  courts,  having  516  votes, 
while  his  opponents,  W.  S.  Gardner,  and  J.  F.  Powell,  had, 
respectively,  475  and  130. 

The  vote  for  recorder  stood:  W.  H.  Patterson,  706,  P.  Velie,  Jr., 
402,  and  Miss  Lillie  Bucknum,  17. 

For  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  James  Oakley  defeated 
his  competitor,  having  602  votes,  and  H.  C.  Cunningham,  402. 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  377 

October,  12,  1875. 

On  the  question,  "Shall  stock  be  restrained  from  running 
at  large,"  the  vote  stood,  361  "for,"  and  585  "against,"  in  a  total 
vote  of  946. 

On  the  question,  "Shall  stock  be  restrained  from  running  at 
large  from  sunset  to  sunrise,"  832  votes  are  registered  as  "for"  the 
restraint,  and  114  "against." 

For  governor,  Samuel  J.  Kirkwood  received  882,  and  S.  Leffler, 
477  votes. 

For  lieut.  governor,  Joshua  G.  Newbold  received  880,  and  E.  B. 
Woodward,  480  votes. 

Austin  Adams  received  878,  and  W.  J.  Knight,  481  votes,  for 
judge  of  supreme  court. 

Alonzo  Abernethy  received  879,  and  Isaiah  Doane,  23,  for 
superintendent  of  public  instruction. 

For  representative,  64th  district,  Henry  T.  Reed  polled  884,  and 
and  Henry  A.  Goodrich,  472  votes. 

Jerry  Barker  was  re-elected  county  auditor,  having  920  votes, 
his  competitor,  G.  W.  Merry,  having  only  434,  with  a  single 
scattering  vote. 

Frank  Kyte  was  almost  unanimously  alected  to  fill  the  treas- 
urer's office,  the  vote  standing,  Kyte,  1,330,  D.  E.  Potter,  3,  P.  T. 
Searles,  5,''and  Peter  Nolan,  1. 

For  sheriff,  Samuel  L.  Thomson  polled  675,  David  H.  Acker- 
son,  558,  and  Hugh  Price,  127  votes. 

Osmand  N.  Hoyt  had  738,  T.  W.  Lee,  606,  and  A.  H.  Tuttle,  1 
vote  for  superintendent  of  schools.  ' 

Laban  Hassett's  friends  rallied  to  the  tune  of  785,  while 
Michael  Montague's  only  numbered  565,  with  a  scattering  of  6 
votes,  electing  Mr.  Hassett  once  more  to  the  office  of  county 
surveyor. 

For  coroner,  James  McCollum  had  835,  and  H.  C.  Price,  528 
votes. 

Alonzo  G.  Hubbard  was  elected  member  of  the  board  of  super- 
visors with  727  votes  in  his  favor,  his  opponent,  S.  S.  Lambert 
having  only  632. 

November  7,  1876. 

The  total  vote   was   1,815,  of  which   the   Hayes  and  Wheeler 


378  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  * 

electors  received  1,194  votes,  the  Tilden  and  Hendricks  electors 
600,  while  the  Cooper  (greenback),  electors  only  had  21. 

For  judge  of  the  supreme  court,  for  full  term,  W.  H.  Seevers 
received  1,201,  W.  M.  Graham,  599,  and  W.  I.  Hayes,  20  votes; 
for  the  same  to  fill  the  vacancy  created  by  chapter  7,  acts  of  the 
16th  general  assembly,  James  H.  Rothrock  had  1,168,  Walter  I. 
Hayes,  599,  and  Wm.  Graham,  9;  and  for  the  same  office  to  fill 
the  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of  C.  C.  Cole,  Wm.  H. 
Seevers  polled  1,171,  and  Walker  I.  Hayes  629  votes. 

Josiah  T.  Young  had  1201,  James  H.  Stenbenraugh  614,  and  A. 
McCready  15  votes,  for  secretary  of  state. 

Buren  R.  Sherman  1201,  William  Gronewig  622,  and  Leonard 
Brown  15  votes,  for  state  auditor. 

Geo.  W.  Bemis  1201,  Wesley  Jones  615,  and  George  C.  Fry  15, 
for  state  treasurer. 

David  Secor  1201,  N.  C.  Ridenver  624,  and  George  M.  Walker 
13,  for  register  of  the  state  land  office. 

John  T.  McJunkin  1201,  and  J.  C.  Cook  629,  for  attorney  gene- 
ral. 

Carl  W.  Von  Coelln  1201,  and  J.  A.  Nash  629,  for  superinten- 
dent of  public  instruction  to  fill  vacancy. 

For  congressman,  N.  C.  Deering  polled  1188  and  Cyrus  Foreman 

649. 

C.  T.  Granger  received  1199  votes  for   circuit  judge' there  being 

no   opposition. 

Calvin  F.  Webster  capturing  the  office  of  clerk  of  the  courts, 
having  1251  while  Edward  Hughes  had  535  with  a  scattering  vote 
of  14.  • 

William  H.  Patterson  polled  1,261,  and  W.  H.  Mereness,  525 
votes,  for  county  recorder. 

For  member  of  the  board  of  supervisor  we  find  that  D.  T.  Em- 
mons received  the  suffrages  of  1,191  electors,  while  L.  Averill,  re- 
ceived 599,  with  a  scattering  of  11. 

On  the  question  of  relocating  the  county  seat  at  Cresco,  the  vote 
stood  "for  Cresco"  800,  "against  Cresco  and  in  favor  of  old  loca- 
tion between  the  villages  of  Vernon  Springs  and  New  Oregon," 
969. 

October  9,  1877. 

The  total  vote  was  1918,  this  election  of  which  John   H.   Gear 


HISTOEY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  3&1 

received  551,  D.  P.  Stubbs,  201,  Elias  Jessup,  519,  and  John  P. 
Irish,  647,  for  governor. 

Frank  T.  Campbell,  1030,  A.  McCready,  249,  and  W.  C.  James, 
647  for  the  office  of  Lieut-governor. 

James  G.  Day,  1,029,  John  Porter,  253,  and  H.  E.  J.  Boardman, 
647,  for  judge  of  supreme  court. 

Carl  Von  Cffilln,  1,029,  S.  T.  Ballard,  254,  and  G.  W.  CuUison, 
646,  for  superintendent  of  public  instruction. 

For  state  senator,  Aaron   Kimball  received    1,045,   and   L.   H. 

Weller,  839  votes. 

C.  E.  Brown  polled  933,  Thomas  Griffin,  479,  and  August 
Fallgatter,  481,  for  representative  66th  district. 

John  E.  Peck  with  977  votes,  defeated  Jerry  Barker,  who  had 
927,  for  the  office  of  county  auditor. 

To  fill  the  vacancy  in  the  treasurer's  office,  Patrick  Griffin  re- 
ceived 918,  J.  F.  Borthwick,  received  806,  and  W.  H.  Merenes,  13 
votes. 

For  county  treasurer  for  full  term  Patrick  Griffin  received  1,026, 
J.  F.  Borthwick,  771,  and  W.  H.  Mereness,  123  votes. 

Samuel  L.  Thomson  polled  966,  Hugh  Price,  636,  H.  A.  Axtell, 
324,  and  '"scattering"  one  vote  for  sheriff,  P.  N.  Glathart  being 
elected  county  surveyor  by  a  vote  of  1.028,  his  opponent  Lahan 
Hassett  having  only  891. 

For  county  superintendent  of  schools,  897  votes  given  for  W. 
H.  Brocksome  elected  him,  his  competitors  receiving  respectively 
Joseph  C.  Kellow,  755,  and  Florence  Barnard,  229  votes. 

James  McCollum  capturing  the  office  of  coroner  with  1010  votes, 
J.  W.  Reed  receiving  only  689,  and  C.  E.  Bowers  received  199 
votes. 

For  member  board  of  supervisors,  James  Oakley  received 
1,053,  I.  C.  Chamberlain,  832,  and  B.  Chapin,  56,  with  one  "scat- 
tered." 

On  the  question  "shall  stock  be  restrained  from  running  at 
large,"  the  vote  stood  "for  837,"  "against  restraint"  409. 

October  8,  1878. 

At  the  general  election  this  year  there  were  1,968  votes  cast, 
John  A.  T.  Hull  receiving  937,  E.  M.  Farnsworth  1,030,  blank  one 
for  secretary  of  state. 


382  HISTORY  OP   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

Buren  R.  Sherman,  934,  and  Joseph  Eibeck,  1,034  for  state 
auditor. 

George  W.  Bemis,  849,  and  M.  L.  Devine,  1,036,  for  state  treas- 
urer. 

James  K.  Bowers,  934,  and  M.  Farrington,  1,033  for  register 
Btate  land  office. 

James  Rothrock,  933,  and  Joseph  C.  Knapp,  1,033,  for  judge 
supreme  court. 

John  M.  McJunkin,  932,  and  Alexander  Runyon,  1,034,  for  at- 
torney-general. 

For  congressman  N.  C.  Deering,  939,  L.  H.  Weller,  1,012,  scat- 
tering, 4. 

For  judge  of  the  District  court,  0.  J.  Clark,  551,  and  Reuben 
Noble  1,406. 

Robert  Quigley,  875,  Cyrus  Wellington,  1,086,  and  0.  J.  Clark 
2  for  district  attorney. 

C.  F.  Webster  being  elected  clerk  of  the  courts  with  1,159,  his 
competitor  C.  M.  Brooks,  receiving  but  709  votes. 

William  H.  Patterson,  having  1637  and  R.  J.  Hazledine,  305 
votes  the  former  was  declared  elected  county  recorder. 

For  member  ot  the  board  of  supervisors  the  vote  stood  A.  G. 
Hubbard,  1,075,  and  H.  P.  Marsh,  874. 

October  14,  1879. 

Total  vote  polled  was  2,243,  John  H.  Gear,  1,059,  Daniel  Camp- 
bell, 1,144,  W.  H.  Trimble,  28,  and  D.  R.  Dungan,  12  votes  for 
governor. 

Frank  T.  Campbell,  1,071,  M.  H.  Moore,  1,128,  and  J.  A.  0. 
Yeoman,  27,  for  Lieut,  governor. 

Joseph  M.  Beck,  1,069.  M.  H.  Jones,  1,115,  and  Reuben  Noble, 
41,  for  judge  of  the  supreme  court. 

Carl  Von  Cffilln,  1,060,  J.  A.  Nash,  1,140,  and  Erwin  Baker,  27, 
for  superintendent  of  public  instruction. 

For  representative  to  legislature  the  vote  standing  Charles  D. 
Cutting,  961,  S.  S.  Lambert,  1,227,  and  J.  J.  Lowry  one. 

For  sheriff  S.  L.  Thomson  had  1,106,  Jacob  J.  Lowry,  1,122, 
S.  B.  Johnson,  1,  and  James  Thomson,  1. 

C.  S.  Raymond  received  897,  John  E.  Peck,  1,329,  and  P.  T. 
Searles  one  vote  for  the  office  of  county  auditor. 

Fred  C.  Clark  was  elected  superintendent  of  schools  by  a  vote 


HISTORY  OF  HOWARD   COUNTY.  383 

of  1,180  to  W.  H,   Brocksome's,  1,029,  with  a  scattering  of  four 
votes. 

For  coroner,  J.  McCollum  polled  1,057,  and  H.  C.  Price,  1,167 
votes,  with  3  scattered. 

The  vote  for  member  of  board  of  supervisors  stood  L.  F.  Em- 
mons, 1,076,  and  Thomas  McCook,  1,143. 

November  2,  1880. 

The  full  votes  for  president  was  2,024,  of  which  the  Garfield 
and  Arthur  electors  received  1,066,  the  Hancock  and  English. 
285.  and  the  Weaver  and  Chambers,  673. 

For  secretary  of  state  J.  A.  T.  Hull  received  1,066,  A,  B.  Keith, 
281,  and  George  M.  Walker,  676  votes. 

For  state  auditor  W.  V.  Lucas  received  1,065,  Charles  I.  Barker, 
281,  and  G.  V.  Swearingen,  676. 

For  treasurer,  E.  H.  Conger,  1,066,  Martin,  Blinn,  281,  and 
Mathias  Farrington,  676. 

J.  H.  Powers  received  1,065,  Daniel  Daugherty,  279,  and  Thomas 
Hooker,  676  for  register  state  land  office. 

S.  M.  McPherson,  1,066,  C.  C.  Clark,  279,  W.  A.  Spurrier,  676, 
for  attorney-general. 

C.  T.  Granger  polling  1,061  votes  with  no  opposition  for  the 
office  of  judge  of  the  circuit  court. 

For  representive  to  congress  from  the  fourth  district,  the  vote 
was  divided  as  follows:  N.  C.  Deering,  1,102,  J.  S.  Root,  223,  M. 
B,-Doolittle  654,  and  11  scattering. 

For  judge  of  the  district  court  E.  E.  Cooley  received  871,  0.  J. 
Clark,  1,131,  with  6  scattering. 

C.  F.  Webster  was  elected  clerk  of  the  courts  having  1,230  votes, 
and  W.  F.  Daniels,  782,  with  2  scattering. 

W.  H.  Patterson  taking  the  office  of  recorder,  having  1,101,  hia 
rival,  Jerry  Barnes  scoring  only  782. 

On  the  question  of  having  a  constitutional  convention,  548  were 
in  favor  and  288  against  the  measure. 

October  11,  1881. 

At  the  election  held  on  this  date  the  total  vote  of  the  county 
polled  was  1,469,  Buren  R.  Sherman  receiving  749,  D.  M.  Clark, 
678  and  L.  G.  Kinne  42,  for  governor. 

Orlando  H.  Manning,  749,  J.  M.  Holland,  620,  J.  H.  Holland, 
58,  and  J.  M.  Walker,  42,  lieut.  governor. 


384  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

Austin  Adams,  749,  W.  W.  Williamson  678  and  H.  B.  Hender- 
shott,  42,  forjudge  of  the  supreme  court. 

John  W.  Akers,  745,  Adeline  M.  Swain,  676,  and  Walter  H. 
Butler,  45,  for  superintendent  of  public  instruction. 

For  state  senator,  C.  A.  Marshall  received  747,  M.  F.  Gillett, 
714,  and  "scattering"  one  vote. 

For  representative  66th  district,  W.  R.  Jones  had  695  votes, 
while  S.  S.  Lambert  received  657. 

John  E.  Peck  was  barely  elected  county  auditor  having  735 
votes,  while  P.  T.  Searles  had  724,  and  5  votes  scattered. 

The  vote  on  treasurer  was  also  very  close,  Charles  I.  White  re- 
ceiving 728,  and  his  competitor,  P.  Griffiin,  722,  and  5  votes  scat- 
tered. 

J.  J.  Lowry  was  elected  sheriff,  having  758  votes,  and  S.  L. 
Thomson,  706  votes. 

W.  W.  Williams  received  738,  andS.  B.  Johnson,  709,  for  county 
surveyor. 

Fred  C.  Clark,  803,  and  W.  W.  Williams,  657,  for  superinten- 
dent of  schools. 

The  vote  on  coroner  was  another  of  the  closely  contested  ones 
standing,  0.  N.  Hoyt,  735,  and  H.  C.  Price,  729. 

For  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  A.  G.  Hubbard  re- 
ceived 757  votes,  Patrick  Peterson,  703,  and  "Hubbard"  received 
three. 

June  27,  1882. 

This  was  a  special  election  on  the  question,  shall  the  constitu- 
tion be  amended  by  adding  the  following  amendment: 

"No  person  shall  manufacture  for  sale,  or  sell,  or  keep  for  sale, 
as  a  beverage,  any  intoxicating  liquors,  including  ale,  wine 
or  beer.  The  general  assembly  shall  by  law  prescribe  regulations 
for  the  enforcement  of  the  prohibition  herein  contained,  and  shall 
provide  suitable  penalties  for  the  violation  of  the  provisions 
thereof." 

The  total  number  of  votes  cast  in  Howard  county  was  1,565,  of 
which  730  were  in  favor  of  its  adoption,  and  835  were  against  the 
measure. 

November,  7,  1882. 

The  total  vote  polled  was  1,802,  of  which  John  A.  T.  Hull,  re- 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  385 

ceived  747,  W.  J.  Gaston,  988,  and  T.  0.  Walker,  67,  for  secretary 
of  state. 

John  L.  Brown,  747.  G.  A.  Wyant,  988,  and  William  Thompson 
67,  for  state  auditor. 

Edwin  H.  Conger,  742.  George  Derr,  913,  and  John  Foley,  147, 
for  state  treasurer. 

William  H.  Seever,  747,  M.  H.  Jones,  988,  and  C.  E.  Bronson, 
67,  for  judge  of  the  supreme  court. 

Smith  McPherson,  747,  James  A.  Rice,  988,  and  J.  H.  Brenner- 
man,  67,  for  attorney  general. 

For  congressman,  Thomas  Updegraff  was  in  receipt  of  756,  and 
L.  H.  Weller,  1,026  votes,  with  five  scattering. 

Forjudge  of  the  district  court  of  the  10th  judicial  district,  E.  E. 
Cooley  polled  930,  and  L.  0.  Hatch,  863  votes. 

For  district  attorney,  H.  P.  Hancock  received  763,  Cyrus  Wel- 
lington, 1,041,  while  L.  0.  Hatch  had  one  vote. 

William  Theophilus  with  1,027  in  his  favor  "got  away  with" 
his  competitor,  Frank  Sayre,  for  the  office  of  clerk  of  the  courts, 
the  latter  having  only  775  votes. 

Carl  K.  Berg  was  equally  fortunate  having  1,181  votes  and  Wil- 
liam H.  Patterson,  605,  for  the  office  of  county  recorder. 

For  member  of  board  of  supervisors,  the  vote  stood,  James 
Hendricks,  796,  Charles  Keefe,  998,  and  scattering  5. 


386  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


County  Seat  Controversy;   Removals;   Official  Action;  Final 
Settlement;  Present  Officers. 


During  the  summer  of  1855,  the  organization  of  a  county 
government  agitated  the  minds  of  some  of  the  new  settlers,  who 
had  located  themselves  on  the  prairies  and  in  the  sylvan  groves  of 
Howard  county,  but  met  with  but  little  favor  from  the  many. 
While  the  people  were  but  few,  and  the  settlements  but  feeble,  it 
seemed  folly  for  them  to  burden  themselves  with  the  cumbersome 
machinery  and  expensive  luxury  of  a  county  government.  At 
this  time  there  were  probably  not  more  than  one  hundrad  and 
fifty  inhabitants,  or  about  sixty  or  seventy  voters  residents,  in  what 
was  to  be  Howard  county.  And  to  saddle  upon  this  weak  com- 
munity the  support  of  the  necessary  officers,  was  not  to  the  mind 
of,  possibly,  a  majority  of  those  who  looked  ahead.  However,  a 
petition  was  signed  by  some  five  or  six  persons,  and  sent,  sub  rosa, 
to  James  Lyon,  then  judge  in  Chickasaw  county,  praying  that  an 
order  be  issued  from  his  court  to  organize  the  county  of  Howard 
(for  copy  of  this  petition  see  page  338).  Judge  Lyon  not  being 
cognizant  with  the  whole  facts,  decided  to  make  the  order,  which 
was  accordingly  done,  and  bears  the  date  of  July  17,  1855. 


HISTOKY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  387 

The  mandate  of  the  judge  further  recited,  that  there  was  to  be 
held  an  election  on  the  first  Monday  of  August,  of  the  same  year, 
and  appointed  Edmund  Gillett,  one  of  the  most  prominent  citizens, 
as  the  sheriff  for  the  purpose  of  effecting  the  organization. 

The  people,  calmly  acquiesing  in  the  matter,  now  that  it  was 
settled  that  they  were  to  "enjoy"  a  county  government,  went  to 
the  polls  on  the  day  appointed  and  elected  James  G.  Upton,  county 
judge;  Edmund  Gillett,  clerk;  William  Woodward,  recorder  and 
treasurer;  John  Harlow,  sheriff,  and  M.  V.  Burdick,  prosecuting 
attorney.     These  were  the  first  county  officers. 

The  next  thing  was  a  place  of  business,  or  in  other  words,  a 
county  seat  and  a  court  house.  As  most  of  the  officers  resided  at 
or  near  Vernon  Springs,  this  seemed  to  be  the  proper  place,  but 
the  newly  born  government  seems  to  have  been  "without  a  habita- 
tion and  a  home,"  until  in  the  following  year  Judge  Upton  decided 
that  for  the  time  being  Vernon  Springs  was  to  be  considered  the 
center  of  the  county  rule. 

But  other  villages  were  springing  into  being,  and  as  each  of 
these,  according  to  their  proprietors  and  residents,  was  "the"  place 
above  all  others,  for  a  grand  city,  all  laid  claim  to  the  position  of 
being  the  county  seat.  Land  was  cheap,  and  "a  good  deal  of  it 
to  the  acre,"  and  the  proprietors  were  generous  in  providing  for 
the  width  of  the  streets,  avenues,  and  alleys  of  the  new  towns,  and 
each  expected  metropolitan  honors,  at  least,  and  each  sought  to  be 
regarded  as  the  seat  of  government. 

Of  these  ambitious  cities  in  embryo,  how  many  of  them  ever 
emerged  from  the  state  of  chrysalis.  In  a  few  short  years  their 
glory  has  faded,  and  all  that  is  remembered  of  them  is  the  memory 
of  their  names. 

The  stillness  of  their  location,  instead  of  being  disturbed  by  the 
clatter  of  machinery,  resounds  but  to  the  voice  and  footfalls  of  the 
plowman;  the  streets   and   avenues   that   their   projectors   fondly 

hoped  to  see  lined  with  palatial  stores,   busy   factories  and  stately 

mansions  are  now  filled  with  the  nodding  corn  or  bending  wheat, 

and  over  the  site  of  these   would-be   commercial  and   mercantile 

centers,  wanders  the  lowing  herds. 

All,  or  nearly  all,  have  seen  their  cherished  hopes  die,  and  they 


388  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

all  lie  buried  'neath  the  debris  of  accumulated  years.  In  1857 
the  question  that  seems  infallibly  to  arise  in  all  communities  came 
to  the  front,  and  the  removal  of  the  county  seat  occupied  all 
minds,  each  town,  village,  or  assemblage  of  houses,  by  whatsoever 
name  known,  had  aspirations  for  the  honor  of  being  the  recognized 
seat  of  government. 

Many  were  the  manoeuvres  of  the  early  politician  to  achieve 
notoriety  for  himself  and  his  town,  by  bringing  to  bear  upon  the 
county  judge,  who  was  ex-officio  the  controller  of  the  county,  such 
influence  as  would  induce  him  to  favor  the  particular  cause  he 
advocated,  and  locate  the  county  seat  with  them. 

However,  from  some  cause  or  other,  in  September  of  that  year, 
a  command  was  issued  from  the  office  of  Judge  Upton,  and 
countersigned  by  Edmund  Gillett,  as  clerk,  ordering  "that  the 
records  of  Howard  county  be  removed  from  Vernon  Springs,  in 
said  county,  to  Howard  Center,  and  that  the  courts  of  said  county 
be  hereafter  holden  at  said  Howard  Center,  until  otherwise 
ordered." 

This  order  was  obeyed  during  that  fall,  and  all  the  records,  and 
other  paraphernalia  of  the  county  officers,  generally,  was  removed 
to  that  place.  Here,  however,  it  rested  but  for  a  short  while,  and 
then  set  out  once  more  on  its  travels,  reminding  one  of  the 
peripatetic  government  of  the  so-called  confederacy  of  later  years. 

When  the  early  frosts  of  Avinter  had  tinged  the  groves,  at  New 
Oregon,  with  their  many-hued  garments,  and  the  farmer  rested 
from  his  harvest  labors,  the  dissatisfaction  at  the  removal  of  the 
government  again  cropped  out,  and  the  community  was  torn  by 
the  internecine  feud — again  the  question  was  agitated  with  all  the 
warmth  that  such  things  always  engender.     Neighborhood  was  set 

against  neighborhood,  and  peace  seemed  to  flee  the  land. 

To  calm  the  troubled  waters  the  county  judge  appointed  M.  V. 
Burdick,  G.  N.  Holbrook,  and  George  Bronson  a  committee  to 
relocate  the  county  seat  at  such  point  as  seemed,  in  their  opinion, 
best  calculated  to  please  the  greatest  majority. 

After  some  investigation  in  the  center  of  the  county  these  gentle- 
men came  to  Vernon  Springs  and  New  Oregon,  then  two  rising  and 
rival  villages,  near  "Oregon  Grove."     Here  they  were,  of  course, 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  389 

assailed  with  the  volunteered  information  that  both  of  these 
places  being  the  center  of  population,  and  the  largest  settlements 
in  the  county,  should  of  right  be  the  home  of  the  county  govern- 
ment. As  might  be  expected,  each  hamjet  upheld  its  own  banner 
and  talked  for  itself. 

The  citizens  of  New  Oregon,  finally,  procured  a  vehicle  to  convey 
the  commissioners  through  the  surrounding  country  to  demon- 
state  to  them  the  truth  of  their  assertion,  that  their  town  was  the 
center  of  population,  if  not  that  of  the  geographical  county,  it 
being  well  known  that  the  western  part  of  the  county  was  sparsely 
settled.  The  gentlemen  were  placed  in  charge  of  W.  R.  Mead, 
then  a  young  lawyer,  newly  arrived,  to  show  them  the  vicinity. 
Through  ignorance,  on  which,  perhaps,  was  counted,  or  through 
calculation,  they  were  driven  eastward,  crossing  into  Winnesheik 
county,  were  shown  the  thriving  farms  and  settlements  of  that 
part  of  the  country,  as  if  it  was  a  part  of  Howard.  This  seemed 
to  satisfy  the  commission,  who  never  dreamed  that  all  this  people 
did  not  reside  in  Howard  county,  and  they  returned  to  New 
Oregon,  determined  to  locate  the  county  seat  there,  but  were  met 

by  the   delegation   from  Vernon   Springs,   who   advocated   their 
claim. 

These  two,  between  them  perplexed  the  commission,  and  after 
a  hard  wrangle  with  each,  agreed  among  themselves  as  to  what 
was  best  to  do.  A  subscription  having  been  started  to  build  a 
court  house,  it  was  proposed  to  the  two  towns  that,  as  both  could 
not  have  it,  and  for  peace  sake,  it  would  not  do  to  give  it  to  either, 
that  they  (the -commission),  would  locate  the  said  county  seat  at  a 
place  known  as  Pike's  Peak,  a  bluff  equi-distant  from  both,  on  the 
main  road  leading  from  one  to  the  other,  provided  the  said  sub- 
scription should  be  applied  to  the  building  of  a  court  house. 

These  terms  were  accepted,  and  the  place  designated  was  made 
the  seat  of  government. 

The  court  house  was  built  in  February,  1859,  at  this  point,  by 
the  subscriptions  raised  by  the  citizens  of  both  towns,  and  once 
more  "peace  spread  her  pinions  o'er  the  land." 

Thus^  things  remained,  until  in   1865   it  was  found  that,  as  the 


390  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

building  was  built  of  bass  wood  the  elements   and  the  years  had 
worked  their  will  with  it  until  it  was  unsightly  aud  unsafe. 

We  find  recorded  that  at  the  session  of  the  board  of  supervisors, 
in  September,  1865,  the  following  resolution  was  passed: 

"Whereas,  The  building  now  occupied  by  the  county  officers  of 
Howard  county  has  become  so  dilapidated  by  age,  as  to  render  it 
unfit  for  office  purposes,  and  an  unsafe  repository  for  the  records 
of  said  county;"  the  resolution  going  on  to  state  that  the  county 
had  been  tendered  the  use  of  a  building,  owned  by  L.  L.  Halstead, 
and  located  in  the  village  of  Vernon  Springs. 

The  building  was  built  of  stone  and  was  in  every  way  fitted  for 
the  use  of  the  county,  and  the  board  resolved  to  remove  the 
records  and  fixtures,  together  with  the  county  officers,  to  the 
building  and  town  aforesaid — that  to  be  considered  the  county 
seat  and  court  house.  The  board  met  at  Vernon  Springs  for  the 
October  session,  but  owing  to  the  opposition  of  the  New  Oregon 
people,  the  offices  were  not  removed  thither.  At  this  session  the 
offer  of  Vernon  Springs  was  renewed,  but  was  met  by  the  counter 
offer  of  New  Oregon,  who  agreed  to  build  a  brick  court  house,  and 
give  the  use  of  it  free  to  the  county.  Neither  of  these  propositions 
were  accepted,  however,  by  the  board,  and  the  offices  still  remained 
at  "the  bluff." 

In  January,  ISGTj'^however,  a  new  rival  for  the  county  seat  ap- 
peared upon  the  scene,  in  the  shape  of  the  now  growing  railroad 
town  of  Cresco;  the  rapid  rise  and  progress  of  which  was  casting 
into  dim  shade  all  the  other  towns,  and  whose  pretence  of  claim 
for  the  county  seat  was  warranted  by  the  fact  that  it  then  con- 
tained nearly  one-sixth  of  the  i^opulation  of  the  entire  county. 

At  the  session  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  held  during  this 
month,  an  intimation  was  given  the  board  that  Cresco  aspired  to 
the  honor  of  the  county  government,  and  in  a  few  days  a  petition 
was  presented,  in  which   was   prayed,   that  the  honorable  board 

would  transfer  the  offices  of  the  county  to  their  town,  and  making 
a  proposition  to  erect  for  the  accommodation  of  the  same  a  build- 
ing of  brick  and  in  every  way  suitable  for  the  purpose  intended. 
The  board  taking  the  matter  under  advisement,  accepted  an  in- 
vitation to  view  the  proposed  site  of  the  court  house,   in  Cresco, 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  391 

and  from  the  best  reports  handed  down  by  tradition,  the  county 
fathers  evidently  had  a  good  time  and  possibly  "saw"  the  matter 
in  its  greatest  extent. 

However,  be  that  as  it  may,  it  was  hastily  resolved  by  them  to 
accept  the  offer,  and  the  following  was  placed  upon  the  records: 

"Resolved,  By  the  board  of  supervisors  of  Howard  county,  that 
the  proposition  of  Messrs.  Beadle  and  others  to  build  a  court 
•  house  and  furnish  it,  free  of  any  expense,  to  the  county,  and  also 
to  provide  a  hall  for  the  meetings  of  the  board,  and  for  court 
purposes,  be  and  is  hereby  accepted;  the  sherifl*  is  directed  to 
remove  the  records,  etc.,  at  the  time  contemplated,  viz:  On  or 
before  June  1,  1867. 

At  the  June  session,  again,  the  board  directed  the  county 
officers  "to  remove  their  offices  to  the  building  now  being  con- 
structed by  the  Howard  county  court  house  association  in  the 
village  of  Cresco,  whenever  the  committee  shall  decide  to  accept  it 
as  a  safe  and  suitable  place  for  the  same." 

This  was  accordingly  done.  But,  by  a  legal  fiction,  the  old 
court  house,  on  the  bluff,  was  still  regarded  as  the  county  seat, 
only  the  offices  and  records  being  moved  to  Cresco  for  safety  and 
convenience. 

At  the  September  session  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  1876,  the 
following  appears  upon  the  minutes: 

"There  was  presented  a  petition   to   relocate   the  county  seat  at 
Crescos" 
The  board,  therefore,  issued  the  following  proclamation: 

"To  the  legal  voters  of  Howard  county,  Iowa: 

You  are  hereby  notified,  that  at  the  regular  session  of  the  board 
of  supervisors  of  the  county  of  Howard,  Iowa,  held  at  the  court 
house  in  the  said  county,  commencing  on  the  first  day  of  Sep- 
tember, 1876,  a  petition  of  over  one  thousand  of  the  qualified 
electors  of  said  county,  was  presented  to  the  said  board  of  super- 
visors, asking  that  the  said  board  order  that  at  the  next  general 
election,  to  be  held  in  said  county,  on  November  7,  1876,  a  vote  be 
taken  in  said  county  by  the  qualified  electors  thereof,  upon  the 
question  of  relocating  the  county  seat  of  said  county,  which   said 


392  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  • 

petition  designates  Cresco,  in  said  county,  as  the  point  at  which 
said  petitioners  desire  to  have  the  said  county  seat  relocated,  and 
it  appearing  to  the  said  board  that  due  notice  of  the  presentation 
of  such  petition  to  the  board  of  supervisors  had  been  given  by 
three  insertions  in  the  Iowa  Plaindealer,  a  weekly  newspaper, 
published  in  said  count)\  the  last  of  which  was  more  than  sixty 
days  before  the  said  September  meeting  of  the  said  board  of 
supervisors,  and  it  appearing  to  the  board  of  supervisors  b}-  the 
affidavits  accompanying  tl:ie  said  petition,  that  the  signers  thereof 
were  all  legal  and  their  ^signatures  genuine,  and  that  at  least  one- 
half  the  legal  voters  of  said  county,  as  shown  by  the  last  preceed- 
ing  census,  had  signed  said  petition,  it  was  therefore  ordered  by 
the  said  board  of  supervisors  that  at  the  next  general  election  to 
be  held  in  said  county,  on  November  7,  1876,  the  question  of  re- 
locating the  county  seat  of  said  county  be  submitted  to  the  quali- 
fied electors  of  said  county,  and  that  said  vote  be  taken,  between 
Cresco,  in  said  county,  and  the  present  existing  county  seat,  and 
that  the  form  of  the  ballot  thereof  be  as  follows: 

For  the  county  seat  at  Cresco;  For  the  county  seat  at  the  place 
designated  by  the  commissioners  in  1858,  about  half  way  between 
the  villages  of  New  Oregon  and  Vernon  Springs;  of  all  which  you 
will  take  due  notice,  and  govern  yourselves  accordingly." 

Thos.  Griffin,    ') 

James  Oakley,    >■  Supervisors. 

A.  G.  Hubbard,  j 

On  looking  up  the  election  returns  of  November  7,  1876,  it  will 
be  found  that,  notwithstanding  one  thousand  voters  signed  the 
petition,  some  no  doubt  changing  their  minds,  the  vote  stood:  800 
in  favor  of  relocating  it  at  Cresco,  and  969  against  it,  or  rather  in 
favor  of  retaining  it  where  it  was,  in  no  man's  land,  off  on  the 
dreary  bluff  in  a  tumble  down,  dilapidated  structure,  once  known 
.as  the  court  house. 

Men  now  asked  themselves  the  question  of  what  was  to  be  done, 
and  many  plans  were  canvassed,  but  nothing  came  of  it,  until 
after  the  burning  of  the  court  house  at  Cresco,  and  the  re-erection 
of  it  it  was  a  mooted  question.  Then  was  carried  into  effect  the 
most  feasible   plan,   viz:    The  lines  of  the  incorporated  town  of 


HISTORY  OK    HOWARD  COUNTY. 


393 


Cresco,  on  the  southern  boundary,  were  extended  so  as  to  include 
the  old  bluff,  whose  crown  lifted  heavenward,  was  the  recognized 
seat  of  government.  When  this  was  done,  by  vote  of  the  board 
the  court  house  was  legally  moved  to  the  court  house  square,  and 
the  present  beautiful  and  commodious  building  was  erected.  So 
ended  the  county  seat  question,  for  the  time,  at  least. 

Less  acrimony  was  developed  in  the  conflict  of  later  years  than 
is  usual  in  such  cases.  The  present  officers  (1883),  are:  John  E. 
Peck,  auditor;  Charles  I.  White,  treasurer;  Carl  K.  Berg,  recorder; 
Wm.  Theophilus,  clerk;  J.  J.  Lowry,  sheriff;  Fred.  C.  Clark, 
county  superintendent,  all  of  whom  may  be  found  at  their  offices 
in  the  above  building.  The  present  members  of  the  board  of 
supervisors  are:  Charles  Keefe,  A.  G.  Hubbard,  and  James 
Oakley. 


\1  v 


394  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  V. 


Railroads,  Their  Inception  and  Completion;  Journalism  in 
Howard  County;  Early  Newspapers,  and  Early  Adver- 
tisers. 


RAILROAD. 

The  various  attempts  and  projects  of  earlier  days  to  change  the 
the  roads  of  mud  to  that  of  iron,  may  be  but  briefly  outlined  in 
this  chapter. 

The  Iowa  and  Minnesota  division  of  that  monster  corporation, 
the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  and  St.  Paul  railroad,  that  now  crosses 
the  county,  is  simply  an  out  growth  of  the  McGregor  Western 
railroad. 

The  first  account,  we  find  of  any  attempt  to  procure  a  railroad 
is  on  record,  and  in  the  form  of  a 

proclamation. 
STATE   OF    IOWA, 


County  of  Howard    '' 


In  pursuance  of  the  code  of  Iowa,  and  at  the  request  of  a  por- 
tion of  the  people,  of  said  county,  an  election  is  hereby  ordered  to 
be  held  in  the  several  townships  in  said  county  of  Howard,  on  the 
third  day  of  August,  A.  D.  1857,  at  the  places  where  the  last  April 
elections  were  held,  to  vote  upon  the  question,whetherthe  said  coun- 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  395 

ty  of  Howard,  shall  take  $150,000  of  the  stock  of  the  Northwestern 
railroad  comi:)any  and  issue  bonds  in  payment  therefore,  bearing 
interest  at  the  rate  of  ten  per  cent,  per  annum;  the  principal  sum 
to  be  paid  in  twenty  years;  and  that  a  tax  be  levied  upon  the  tax- 
able property  of  said  county,  for  the  payment  of  interest  and 
principal. 

The  said  railroad  company  to  pay  the  interest  on  said  bonds,  until 
said  road  is  in  operation'  to  the  east  line  of  said  county  of  Howard; 
bonds  to  be  issued  when  said  road  shall  be  in  operation  to 
Decorah,  Winnesheik  county,  and  permanently  located  to  the  west 
line  of  Howard  county. 

The  form  of  the  vote  shall  be,  "for  the  railroad  stock"  "against 
the  railroad  stock." 

Every  affirmative  vote  shall  be  considered  for  the  proposition 
entire. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed 
the  seal  of  said  county,  this  first  day  of  July,  A.  D.  1857. 

James  G.  Upton, 

[seal.]  -  County  Judge. 

It  would  seem,  from  the  absence  of  anything  in  the  records,  that 
this  scheme  was  a  flash  in  the  pan,  that  nothing  came  of  it,  as  the 
Northwestern  railroad  company  never  came  in  the  direction  indi- 
cated.    The  matter  was  dropped  until  1863. 

It  was  at  the"  September  session,  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  of 
the  county,  that  it  was  jDroposedto  submit  to  the  legal  electors  of  the 
county,  a  proposition  to  donate  all  the  lands  in  the  county  known 
as  "swamp  lands,"  to  aid  in  the  construction  and  equipment  of 
the  McGregor  Western  railroad,  on  the  condition,  that  the  before 
mentioned  railroad  build  a  road  from  North  McGregor  westward, 
to  intersect  the  county  of  Howard,  from  east  to  west. 

This  was  ordered  to  be  voted  on  by  the  people  of  the  county  at 
the  next  general  election,  and  the  clerk  of  the  board  instructed  to 
make  proclamation  in  accordance  therewith. 

Accordingly  at  the  election,  held  October  10,  1865,  the  question 
being  placed  before  the  qualified  electors  of  the  county,  for  their 
approval  or  rejection,  the  donation  was  ratified  by  the  people  by 
some  means  which  is  gathered  by  subsequent  proceedings  as  the 
election  returns  show  upon  their  face  that  they  rejected  it  by  a  vote 
of  390  to  141,but  some  error  must  be  in  the  record,  as  after  develop- 


396  HISTORY  OF   HOWAED  COUNTY. 

merits  show  that  the  swamp  lands  were  donated  by  the  board 
about  this  time.  The  loosely  kept  minutes  of  these  early  times, 
causes  considerable  confusion,  and  leaves  much  matter  to  be 
gathered  from  the  context. 

At  the  Oct.,  session,  we  find  that  the  board  passed  a  resolution, 
that  the  question  of  extending  the  time,  in  which  the  McGregor 
Western  railroad  contract  to  build  their  road,  through  Howard 
county,  be  submitted  to  the  people  the  railroad  company  not 
being  able  to  fulfill  the  said  contract,  in  regard  to  point  of  time, 
and  also  on  the  question  of  giving  the  same  railroad  the  benefit  of 
all  the  swamp  lands  within  the  borders  of  the  county. 

In  October  of  the  same  year,  an  election  being  holden  for  the 
purpose,  the  vote  stood,  "for  extending  time  to  the  McGregor 
Western  railroad"  212,  against  such  extension  20  votes. 

On  the  question  of  giving  the  said  railroad  the  entire  benefit  of 
the  swamp  lands  149  were  in  favor  and,  70  against  the  measure. 

It  was  during  the  year,  1866,  that  the  McGregor  Western,  first 
crossed  the  county  line,  entering  on  section  twenty-three  in  Vernon 
Springs  township,  and  instead  of  fulfilling  their  engagements, 
with  the  people  of  the  county,  and  intersecting  the  entire  county 
from  the  east  to  west,  turned  their  line  northwest  passed  out  of  the 
limits  of  the  county,  alter  running  along,  for  a  short  distance  on 
the  northern  boundary,  at  section  ten  in  the  township  of  Oakdale. 
The  number  of  miles  of  track,  within  the  bounds  of  the  county 
is,  as  was  then  built  twenty-four  and  thirty-four  one  hundredths 
(24.34)  divided  as  follows: 

Vernon  Springs  township,  including  the  town  of  Cresco,  8.49 
miles;  Howard  Centre  township,  .25;  Forest  City  township,  6.40; 
Chester  township,  6.40;  Oakdale  township,  2.84. 

This  non-fuliillment  of  their  contract  by  the  railroad,  seems  to 
have  been  a  fruitful  source  of  trouble,  the  officers  and  people  of 
the  county,  justly  finding  fault  because  the  road  did  not  intersect 
the  entire  county,  which  was  part  of  the  contract,  entered  into  by 
the  railroad  company. 

It  seems  that  the  action  of  tlie  county,  in  donating  these  swamp 
lands  to  the  railroad  was  not  entirely  legal,  and  the  railroad  com- 
pany, in  1868,  went  to  the  legislature  of  the  state  asking  them  to 
legalize  the  action. 

But  at  a  meeting  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  held  February  3d, 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  399 

1868,  a  resolution  was  passed  and  a  petition  drawn  up  in  accor- 
dance therewith,  praying  the  legislature,  not  to  pass  the  bill,  then 
before  them,  legalizing  the  act  of  a  previous  board  of  supervisors,  in 
conveying  to  the  McGregor  Western  railroad,  all  the  swamp  lands 
of  the  county,  on  the  plea,  that  the  said  railroad  had  failed  to 
carry  out  the  provisions  of  the  orginal  contract,  entered  into  with 
the  peo])le  of  the  county. 

Suit  was  entered  into  against  the  railroad,  for  a  recovery  of  the 
lands  and  breach  of  contract  pleaded  as  the   cause,   liut  in  July, 

1869,  the  matter  was  adjusted  and  the  suits  withdrawn  and  the 
lands  left  in  possession  of  the  company,  the  railroad  agreeing  to 
locate  a  station  at  the  town  of  Chester,  which  condition  was 
accordingly  carried  out  and  Chester  became  a  depot  of  the  rail- 
road. 

TJie  line  passed  into  the  possession  of  its  present  owners,  the 
Chicago,  Milwaukee  and  St.  Paul  railroad  company,  shortly  after 
the  settlement  of  the  above  question,  and  still  is  owned  aud  oper- 
ated by  them. 

There  are  four  stations  within  the  limits  of  Howard  county, 
viz:  Cresco,  Bonair,  Lime  Spring  and  Chester. 

Two  additional  railroads  are  on  the  tapis  and  possibly  may  be 
built  in  the  future,  one  ascending  Crane  Creek,  and  passing 
through  the  county,  nearly  in  the  centre  from  south  to  north;  the 
other  on  the  natural  grade  of  the  "  Wapsie"  in  the  western  part  of 
fhe  coiinty  in  nearly  the  same  direction. 

These  roads  are  as  yet  in  the  womb  of  time,  but  the  general 
impression  prevails,  that  one  or  both  may  be  built,  and  that  right 
speedily.  This  would  be  a  considerable  help  to  the  county  giving, 
them  more  direct  communication  with  market,  and  induce  the 
settlement  of  the  waste  places  of  the  county. 

JOURNALISM 

The  Anglo-Saxon,where  ever  he  goes  seems  instinctively  to  plant, 
almost  the  first  thing,  those  mighty  engines  of  civilization,  that 
hand-in-hand  go  down  the  mighty  corridor  of  time,  with  resound- 
ing steps — the  school  and  the  press.  No  better  index  as  to  the 
state  of  society — or  the  thrilt  of  a  community  can  be  found,  than 
in  the  press  it  supports.  Look  at  the  question,  and  decide  the 
matter  which  way  you  will,  whether  the  press  is  the  power  behind 


400  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

the  throne,  or  simply  the  mirror  of  public  thought — whether  it  is 
the  leader  or  follower  of  opinions  of  the  community,  it  must  be 
conceded  that  the  newspaper  does  not  spontaneously  arise  in,  nor 
thrive  on  virgin  soil,  but   flourishes   in  a  cultivated  garden. 

The  press  of  Howard  county  is  not  in  this  respect  one  whit 
behind  the  other  counties  or  in  the  standard  that  betrays  the  cul- 
tnre  of  the  inhabitants. 

The  birth  of  the  first  newspaper,  in  Howard  county,  was  an 
event,  remembered  by  all  the  pioneers.  Its  initial  issue  was  dated 
February  18,  1858  and  was  called  the  ''Howard  County  Sentinel" 
and  was  publshed  at  New  Oregon.  The  proprietorship  was  vested 
in  the  Howard  county  printing  association,  of  which  S.  M.  Oole 
was  president;  D.  D.  Sabin,  vice  president;  M.  M.  Moon,  treasurer; 
W.  R.  Mead,  secretary;  and  James  G.  Upton,  J.  F.  Mitchell,  J.S. 
Lawver,  E.  W.  Allen,  George  W.  Schofield,  C.  M.Munson,  and  J.  J. 
Clemmer,  were  directors.  The  editor  was  J.  Howard  Field,  one  of 
the  bright  lunnnaries  of  the  journalistic  corps,  and  who  was  more 
recently,  and  perhajjs  ia  now,  connected  with  the  staff  of  the  "Chi- 
cago Journal"  in  an  editorial  capacity.  This  paper  was  neutral 
and  independent  in  politics  and  religion  and  was  a  seven  column 
folio  and  presented  a  very  creditable  appearance,  both  in  the 
editorial  and   mechanical    departments. 

The  fortunes  of  this  paper  were  destroyed,  with  the  office,  by  fire, 
during  the  year  1859  whereupon  the  association  dissolved  and  did 
not  attempt  its   resusitation. 

The  second  paper  was  ephemeral  in  its  duration,  expiring  of 
inanition  within  a  year.  It  was  a  rival  of  the  above  named  Senti- 
nel and  was  established  in  1858.*  The  name  was  the  "North  Iowa 
Gazette'  and  the  first  issue  is  dated  from  Vernon  Springs, March  26, 
and  was  also  a  seven  column  paper,  owned  by  Harrison  and  Peck 
and  was  democratic  in  politics. 

Immediately  upon  the  burning  of  the  office  of  the  Sentinel  and 
the  dissolution  of  the  association,  H.  Lick  and  W.  K.  Mead  adven- 
tured their  bark  upon  the  stormy  seas  of  pioneer  journalism,  in 
the  form  of  the  "Ncav  Oregon  Plaindealer",the  former  as  publisher 
and  the  latter  as  editor.  Shortly  after  its  inception  F.  J.  INIead 
became  possessed  of  the  interest  of  Mr.  Lick  and  the  paper  was 
then  issued  under  the  firm  nama  of  W.  R.  and  F.  J.  Mead  under 
which  head  it  continues  at   Cresco  to  this  day.     It  was  a  straight 


HISTOEY  OF  HOWARD   COUNTY.  401 

democrat  sheet  until  quite  lately,  it  having  for  some  time  advo 
cated  greenback  sentiments.  This  paper  was  continued  success- 
fully until  in  May  26,  1867,  when  it  was  transferred  to  the  town 
of  Cresoo. 

It  has  a  circulation  of  about  a  thousand  and  is  well  conducted. 
It  has  also  in  connection  with  the  newspaper  office,  a  good  job  de- 
partment, and  enjoys  a  liberal  share  of  the  public  patronage.  W* 
R.  Mead  still  fills  the  editorial  chair  and  is  the  terror  of  evil-doers 
for  his  pen  knows  no  mercy  to  the  criminal  against  society  and 
law. 

Among  the  advertisers  in  the  first  issues  of  the  Plaindealer  in 
1867,  on  its  location  at  Cresco  we  find,  the  Empire  house;  B. 
Isaacs,  manufacturer  of  wagons,  buggies,  etc.;  Mrs.  Knowles,  mil- 
linery and  dressmaking;  Mrs.  J.  T.  Donahue,  millinery  and  fancy 
goods;  Bones  &  White,  dry  goods;  J.  J.  Clemmer,  drugs;  B.  Cha- 
pin,  Hardware  and  stoves.  W.  H.  AUeman,  boots  and  shoes;  D. 
Bean,  harness;  Mrs.  F.  H.  Jewett,  photographer;  T.  Miller,  har- 
ness. G.  A.  Purdy,  stoves;  Perry  &  Conklin,  agricultural  machin- 
ery; E.  B.  81oan,  merchant  tailor;  Burdick  &  Clouse,  general  mer 
chandise;  Price  and  Lowry,  drugs;  Parnell  and  Myers,  olacksmiths. 
N.  H.  Knowles,  M.  D.,  and  J.  J.  Clemmer,  M.  D.,  are  al-;j  repre- 
sented among  the  advertisers  with  Strother  and  Kirkpatrick,  gene- 
ral merchandise. 

W.  R.  Mead,  the  editor,  one  of  the  representativemenof  the  jour- 
nalistic-fraternity in  this  section,  came  to  the  state  of  Iowa,  in  1854^ 
and  employed  his  time  on  the  "Daily  Northwest,"  then  a  paper 
published  at  Dubuque,  by  General  Geo.  W.  Jones;  he  came  to 
Howard  county  in  1857,  intending  to  resume  the  practice  of  law> 
for  which  he  had  been  educated,  but  journalism  claimed  him  for 
her  own  and  the  fates  so  willed  it, 

The  following,  in  regard  to  the  press  used  in  printing  the  New 
Oregon  Plaindealer,  is  of  historical  value,  as  it  is  related  by  W.  R. 
Meade,  one  of  the  owners  of  that  paper,  and  is  clipped  from  a  late 
issue  of  the  journal  he  so  ably  edits. 

"The  identical  press  that  Lovejoy  had  at  Alton,  111.,  and  which 
was  thrown  into  the  Mississippi  at  the  time  Lovejoy  was  killed  by 
a  mob,  is  said  to  be  printing  the  Belmond,  (Iowa),  Herald.  The 
editor  will  ship  the  press  to  the  Illinois  Historical  society   if  they 


402  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

will  ship  him  in  return  a  new  improved  power  press.  Fair  enough. 
— [Austin   Transcript. 

The  press  mentioned  is  the  one  used  in  this  office  when  the 
Plain  Denier  was  established  twenty-four  years  ago;  was  shipped 
by  steamboat  from  the  scene  of  its  years  of  submersion,  direct  to 
McGregor;  was  used  by  us  until  our  enlargement  in  1869,  when  it 
was  sold  to  G.  E.  Frost,  of  Clear  Lake,  and  we  understand  was 
transierred  by  him  to  its  present  ownership.  It  is  a  press  unlike 
in  its  construction,  any  other  that  we  ever  saw.  In  size  it  is  for  a 
six  column  paper,  though  we  made  a  seven  column  paper  by  re- 
ducing the  columns  to  narrow  width.  In  Illinois  the  democrats 
threw  it  into  the  Mississippi,  because  it  advocated  abolitionism;  in 
Iowa  the  abolitionists  threatened  to  throw  it  into  the  Turkey 
river  because  it  advocated  democracy  through  the  Plain  Dealer." 

In  1858,  George  W.  Haislet,  who  in  later  years  carried  on  the 
Decorah  Radical,  but  now  numbered  with  the  dead,  established  a 
six  column  folio  paper  at  Howard  Center,  called  the  "Northern 
Light".  This  journal  was  of  but  one  years  growth,  when  it  met 
its  demise.  From  a  perusal  of  its  issues  we  find  that  Royal  0. 
Thayer,  kept  a  livery  stable  and  John  W.  Walters,  was  a  carpenter 
and  builder  at   that  place. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  year  a  paper  was  started,  at  New 
Oregon,  in  opposition  to  the  Plain  Dealer,  by  T.  J.  Gilmore  and 
Fitz  James  McKay,  and  called  the  "Star  of  the  West,"  but  alas  it 
was  almost  stifled  in  its  birth  and  lingered  along  a  sickly  life  for 
eleven  short  weeks  and  then  departed  to  where  so  many  newspapers 
go.  It  was  intended  to  be  a  weekly  paper,  and  was  established 
for  the  purpose  of  publishing  the  tax  sales,  of  the  county — but  it 
proved  "weakly"  and  hence   its  demise. 

The  "Howard  County  Times"  was  established  in  Cresco,  January 
20, 1867,by  F.  C.  Wood  and  Frank  Mix,who  were  at  the  same  time^ 
editors  and  proprietors,no  uncommon  conjunction  in  this  country. 
It  started  as  a  seven  column  folio,  and  was  intensely  and  radically 
republican  in  pohtics,  and  has  continued  to  hold  the  same  opinions 
yet,  although  it  has  increased  in  size  to  a  six  column  quarto.  In 
August,  1867,  F.  C.  Wood  sold  his  interest  in  the  paper  to  his 
partner,  Frank  Mix,  who  shortly  afterwards  died,  but  his  estate 
still  retained  its  interest  therein,  and   C.  F.  Breckinridge,  managed 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  403 

it,  until  I.  A.  Hoxie   purchased  it.     Mr.  Hoxie  shortly   afterward 
Bold  it  to  W.  N.    Burdick,  now  of  the  Postville  Review. 

After  running  it  about  a  year,  in  April,  1873,  Burdick  sold  it  to 
W.  M.  Fogo  and  W.  W.  White,  under  whose  management  it  con- 
tinued, until  April  1,  1873,  when  Mr.  Fogo  sold  his  interest  to  L 
E.  Smith,  who  immediately  entered  upon  the  editorial  control.  On 
October  21,  1873,  Mr.  White  also  sold  his  interest,  Mr.  Smith  be- 
coming the  purchaser,  since  which  time  he  has  been  sole  owner 
and  editor.  The  paper  was  known  formerly  as  the  Cresco  Times 
but  its  name  has  been  changed,  under  Mr.  Smith's  charge  to  its 
present  one. 

It  is  claimed  for  the  Times,  that  it  enjoys  the  largest  circulation 
of  any  paper  in  the  county,  and  is  the  exponent  of  radical  i)ro- 
hibition  and  morality  and  is  one  of  the  finest  sheets  in  the  section 
both  for  the  ability  displayed  in  its  columns  and  for  the  neatness 
of  its  mechanical  "makeup." 

Several  more  papers  have  been  started  in  the  county  but  they 
were  of  short  duration,  noticably,  the  "Peoples  Representative"  a 
weekly  eight  column  journal,  published  at  Cresco,  in  1873  with 
George  F.  Crouch,  as  editor. 

Lime  Springs  also  has  enjoyed  several  papers,  but  from  some 
cause  or  other,  their  demise  occurred  early  in  life,  and  we  have  no 
record  thereof. 


404  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY, 


CHAPTER  VI. 


County  Buildings;  Court  Houses;  Jail;  Residence  of  thb 
Sheriff;  Poor  Farm;  Early  Attempts  at  Purchase  op  Same; 
Final  Action  in  Regard  to  County  Farm,  Etc. 


POOR    FARM. 

In  no  country  under  the  sun,  has  a  more  magnanimous  regard 
for  the  poor  been  displayed  than  in  this  noble  republican  home  of 
ours — and  this  can  be  said  more  particularly  of  the  countries  of 
the  great  northwest.  Howard  county,  is  in  this  respect^in  nowise 
behind  her  sister  counties. 

It  was  not  strange  that  the  pioneer  settler  discovered,  so  early, 
the  wants  of  his  poorer  neighbor,  and  was  so  prompt  to  extend  to 
him  a  helping  hand,  and  to  inaugurate  measures  for  his  relief,  be- 
beyond  his  means,  when  we  remember  that  his  state  was  also 
one  of  compartive  poverty.  "A  fellow  feeling  makes  us  won- 
derous   kind;"    as  the   poet  hath  so  beautifully  sung. 

No  record  has  been  kept  of  the  many  private  acts  of  charity  per- 
formed by  the  more  affluent  citizen'  toward  his  needy  neighbor. 
The  halo  of  eloquent  silence  surrounds  them;  but,  deeply  graven, 
in  letters  more  pure  and  bright  than  gold,  doth  shine  the  deeds  of 
many  noble  men  and  women,  of  this  land,  whose  Christianity  and 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  405 

■charity  is  not  alone  expressed  by  their  dovotion  to  the  services  of 
the  church. 

The  first  organized  effort  on  the  part  of  the  citiz'-ns  of  Howard 
county,  for  the  relief  of  their  necessitious  brethren,  whom  mis- 
fortune had  reduced  to  penury  and  want  is  not  recorded,  here  on 
earth;  perhaps  the  recording  angel  has  incribed  it  upon  his  book, 
and  the  action  may  bear  fruition,  elsewhere.  Almost  the  first 
entries  made  in  the  books  of  the  county  judge,  then  ex-officio  the 
county  government,  relates  to  the  payment  of  small  sums  to  the 
needy  and  destitute;  "The  poor  and  needy  ye  have  with  ye  al- 
ways" we  are  told  and  we  know  that  in  the  early  days  of  this 
county's  settlement,  it  was  not  exempt  from  the  rvile.  The  man 
reduced,  through  misfortune  or  thorough  habits  the  opposite  of 
commendable,  could  not  be  allowed  to  starve  or  want  for  shelter 
— the  widow  who  had  been  left  to  buffet  alone  the  billows  of  life's 
stormy  sea,  could  not  be  neglected — the  helpless  orphans,  left 
drifting  toward  the  breakers  must  be  helped,  and  the  true  hearted 
pioneer  was  nut  the  man  to  turn  his  back  on  them,  nor  a  deaf 
ear  to  their  cry.  Out  of  the  funds  at  the  disposal  of  the  govern- 
ment seemed  the  best  way,  to  provide  for  then,  all  could  bear  the 
burden  equally  and  equitably. 

For  many  years  the  poverty  stricken  were  cared  for  in  the 
homes  that  still  remained  to  shelter  them — in  the  homes  of  the 
stranger — their  maintainence  furnished  by  the  county. 

In  1866,  the  first  effort  was  made  to  purchase  a  farm  and  erect 
buildings,  suitable  for  the  keeping  and  maintaining  of  those  de- 
pendent ujjon  the  county  purse. 

During  that  year,  a  committee  of  three  of  its  members  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  board  of  supervisors,  to  solicit  the  terms  for  the 
purchas  of  a  farm,  suitable  for  the  support  of  the  wards  of  the 
■county. 

The  committee  were  instructed  to  report  to  the  board  the  prices, 
location,  terms,  advantages,  etc.,  of  lands  offered  them  and  thought 
by  them  fit  for  the  purpose  intended.  They  were  further  instruc- 
ted that  the  county  did  not  wish  the  land  to  amount  to  less  than 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  They  were  also  empowered  to  ad- 
vertise for  sealed  bids,  and  to  use  all  discretion  in  the  matter,  so 
as  to  present  a  full  report,  which  was  to  be  returned  at  the  next 
meeting  of  the  board. 


406  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

The   committee   consisted   of   Mrssrs.   C.  S.  Thurber,   Stephen 
Radford  and  C.  W.  Field. 

At  the  September  session,  1866,  the  committee  handed  in  their 
report,  which  runs,  as  follows: 

"That  they  have  received  several  proposals  of  farms  for  sale, 
but  not  anything  in  their  judgment  answering  the  purposes  of  the 
county.  Your  committee  would  further  report,  that,  in  their 
judgment,  they  cannot  purchase  a  farm  with  the  neceesary  im- 
provements, and  therefore,  would  recommend,  if  the  board  see  fit 
to  purchase  a  farm,  that  they  procure  a  piece  of  unimproved  land 
and  make  the  necessary  improvements:" 

The  affair  seems  to  have  collapsed,  for  want  of  life,  at  this  junc- 
ture and  the  old  method  of  providing  for  the  poor  still  continued 
and  we  hear  no  more  of  the  scheme  until  1868,  when,  at  the  Jan- 
uary session  of  tlie  board,  they  passed  the  following  resolution,  in 
regard  to  the  matter  under  discussion: 

"Whereas,  It  is  deemed  advisable,  by  this  board,  that  some 
provision  be  made  for  the  poor  of  the  county,  whereby  they  may 
be  subsisted  at  a  less  cost  to  the  county,  than  by  the  present 
method,  therefore; 

"Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three,  be  appointed  to  look  for 
a  feasible  site  for  a  "poor  house  farm,"  improved  or  unimproved; 
ascertain  the  cost  of  the  same,  estimate  the  cost  of  the  necessary 
buildings  and  improvements,  and  report  to  this  board,  at  the  June 
session,  with  a  view  to  submit  the  proposition  to  a  vote  of  electors, 
of  this  county,  at  the  next  general  election,  according  to  the  pro- 
visions of  the  code  of  the  state  of  Iowa." 

Messrs.  C.  S.  Thurber,  Thomas  Griffin  and  W.  H.  Patterson 
were  the  committee  appointed,  the  latter  being  clerk  of  the  board. 

This  committee'  as  instructed,  returned  a  report  at  the  June  ses- 
sion, saying  that  they  had  viewed  the  place  of  Albert  Miller,  at 
Saratoga,  of  which  the  price  was  three  thousand  dollars,  there  be- 
ing one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  twenty -five  acres  of  timber,  forty- 
five  or  fifty  under  cultivation,  had  a  good  house  erected  on  itj  was 
well  watered  and  the  means  of  access  was  good,  being  on  the 
Main  road,  from  Cresco  to  Osage.  They  also  reported,  that  they 
had  looked  at  the  farm  of  Keuling  and  Robinson,  about  two  miles 
south  of  Saratoga,  which  contained  some  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres,  was  well  watered,  with  the  means  of  access   equally 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  407 

good,  the  land  was  of  excellent  quality  and  could  be  purchased' 
for  the  sum  of  $1530.  This  they  considered  remarkably  cheap, 
and  estimated,  that  the  necessary  improvements  could  be  made 
for  the  sum  of  $3500,  and  recommended,  that  the  vote  be  taken 
on  the  amount  of  $5000,  which  would  cover  all  the  expense. 

At  the  election  held  in  November,  of  the  same  year,  the  ques- 
tion of  levying  a  special  tax,  to  pay  for  the  poor  house  farm,  the 
community  seemed  to  think  that  some  better  plan  existed,  to  pro- 
vide a  home  for  the  destitute,  for  the  vote  stood  only  92  in  favor 
of  levying  the  tax  and  709  against  it.  The  subject  was  them 
dropped  for  the  present.  However  in  1881,  the  board  became  the 
owners  of  a  farm,  the  west  half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section 
eleven,  99-11,  and  determined  to  utilize  it  for  a  poor  farm,  as  there 
was  a  fine  large  house  on  it. 

This  land  had  originally  been  what  is  known  as  school,  land  and 
was  purchased  by  some  parties  on  contract,  but  was  never  deeded. 
Being  covered  by  mortgages  and  judgments,  the  county  bought 
up  all  claims  against  it,  foreclosed  the  mortgages  and  bid  it  in, 
at  the  sale. 

The  following  circular  was  issued,  in  regard  to  it,  from  the 
auditor's  office  by  order  of  the  board : 

auditor's  office. 

Cresco,  April  12,  1881 , 
To  the  Township  Trustees  of  Howard  county: 

Gentleman. — The  board  of  supervisors  have   provided  a  poor 
house  and  farm,  for  the  future  support  of  such    persons   as   need 
permanent  relief,  and  have  fixed  on  the  25th  day  of  April,  inst.,  as  • 
the  time  when  all  outside  allowances  shall  cease. 

You  will  please  notify  all  such  persons  as  are  receiving  perma- 
manent  relief  from  you,  that  their  allowances  will  then  cease,  and  ; 
that  if  further  relief  is  required  it  will  be  furnished  at  the  poor 
house,  and  if  they  apply,  you  will  give  them  an  order  to  the 
Steward  of  the  poor  farm  for  admittance  and  relief — simply  give 
them  the  order.  Cases  will  occasionally  arise  when  it  will  be 
your  manifest  duty  to  furnish  a  conveyance,  but  as  a  rule,  the 
friends  of  such  poor  persons  should  get  them  to  the  poor  house. 
The  trustees  need  not  meet  as  a  board  for  the  purpose  of  send- 
ing a  person  to  the  poor  house.  The  order  of  one  trustee  will  be 
sufficient. 


408  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

In  providing  temporary  relief,  great  caution  should  be  exer- 
cised, lest  3^ou  and  the  public  be  imposed  on;  the  fact  that  a  per- 
son is  poor,  does  not  entitle  such  person  to  support  at  the  public 
expense. 

Many  of  the  tax-payers  are  poor,  and  in  view  of  this  fact  relief 
should  be  granted  only  in  cases  of  extreme  destitution.  Let  your 
allowances  be  very  sparing  until  the  next  meeting  of  the  board  of 
supervisors,  when  each  case  should  be  fully  reported  by  you,  and 
the  board  will  make  such  disposition  of  them  as  economy,  the 
general  welfare  of  the  county,  and  necessity,  demands. 

The  poor  expenses  of  the  county  for  the  year  1880,  amounted 
$23761.57,  and  are  increasing,  thus  far  in  1881,  by  nearly  one  half. 
The  board  of  supervisors  are  doing  all  in  their  power  to  keep 
these  expenses  within  reasonable  limits,  and  they  respectfully  asK 
your  hearty  and  cordial  co-operation. 

Hereafter,  claims  against  the  county  for  temporary  relief,  must 
be  certified  to  by  at  least  a  majority  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the 
.township  where  the  person  receiving  aid  resides. 

Enclosed  herewith,  find  blanks  for  use  in  sending  poor  persons 
to  the  poor  house.  John  E.  Peck, 

County  Auditor. 
By  order  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors. 

P.  S.     The  poor  farm  is  located  about  three  miles  Northwest  of 

Cresco,  and  was  formerly  known  as  the  Sumner   farm — sometimes 

called  the  Marlow  place.  J.  E.  P. 

Joseph  H.  Batterham  was  appointed   steward,   at  its   inception 

■-  and  satisfactorily  fills  the   place   to   the    present   writing.       Thus 

through  many  adverse   circumstances    has   been   established   this 

1  home  for  the  indigent,  and  the  charity  of  the  county   is   brought 

I  under  something  like  management. 

COUNTY    BUILDING. 

In  the  year  1859,  when  the  county  seat  was  located  on  the  bluff, 
midway  between  the  villages  of  New  Oregon  and  Vernon  Springs, 
a  subscription  was  raised  in  both  towns,  and  a  building  erected 
and  donated  to  the  county.  This  being  built  of  the  most  avail- 
able lumber,  basswood,  in  a  few  short  years,  became  so  dilapidated 
and  rotten  through  the  action  of  the  elements  and  the  exposed 
position  of  the  structure,  the  timbers  rotting  down,  the  sheathing 
.tumbling  off,  and  the  roof  leaking,   that   much  apprehension  was 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  409 

excited  in  the  minds  of  the  county  officers,  as  to  its  being  a  place 
of  security  for  the  records  and  other  valuable  books  and  papers 
of  a  necessity  stored  therein,  and  measures  were  taken,  as  early 
as  1865,  to  have  the  seat  of  government  removed  elsewhere.  After 
8ome  manoeuvers  on  the  part  of  the  rival  villages  mentioned 
above,  in  1867,  the  board  of  supervisors  of  the  county  accepted 
the  offer  of  the  Howard  county  court  house  association  to  build  a 
brick  edifice  at  Cresco,  and  put  it  at  the  disposal  of  the  county. 
Immediately,  upon  the  acceptation  of  this  offer,  the  association 
commenced  to  erect  the  building  on  the  site  known  as  the  court 
house  square.  The  structure  was  of  good  size  and  every  way 
applicable  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  intended.  In  July, 
1867,  it  was  occupied  by  various  officers,  who  removed  there  with 
all  their  books,  papers,  and  furniture,  and  the  seat  of  county  gov- 
ernment, for  convenience  sake,  was  removed  to  Cresco,  although 
the  county  seat  proper,  could  not  be  legally  moved;  for  explana- 
tion of  this,  see  chapter  IV.  This  building  was  then  used  as  the 
county  offices  until  December  1,  1876,  when  it  was  destroyed  by 
fire.  The  devouring  element,  with  greedy  maw,  soon  wiped  out  of 
existence  the  entire  building,  and  with  it  the  records  of  the  court; 
the  books  and  papers  of  the  other  officers,  however,  being  rescued 
from  the  insatiable  monster.  Many  were,  and  are,  the  conjectures 
as  to  the  origin  of  the  fire,  and  more  than  one  had  suspicion  that 
the  hand  of  an  incendiary  put  the  torch  to  the  building.  This 
was  seemingly  strengthened  on  the  development  of  the  Kyte 
business,  aud  some  did  not  hesitate  to  aver  that  he  was  the  guilty 
party ,but  of  this  there  exists  no  certainty,  and  we  should  not  add, 
uncharitably,  to  the  burden  he  already  bears.  Let  us  hope  that  it 
was  not  so,  for  he  has  crime  enough  to  answer  for  without  charg- 
ing him  with  arson.  Let  the  broad  mantle  of  charity  cover  up 
his  misdeeds,  and  say  that  the  conflagration  was  the  result  of 
accident. 

After  the  loss  of  the  court  house,  the  association  of  the  citizens 
of  Cresco  immediately  proceeded  to  rebuild  the  edifice,  and  in  a 
more  imposing  style  of  architecture. 

The  following  items  of  information,  in  regard  to  the  cost  of  the 
building,  were  obtained  from  a  letter,  written  by  Hon.  John 
McHugh,  to  a  committee  of  gentlemen,  at  New  Hampton,  who 
inquired  respecting  it.     It   would   seem   from  that,  that  the  asso- 


410  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 


^      • 


ciation  paid  $5,707.90,  the  county  giving  $1,040.00,  making  $6,- 
747.90,  which  was  ])aid  to  the  contractor.  It  is,  however,  claimed 
that  the  said  contractors  lost  $1,825.00,  making  the  building  cost^ 
as  follows: 

Funds  furnished  by  association $5,707.90 

Funds  furnished  by  county 1,040.00 

Money  lost  by  contractors 1,825.00  . 

Making  a  total  cost  of $8,572.90 

The  building  is  a  neat,  stylish,  red  brick  edifice,  trimmed  with 
Milwaukee  brick  of  a  soft  cream  color.  The  architecture  is  of  the 
modern  renaissance  order,  and  the  architect  has  displayed  much 
taste  in  working  out  his  ideas  on  the  subject.  A  wide  corridor 
through  the  middle  of  the  first  floor,  with  the  offices  on  each  side, 
presents  itself  to  view  on  entrance.  The  recorder  the  first  on  the 
left,  and  next  the  treasurer's  office;  on  the  right  hand  the  clerk  of 
the  court  and  the  auditor  hold  forth. 

The  sheriflf  and  county  superintendent,  are  accomodated  with 
offices  in  the  basement.  The  second  story,  a  fine  commodious 
and  well  lighted  room,  is  the  court  room  in  which  is  held  the  dif- 
ferent courts  when  sitting  in  the  county. 

The  grounds  surrounding  the  court  house,  are  handsomly  fenced 
with  an  ornamental  railing  of  iron,  and  artistically  laid  out.  The 
county  jail,  and  residence  of  the  sheriff"  attached  thereto,  are 
located  within  the  same  enclosure,  north  of  the  court  house. 

The  jail  is  one  of  the  best  in  this  section  of  country.  In  June, 
1882,  the  board  of  supervisors  instructed  the  auditor  to  advertise 
for  bids  for  the  building  of  a  jail,  the  same  to  be  erected  of  brick, 
with  steel-clad  cells,  and  also,  for  the  erection  of  a  residence,  for 
the  sheriff,  to  be  attached,  thereunto. 

But  on  their  receipt,  the  proposals,  not  proving  to  the  satisfac- 
tion of  the  (officials,  they  determined  to  carr}^  out  their  ideas,  by 
erecting  the  buildings,  themselves.  A.  G.  Hubbard  was  appointed 
as  a  building  committee,  to  superintend  the  operation.  Great 
satisfaction  resulted  from  this  action  as  well  as  considerable 
economy. 

The  business  abilities  of  the  board,  were  employed  on  this  busi- 
ness of  the  county's,  to  the  same  extent  as  would  have  been  ex- 
erted, had  it  been  some  of  the  private  affairs,  of  their   own.     The 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  411 

cost  of  the  steel  clad  cells,  with  the  necessary  fixtures,  and  the 
expense  of  putting  them  in  place,  was  the  greatest  part  of  the  out- 
lay, being  $3500. 

The  entire  cost  of  residence,  jail  and  everything,  foots  up  to 
$8,885,  but  the  outlay  has  been  not  wasted,  and  the  county  has 
received  full  value  for  it  money. 

The  jail  is  one  of  the  best  and  most  complete,  for  one  of  its  size, 
in  the  northwest.  The  edifice  is  built  of  brick,  the  walls  being 
very  heavy  and  thick,  and  measures  22x24  feet,  and  thirteen  feet 
high.  A  thick  jjavement  or  floor  was  first  made  under  the  cells, 
apparently  burglar  proof,  being  two  feet  thick  and  usuing  some 
five  cords  of  stone  and  seventeen  barrels  of  cement  in  the  mak- 
ing. 

There  are  two  cells,  built  of  steel — or  steel-clad — each  six  feet 
long  by  eight  feet  wide  and  seven  high,  with  a  corridor  between 
five  by  thirteen  feet  in  dimension.  Each  cell  will  hold  four  pris- 
oners on  a  pinch.  Above  the  cells  is  a  water  tank  which  supplies 
a  bountiful  supply  of  water  for  drinking  and  cleansing  purposes. 

The  cells  are  made  of  five  thicknesses  or  plys  of  hardened  steel 
bars  riveted  together,  and  which  are  so  hard  that  the  usual  bur- 
glars, saw  will  make  no  impression  on  them.  They  are  opened  and 
closed  with  the  patent  lever  attachment,  and  the  whole  outfit  is 
entirely  first-class. 

The' unparalleled  success  of  the  financiering,  of  the  last  few 
years,  in  the  accounts  and  funds  of  the  county,  cannot  be  lightly 
passed  over  in  this  connection,  and  could  only  be  accomplished  by 
splendid  business  ability  and  strict  integrity  united  to  peerless 
energy.  We  have  it  from  undoubted  authority,  that,  in  1877,  when 
the  affairs  of  the  late  treasurer,  Kyte,  were  settled  up,  there  was  an 

empty  treasury  and  a  bonded  indebtedness  of  over  $20,000,  as  the 
only  possessions  of  the  county. 

By  a  rigid  system  of  economy,  and  an  ability  of  financiering 
not  often  displayed,  at  least  in  public  affairs,  without  raising  the 
rate  of  taxation,  the  poor  farm  has  been  established,  the  jail  built 
and  paid  for,  the  bonded  indebtedness  reduced  to  a  merely  nom- 
inal sum,  county  warrants  brought  to  par,  and  money  in  the 
treasury  to  anticipate  the  current  wants  of  the  county.       This  is 


412 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 


unparalleled  in  the  annals  of  any  county  in  the  state.  The  tax- 
ation is  less,  and  has  been  so,  for  the  past  few  years,  than  ever  be- 
fore, and  is  still  decreasing. 

These  things  are  here  spoken  of,  as  many  people  are  not  aware, 
Qr  at  least  are  not  cognizant,  of  the  entire  facts,  and  truth  demands 
that  the  gentlemen,  who  have  engineered  the  finances  of  the 
county  for  the  last  few  years,  should  have  all  the  honor  and  praise 
for  their  ability,  business  tact  and  integrity.  With  such  men  as 
L.  T.  Emmons,  James  Oakley,  A.  G.  Hubbard,  Thomas  McCook 
aud  Chas.  Keefe  at  the  helm  and  the  true  eye  of  John  E.  Peck,  as 
auditor,  to  look  out  for  breakers,  the  people  of  Howard  county 
may  rest  assured  that  their  interests  will  not  suifer: 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  413 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Educational;  County  Schools;  Teachers;  County  Superin- 
tendents; Institutes;  Census  Returns  eor  1860,  1870,  1875 
AND  1880,  Etc. 

educational 
Howard  county,  considered  from  an  educational  stand-point, 
takes  very  high  rank,  among  the  sisterhood  of  counties.  The 
statistics  show  that  in  1882,  as  taken  from  the  report  oT  the  county 
superintendent,  there  were  in  the  county  3,235  children  within  the 
county,  between  the  ages  of  five  twenty-one  years  divided  as 
follows : 

Afton  township,  389;  Chester,  172;  Forest  City  (out  districts), 
141;  Lime  Springs  station,  197;  Howard,  248;  Howard  Center, 
153;  Jamestown  (outside  district),  122;  Riceville,  32;  New  Oregon, 
365;  Oakdale,  136;  Paris,  285;  Saratoga ,  134;  Vernon  Springs 
(outside  districts),  211;  Cresco,  419;  Albion,  253. 

Thre  are  enrolled  in  the  county,  out  of  these  2,864  scholars  as 
attendants  at  the  various  schools,  and  the  attendence  is  above  the 
usual  average  by  several  per  cent. 

There  are  seventy-eight  frame,  three  brick,  and  three  stone 
school  houses  in  the  county  and  altogether  valued  at  $58,630,  some 
quite  commodious  and  pretentious  in  architecture  and  many 
of  them  worth  from  $2,000  dollars  upwards  and  one,  that  at 
Cresco,  one  of  the  best  in  northern  Iowa,  valued  at  $14,000. 


414  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

Quite  a  number  are  supplied  with  expensive  apparatus,  and  five 
report  having  libraries,  one  with  2,500,  and  another,  1,500  vol- 
umes contained  therein. 

There  are  forty -six  male  and  ninety  female  teachers,  employed 
at  an  average  compensation  of  $38,  for  males  and  $26  for  females, 
although  some  of  each  receive  quite  respectable  salaries.  The 
great  fault  with  Howard  county,  as  with  many  others,  is  the  pay- 
ing of  such  small  salaries,  to  their  instructors,  which  is  of  itself 
reprehensible,  for  it  keeps  many  truly  competent  people  out  of 
the  ranks  and  leaves  to  mediocrity  alone  the  task  of  teaching  the 
rising  generation. 

When  this  mistaken  policy,- and   false  economy  is   done  away 

'  with  the  school  systen)  will  be  complete   but  under  the  present 

rule,  salaries  are  so  small  in  many  instances,  as  to  be  less  than  can 

be  earned  at  any  other  employment,  and  people  have  got  through 

working  for  glory. 

The  cost  of  tuition  varies  largely  in  each  township,  parti 3^  owing 
to  some  of  them  having  a  sparsely  settled  community,  and  but  few 
children  attending  the  school.  We  give  the  average  cost  per  pupil 
by  townships,  and  for  the  independent  districts  of  Cresco,  Lime 
Springs  and  Riceville  and  others. 

Oakville    independent  district $  1  85 

Libert]!^  «  "  2  05 

Lincoln  "  "  2  85 

Niciiols  "  "  2  38 

Darrow  "  "  1  07 

Albion  "  "  2  50 

Florenceville       "  "  2  16 

Cresco  "  "  99 

LimeSprings       "  "  1  17 

Riceville  "  "  J  41 

Forest  city  township       "  3  26 

Oakdale  " 2  25 

Jamestown  "  2  75 

Saratoga  "  1  80 

Howard  Centre  "  2  50 

Chester  " 2  50 

Howard        •       "  2  46 

Afton  "  1  46 

Vernon  Springs  "  4  00 


HISTOKY  OF  HOWARD   COUNTY.  417 

Paris  township  2  16 

NewOregon  "  2  43 

The  first  county  superintendent  of  public  schools,  we  have  any 
record  of,  is  C.  E.  Brown  who  seems  to  have  held  the  position 
prior  to  1858,  but  of  this  fact -it  is  not  certain,  however;  the  list  is 
as  follows: 

C.  E.  Brown,  from  1858  to  1861. 

Adam  Fussell,  from  1861,  until  September,  1862,  when  he  re- 
signed, and  the  board  appointed  T.  W.  Lee,  who  held  from  1861 
to  1869. 

C.  F.  Breckenridge,  from  1869  to  1878. 

O.  N.  Hoyt,  from  1873  to  1877. 

W.  H.  Brocksome,  from  1877  to  1879. 

Fred  C.  Clark,  from  1879,  and  present  officer. 

The  first  normal  institute  held  within  the  county,  of  which 
there  exist  any  record,  was  during  the  spring  of  1876.  This  was 
couducted  by  J.  C.  Gilchrist,  of  St.  Paul,  assisted  by  J.  Brecken- 
ridge, of  Decorah,  a-nd  Miss  Addie  Bucklin. 

There  seems  to  be  a  hiatus  existing  in  the  records  of  these  in- 
stitutes, for  the  next  we  can  find  any  account  of,  was  held  at  Cresco, 
in  1880,  there  were  enrolled  fourteen  male  and  sixty-nine  female 
attendant  teachers.  J.  Breckenridge,  of  Decorah,  Avas  conductor, 
assisted  by  R.  S.  Holway,  Rev.  S.  G.  Smith,  A.  S.  Benedict  and 
A.  E.  Anderson. 

In  1881  was  held  the  next  with  L.  T.  Weld,  the  efficient  princi- 
pal of  the  Cresco  school,  as  conductor,  assisted  by  Geo.  Chandler, 
C.  H.  Valder,  Mrs.  Weld  and  among  the  lectures  was  Carl  Von 
Coelln,  the  state  superintendent  of  public  instruction. 

At  the  institute  of  1882,  L.  T.  Weld  was  conductor  as  before, 
assisted  by  R.  G.  Young,  with  Mrs.  M.  H.  Hunt,  and  S.  P.  Leland 
as  lecturers.  The  attendance  was  sixteen  male  and  sixty-seven 
female. 

The  following  circular,  issued  as  we  go  to  press,  by  the  county 
superintendent,  explains  itself: 

"To  Teachers  and  Those  Intending  to  Teach: 

The  annual  teacher's  normal  institute,  of  Howard  county,  for 
1883,  will  be  held  in  the  public  school  building,  at  Cresco,  com- 
mencing March  19th  and  continuing  two  weeks. 

The  institute  will  be  conducted  by  Prof.  L.  T.  Weld,  of  Cresco, 


418  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

and  Prof.  J.  Breckenridge,  of  Decorah.  All  who  intend  to  teach 
are  cordially  invited  to  come  the  first  day,  and  remain  during  the 
entire  session.  The  benefit  derived  from  attending  the  institutes, 
are  fully  appreciated  by  all  progressive  teachers,  and  we  feel  con- 
fident that  they  will  attend  if  it  is  possible  for  them  to  do  so.  In 
order,  however,  to  reach  some  who  have  been  teaching  several 
terms,  without  making  any  visible  improvement,  and  who  seem  to 
be  satisfied  if  they  can  get  a  second  or  third  grade  certificate 
(renewed),  we  feel  compelled  to  say:  that  no  third,  or  second  grade 
certificate  will  be  renewed;  and  those  who  fail  to  attend  the 
institute  must  expect  to  pass  a  most  rigid  examination  if  they 
continue  to  teach.  Our  state  superintendent,  Hon.  J.  W.  Akers, 
will  deliver  a  lecture  before  the  institute.  An  examination  will  be 
held  at  the  close  of  the  institute.  Hoping  to  meet  you  all  on  the 
first  day  of  the  institute,  I  remain  yours  respectfully, 

F.  C.  Clark,  County  Superintendent. 

There  are  now  in  the  county  one  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
teachers,  who  hold  the  following  certificates: 

First  grade,  13  males,  and  2o  females;  second  grade,  22  males, 
and  51  females;  third  grade,  1'.:  males,  and  36  females. 

While  in  1880  there  were  about  one  hundred,  out  of  which 
number  sixty-six  held  first  grade  certificates,  but  by  raising  the 
standard  of  examination  the  number  has  been  decreased,  but  the 
grade  has  gained  in  efficiency.  The  description  of  the  school 
houses  of  Cresco  and  Lime  Springs  may  be  found  under  the 
respective  heads  of  those  towns. 

CENSUS. 

According  to  the  United  States  census  of  1860,  the  county  of 
Howard,  state  of  Iowa,  contained  3168  inhabitants,  of  all  ages, 
sexes,  and  colors. 

The  following  table  is  a  slight  abstract  from  the  census  of  1870, 
of  Howard  county,  as  made  by  the  United  States: 

Number  of  white  inhabitants 6,270 

Number  of  colored  inhabitants 12 

Number  of  acres  improved  land 44,235 

Number  of  horses 2,175 

Number  of  mules :...  37 

Number  of  milch  cows 2,734 

Number  of  working  oxen 431 


I 

J 

j 

HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY,                                     41&  j 

\ 

Number  of  sheep 1,648  | 

Number  of  swine 2,640  | 

Number  of  bushels  of  wheat  raised 321,514  j 

Number  of  bushels  of  corn  raised 120,234  1 

Number  of  bushels  of  oats  raised 263,258  i 

Number  of  bushels  of  barley  raised 13,357  '' 

Number  of  bushels  of  potatoes  raised 30,713  i 

Number  of  tons  of  hay  made 14,880' 

Number  of  pounds  of  butter  made 408,351  I 

Number  of  pounds  of  cheese  made 4,476  •] 

Number  of  pounds  of  wool  raised 5,153 

We  also  find  that  the  value  of  property  in  the  county  is  returned,  i 

in  1870,  as  follows :  ) 
Total  assessed  value,  of  all  real  and  personal 

estate $1,426,727  1 

Total  true  value  of  all  real  and  personal  estate  4,131,132  j 

Total  taxes  levied  in  the  county 45,754  , 

The  manufacturing  interests  of  Howard  county  are  represented, 
for  1870,  as  follows: 

Number  of  manufacturing  establishments 32 

Number  of  hands  employed 69  ! 

Capital  employed $54,350  ' 

Wages  paid 8,310  ! 

Material  used..... 52,279  : 

Products 86,292  •      : 

In  1875  the  census,  as  returned  to  the  sixteenth  general  asembly 
of  the  state  of  Iowa,  shows,  as  follows: 

White  male  inhabitants  in  county 4,199  j 

White  female  inhabitants  in  county 3,647  j 

Colored  male  inhabitants 18  j 

Colored  female  inhabitants 11 

Number  of  horses  in  county 3,433 

Number  of  mules 58 

Number  of  milch  cows 4,358 

Number  of  work  oxen 279 

Number  of  other  cattle •    8,018 

Number  of  hogs 5,777^  ( 

Number  of  sheep 1,605  j 

Number  of  acres  of  improved  land  in  the  county. 115,823-  i 


s 


420  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

There  was  raised  in  Howard  county,  and  sold  during  the  yeax 

1874,  products  of  the  farm  and  dairy,  as  follows:" 

Bushels, 

Wheat  582,803 

Corn 307,912 

Oats 340;268 

Barley 34,047 

Buckwheat 1 ,251 

Potatoes 62,472 

Turnips 11,729 

Pounds. 

Butter., .' 323,116 

Cheese  (not  factory) 16,671 

Wool 6,663 

«         I  Tons. 

Hay 21,905 

Below  we  give  the   census   of  the   number  of  inhabitants  in 

Howard  county,  by  townships,  for  the  year  1880: 

Albion \ 620 

Afton 661 

Chester 391 

Cresco  (town) 1201 

Forest  City 941 

Howard 381 

Vernon  Springs 752 

Howard  Center 381 

Jamestown 389 

New  Oregon 1153 

Oakdale 255 

Paris 571 

Saratoga 179 

Total 7875 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  421 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


Vernon  Springs  Township;  Location;  Early  Settlement;  Vil- 
lage OF  Vernon  Springs;  First  Store,  Saw  Mill,  Grist 
Mill,  Churches  and  Schools;  Cresco;  Rise  and  Progress;" 
Early  Merchants,  Churches,  Newspapers  and  Present 
State  of  Societies,  Churches,  Schools  and  General  Busi- 
ness. Records  of  School  Board  of  Independent  District 
OF  Cresco. 


VERNON  SPRINGS  TOWNSHIP. 

H.  D.  Noble  in  an  article  published  in  the  Cresco  Times  of  July  6, 
1876  gives  the  following  in  regard  to  Vernon  Springs  township 
which  is  made  from  township   ninety-nine,  range  eleven. 

"The  first  settlement  was  made  by  Oren  Sprague,  who  built  the 
first  saw  mill  in  Howard  county,  at  the  head  of  the  grove  on  Tur- 
key river,  near  what  was  later  the   town  of  Vernon  Springs  in  the 

year   1853.     William    Harlow,   Noonan,   Thomas   Fitzgerald 

and  Thomas  Granathan  also  took  up  claims  about  the  same  time 
in  this  precinct.  The  year  after  James  G.  Upton,  first  county 
judge,  E.  Gillett,  first  county  clerk,  M.  G.  Goss,  M.  L.  Shook  (on  a 
claim  taken  first  by  Woodworth,  alias  "Old   Frosty,"  of  Decorah.C 


422  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

In  August  1854,  H.  Blodgett  and  J.  M.  Fields  came  into  this 
precinct  as  permanant  settlers. 

Mr.  Noble  further  says;  "There  is  no  hesitancy  calling  this  town- 
ship the  most  beautiful  of  all  Howard  county,  being  a  succession 
of  groves  and  prairies,  more  equal  in  distribution  than  any  other 
section;  well  watered  by  numberless  springs  and  spring  streams; 
more  good  dry  tillable  land,  with  convenient  spring  courses  for 
stock  raising  and  grass  growing — being  at  that  point  of  the  great 
military  ridge  running  from  McGregor  northwest,  where  the 
knolls  gradually  roll  into  level  prairie — it  is  par  excellence  the 
township  of  Howard  county.     It  contains  the  villiage  of 

VERNON    SPRINGS. 

Here  the  saw  mill  of  Sprague  had  soon  a  neighbor  for  in  1854, 
Henry  Milder,  erected  a  store  which  was  known  as  the  "blue  store." 

The  saw  mill  has  long  since  given  way  to  the  extensive  grist 
mill  and  saw  mill  erected  by  A.  H.  Harris,  on  its  site,  being  the 
first  mill  (grist)  erected  in  the  county,  and  one  that  brought  cus- 
tomers from  the  west  and  the  northwest  the  full  distance  of  a 
hundred  miles  or  more.  The  store  mentioned  has  given  way  to 
new  ones,  in  1859  the  village  contained  two  stores,  one  extensive 
distillery  with  brewery,  steam  saw  and  grist  mill  combined,  one 
water  grist  mill  and  saw  mill,  one  tannery,  two  blacksmith  shops, 
one  shoe  shop,  one  wagon  shop  one  hotel,  and  an  unfinished  school 
house.  The  professional  men  at  that  time  were,  one  doctor  J.  H. 
Bowers  and  one  lawyer  F.  Belfoy. 

The  Babtist  church  was  organized  in  1857  with  C.  E.  Brown  as 
pastor. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  dates  its  organization  from  1858 
Rev's  Fall,  Waterburg  and  Young   being  among  the  early  pastors. 

The  county  seat  was  located  at  Vernon  Springs  in  August  1855, 
by  James  G.  Upton,   county  judge. 

The  township  was  organized  in  1855,  J.  F.  Thayer  and  C.  S. 
Thurber  being  elected  justices  of  the  peace  The  first  school  in  the 
precinct  was  taught  by  Aaron  Kimball  in  1857 — 8. 

Although  the  village  ofVernon  Springs  once  occupied  a  conspic- 
uous place  in  the  county,  and  bade  fair  to  grow  into  a  large  and 
thriving  town,  the  rising  glories  of  Cresco,  so  near  it  on  the  line  of 
the  railroad,  so  dimmed  its  light  that  it  has  gently  settled  back 
until  a  view   of  it  calls  to  mind   some  thoughts   of  Goldsmiths, 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  423 

"deserted  village" — verily  its  glory  hath  departed.  The  present 
county  seat  and  largest  and  most  important  town  in  the  county  is 
the  city  of 

CRESCO  • 

which  is  located  on  portions  of  section  22,  23,  26  and  27  of  this 
township,  and  is  one  of  the  liveliest  and  most  flourishing  of  all  the 
prairie  cities. 

The  land,  upon  which  this  town  now  stands,  was  entered  at  the 
general  land  office  in  September,  1856,  by  Horace  Barber,  as  the 
records  show.  In  October,  1857;  it  was  sold  by  him  to  M.  L. 
Shook,  who  after  holding  it  for  some  nine  years,  again  sold  it  to 
Augustus  Beadle  during  the  month  of  April,  1866,  who  sold  apart 
interest  in  it  to  W.  B.  Strong  and  B.  H.  Edgertown,  and  who 
immediately  had  it  platted  and  laid  out  into  town  lots,  the  plat 
being  placed  upon  record  June  12,  the  same  year.  Several  addit- 
ions have  since  been  added,  necessitated  by  the  surprising  growth 
of  the  town,  of  which  the  most  important  are,  Beadle  Strong  and 
Hungerford's,  on  the  remaining  portion  of  section  25;  Baldwin's 
on  the  south-east  quarter  of  section  twenty-four;  and  Beadle's  on 
the  north-west  quarter   of  section  twenty -six. 

Of  its  early  settlement  but  little  can  be  said.  The  old  Greek 
Mythology  told  how  Minerva  sprang  full  armed  from  the  head 
of  Jove  and  thus  it  seems  with  the  birth  of  Cresco  that  sprung  into 
being  a  full  fledged  city.  A  bald  prairie,  which  had  been  covered 
with  the  waving  grain  the  season  before,  in  June  1866  was  covered 
with  buildings,  and  the  town  made  quite  an  appearance  as  such; 
so  marvelous  was  its  rapid  rise — even  in  these  days  of  mushroom 
growth — that  it  stands  without  a  parallel  in  the  country.  We  find 
among  the  first  merchants  of  the  town,  who  settled  there  on  its 
first  inaugeration.  Strother  and  Kirkpatrick,  who  were  large 
dealers  in  general  merchandise;  Bones  and  White,  dry  goods;  J.  J. 
Clemmer,  drugs,  paints  and  oils;  B.  Chapin,  stoves  and  hardware; 
G.  A.  Purdy,  stores;  Burdick  and  Clouse,  genaral  merchandise; 
Price  and  Lowry,  drugs  and  medicines;  W.  H.  Alleman;  boots  and 
shoes;  Perry  and  Conklin,  agricultural  machinery;  Mrs.  J.  T. 
Donahugh,  millinery  and  fancy  goods.  There  were  also  at  the 
same  time  the  following  parties  in  business  in  the  town  B.  Isaacs, 
manufacturer  of  buggies,  wagons,  etc. ;  Parnell  and  Myers,  black- 
smiths; D.   Beam   and   F.   Miller,   harness   makers;  Mrs.    F.    H. 


424  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

I 

Jewett,  photographer;  Mrs  Knowles  and  Co.,  milliner  and  dress- 
makers, and  E.  B.  Sloan  merchant  taylor.  The  earliest  physicians 
to  locate  at  this  point  were  N.  H.  Knowles,M.D.  and  J.J.  Clemmer, 
M-  D-  who  attended  to  the  wants  of  the  sick  and  hurt  of  the  com- 
munity, the  latter  gentleman,  has  "served  his  country"  several 
times  in  an  ofiicial  manner,  being  for  several  terms,  county  coroner, 
and  still  resides  in  the  town,  and  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
his  profession,  and  ownes  and  operates  a  large  drug  store  in  con- 
nection therewith. 

The  hotel  interest  was  also  well  represented  at  the  time  as  we  find 
the  record  of  two  good  houses  in  the  year  1867. 

The  Empire  house,  then  engineered  by  J.  DeNoyelles,  now  of 
the  town  Nashua;  and  the  Durham  house. 

About  all  the  lawyers,  whose  names  we  find  in  the  early 
records,  are  W.  R.  Mead  and  H.  A.  Goodrich,  we  know  that  there 
were  more  for  what  town  is  there  in  all  the  broad  expanse  of  our 
native  land,  of  a  thousand  inhabitants,  that  cannot  boast  of  more 
than  two  of  the  bright  lights  of  the  bar. 

In  the  early  part  of  1868,  the  question  of  incorporation  came  to 
the  front,  and,  after  some  agitation,  seemed  to  meet  the  views  of 
the  majority  and  an  election  was  ordered  for  city  officers,  and 
Isaac  Gregory,  was  chosen  mayor,  on  April  20th,  that  year;  the 
other  ofiicers  elected  were: 

W.  R.  Mead,  recorder;  Henry  Widner,  attorney;  B.  Chapin, 
treasurer;  L.  T.  Woodcock,  J.  J.  Clemmer,  John  C.  Clark  and  John 
E.  Peck,  as  councilmen. 

The  officers  of  the  city,  in  1875  were  as  follows:  J.  F.  Webster, 
Mayor;  Henry  Widner,  recorder;  H.  Clark,  treasurer;  H.  C.  Mc- 
Carty,  attorney;  with  H.  E.  Crandall,  John  E.  Peck,  G.  W.  Coon, 
Fred  Miller  and  Jacob  J.  Lowry  as  council. 

The  city  was  controlled  by  the  following  officers,  in  1882:  Frank 
Sayre,  mayor;  F.  A.  Glass,  recorder;  with  C.  F.  Webster,  John  B. 
Caward,  William  Wilbraham,  Isaac  Gregory,  J.  G.  Doane  and 
Henry  Young  as  the  the  city  council 

At  this  writiting  (March,  1883)  the  election  for  city  officers  has 
just  resulted  in  the  choice  of  following : 

R.  J.  McHugh,  mayor;  A.  F.  Baumgartner,  recorder;  W.  K. 
Barker,  attorney;  P.  Connolly,  treasurer;  M,  Luther,  assessor;   E. 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  425 

H.  Donahugh,  street  commissioner;  and  J.  J.  Lowr.v,  H.   C.  Bur- 
gess and  C.  Frank  Stremel,  as  members  of  the  council. 

Almost  the  first  thing  to  do,  it  seems,  when  a  new  town  is  form- 
ed, is  to  institute  a  school,  and  in  this  respect  Cresco  is,  in  no  wise, 
an  exception,  as  it  is  recorded  that  a  school  was  opened,  during 
the  first  winter  of  the  town's  existence,  in  the  building  afterwards 
known  as  the  private  residence  of  Mrs.  Bateman. 

The  independent  school  district  of  Cresco,  seems  to  have  been 
formed  during  the  year  1869,  but  of  this  there  exists  no  records, 
"to  make  assurance  doubly  sure."  Of  all  that  remains,  we  have 
carefully  gone  over,  and  find  that  the  niinutes  of  the  first  board  of 
school  directors  are  dated  December,  1871.  The  board  then  con- 
sisted of  the  following  gentlemen:  Augustus  Beadle,  E.  Gillett,  W. 
R.  Mead,  S.  A.  Stone,  and  W.  H.  Patterson.  In  January,  1872, 
the  new  board  elected,  consisted  of  Augustus  Beadle,  S.  A.  Stone, 
W.  H.  Patterson,  D.  W.  Owen,  W.  R.  Meade  and  E.  Gillette,  with 
Chas.  I.  White  as  secretary. 

This  board,  at  a  session  held  Macrh  4,  appropriated  some  four 
hundred  dollars  to  purchase  four  lots,  next  to  the  school  house 
lots,  so  as  to  give  larger  grounds  for  that  edifice. 

The  election  for  officers  of  the  above  board,  March  18,  resulted 
in  placing  Augustus  Beadle  in  the  chair;  John  E.  Peck  as  treas- 
urer; and  Chas.  I.  White,  secretary,  as  before.  The  board  after 
organizing  as  above,  immediately  proceeded  to  levy  a  tax  of  ten 
mills  on  the  dollar  for  the  school  house  fund. 

Here  it  may  be  in  order  to  make  the  statement  that  the  main 
part  of  the  present  school  building  was  erected  '  of  stone,  during, 
the  summer  of  1869,  and  cost  in  the  neighborhood  of  $8,000.  The' 
connection  will  be  perceptible  when  it  is  seen  that  this  special  levy 
of  tax  was  for  the  purpose  of  building  an  additional  wing.  It 
would  seem  from  the  records,  that  during  this  year,  the  teachers 
were  Mrs.  Archer  and  Miss  Nellie  Phelps,  together  with  L.  T. 
Weld  as  principal. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  school  board,  held  December  3d,  1872,  it 
was 

Resolved,  That  each  and  every  member  of  the  school  board  be 
required  to  visit  the  school,  at  least  once  a  month,  under  penalty 
of  buying  the  oysters* for  said  school  board. 


426  HISTORY  OP    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

And  the  resolution  apparently  clinches  the  matter  by  adding 
"that  the  said  oysters  shall  be  good  ones." 

The  board,  at  the  meeting  of  March  17,  1873,  consistad  of  A. 
Beadle,  president;  John  E.  Peck,  treasurer;  C.  I.  \¥hite,  secretary; 
E.  Gillett,  S.  A.  Stone,  C.  V.  Jacobs,  C.  B.  Sampson,  John  Farns- 
worth  and  W.  R.  Mead. 

At  <>Bj"s  meeting  the  resignation  of  Miss  Nellie  Phelps,  as  teacher, 
was  handed  in  and  accepted,  and  Mrs.  L.  T.  Weld  was  appointed 
to  fill  the  vacancy.  Contracts  were  also  signed  with  L.  T.  Weld, 
Mrs.  Weld,  Miss^Lockwood  and  Miss  Nichols,  as  teachers  for  the 
ensiling  year,  and  also  wtih  Miss  Lucy  Thurber  for  fall  term  of 
1873. 

The  accommodations  for  school  purposes  seems  to  have  proved 
insufficient,  the  board  appointed  a  committee,  in  August,  1873,  to 
procure  or  build  a  room  suitable  for  the  purpose  intended,  that  of 
establishing  the  primary  school,  separate  from  other  grades.  This 
committee  reported,  on  September  21st  following,  that  they  had 
rented  a  room  of  Mr.  Jackson,  and  fitted  it  up  for  the  use  of  the 
said  primary  grade;  and  that  the  same  was  installed  therein. 

We  find  that  the  board,  March  16,  1874,  consisted  of  the  follow- 
ing gentlemen: 

E.  Gillett,  president;  John  E,  Peck,  treasurer;  C.  I.  White,  sec- 
retary; C.  V.  Jacobs,  John  Farnsworth,  C.  B.  Samson,  S.  A.  Stone 
and  W.  H.  Patterson. 

The  report  of  the  treasurer,  of  the  school  money  was  received 
March  16,  1874,  and  shows  as  follows: 

On  hand,  in  school  house  fund $1,333  32 

On  hand  in  teachers' fund 453  00 

.On  hand  in  contingent  fund 162  18 

Total $1,939  50 

T5y  resolution,  April  6,  1874,  the  board  instructed  the  clerk  to 
issue  the  notice  of  a  special  election  to  order  a  tax  to  help  build 
additional  school  house  room.  And  on  May  11,  the  following 
were  named  a  committee  to  make  plans  and  specifications  for  a 
wing  to  the  school  house,  28x52  feet,  and  also  for  the  same  to  ad- 
vertise for  bids  for  the  construction  of  the  same:  S.  A.  Stone,  E. 
'Gillett,  C.  I.  White  and  John  E.  Peck. 

This  was  accordingly  done,  and  the  fine  additional  wing  on  the 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  427 

west  side  of  the  main  building  was  erected  the  same  year,  under 
their  supervision,  at  a  total  cost  of  about  $4,000.  This  gave  the 
necessary  room,  and  the  separate  system  was  abandoned,  and  the 
primary  grade  was  restored  to  its  place,  in  the  same  building,with 
the  others;  placing  all  unde.i  the  controlling  influence  of  the  prin- 
cipal. The  building  was  now  large  enough,  for  the  time  being, 
but  as  will  be  found  farther  on,  it  in  time  was  considered  too 
small,  and  another  wing  was  added. 

June  1,  1874,  G.  M.  Harris  was  elected  a  member  of  the  board, 
to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  removal  of  C.  B.  Smith  from  the 
town. 

The  salaries  of  the  teachers  of  the  district  are  defined  this  year 
as  being,  principal,  $1,000  for  the  first  year,  and  $1,200  every  suc- 
ceeding year;  first  assistant,  $450  first  year,  $500  succeeding  years; 
second  assistant,  $350  first  year,  $400  per  year  afterwards;  assist- 
ants in  the  intermediate  departments,  $400  first  year,  and  $450 
thereafter;  first  assistant  in  the  primary  grade,  $400  the  first  year, 
$450  after;  second  assistant  in  same  department,  $350  the  first 
year,  with  an  increase  of  $50  the  succeeding  years. 

The  roll  of  teachers  this  year  is,  L.  T.  Weld,  principal;  Miss 
Addie  E.  Bucklin,  first  assistant;  Mrs.  Nichols,  Miss  Nichols  and 
Miss  Lucy  Thurber. 

The  board- of  1875  when  convened,  comprised  the  following  list: 
S.  A.  "Stone,  president;  John  E.  Peck,  treasurer;  Charles  I.  White, 
secretary;  John  Farnsworth,  C.  V.  Jacobs,  W.  H.  Patterson,  P.  T. 
Searles  and  C.  F.  Breckenridge. 

The  following  is  the  roll  of  teachers  in  1875: 

L.  T.  Weld,  principal;  Mrs.  L.  T.  Weld,  Mrs.  Nichols,  MissSim- 
onds,  Miss  Lucy  Thurber  and  Miss  Addie  E.  Barnes. 

At  the  annual  meeting,  September,  1875,  the  members  of  the 
board  present  were,  S.  A.  Stone,  president;  L.  T.  Woodcock, 
treasurer;  Charles  I.  White,  Secretary;  P.  T.  Searles,  John  Farns- 
worth, C.  V.  Jacobs,  C.  F.  Breckenridge,  W.    H.-  Patterson. 

Board  for  1877  consisted  of  John  Farnsworth,  president;  L.  T. 
Woodcock,  treasurer;  C.  I.  White,  secretary;  C.  F.  Breckenridge, 
P.  T.  Searles,  C.  V.  Jacobs,  Daniel  Piatt  and  C.  F.  Webster. 

In  1878  the  following  was  the  composition  of  the  board  of 
directors : 

C.  V.  Jacobs,  president;  L.  T.  Woodcock,   treasurer;    Charles  I. 


428  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

White,  secretary,  with  C.  F.  Breckenridge,   C.  F.  Webster,  Daniel 

Piatt,  L.  E.  Smith,  and  W.  H.  Patterson. 

The  roll  of  the  teachers  for  the  same  year  is  given,  as  follows: 
L.  T.  Weld,  principal;    Mrs.  L.   T.   Weld,   Mrs.    Nichols,   Miss 

Viola  Webster,  Miss  Kittle  Harris,  teachers,  with  one  vacancy. 

Under  date  of  June  10,  1878,  a  resolution  is  found,  instructing 
the  secretary  to  call  a  special  election  of  the  voters  of  the  district, 
to  authorize  the  board  to  issue  bonds  to  build  another  wing  to  the 
school  house.  The  election  was  held,  and  it  was  found  that  the 
people  of  the  city  had  the  necessary  confidence  to  make  the 
authorization.  The  bonds  were  accordingly  issued,  and  C.  V. 
Jacobs  and  Daniel  Ratt  were  appointed  a  committee  to  put  in  the 
foundation  for  the  east  wing  of  the  school  house.  This  was  built 
at  a  cost  of  $200,  the  board  entering  into  a  contract  with  J.  ¥. 
Mitchell,  he  agreeing  to  erect  the  same  for  that  sum. 

In  the  fall  of  1878  the  contract  was  likewise  let  for  the  erection 
of  the  building,  S.  H.  Clark  being  the  contractor,  whose  bid  for 
$2,928  was  the  lowest  and  best. 

The  school  board  for  the  year  1879  consisted  of  the  following 
gentlemen : 

J.  F.  Donahugh,  H.  E.  Lomas,  Daniel  Piatt,  L.  E.  Smith,  W.  H. 
Patterson,  with  C.  F.  Webster  as  president;  L.  T.  Woodcock, 
treasurer,  and  C.  I.  White,  secretary. 

During  March,  1880,  the  new  board  of  school  directors  assumed 
the  control,  and  consisted  of  the  following  gentlemen: 

L.  E.  Smith,  president;  L.  T.  Woodcock,  treasurer;  Charles  I. 
White,  secretary;  Daniel  Piatt,  H.  E.  Lomas,  W.  H.  Patterson, and 
J.  F.  Donahugh.  No  better  board  could  have  occupied  the  re- 
sponsible position. 

By  a  resolution  the  salary,  of  the  principal,  L.  T.  Weld,  was 
made  $1,200  per  year,  and  that  of  all  the  assistants  made  a  uniform 
rate  of  $35  per  month. 
'-  It  was  during  this  year  that  the  first  class,  under  the  present 
rule  and  grade*  was  graduated  with  all  the  honors.  The  occasion 
was  made  a  season  of  festivity  and  rejoicing  in  a  sober,  intellectual 
way.  The  ceremonies  and  the  entertainment  furnished  by  the 
exercises  are  spoken  of  by  many  to  this  day. 

January,  1881,  it  was  found,  as  the  money  market  had  grown 
easier   and   the   rate   for  the  use  of  moneys  had  become  less,  that 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  429 

the  bonds  of  the  independent  school  district  of  Cresco  could  be 
refunded  at  six  per  cent.,  and  the  board  passed  a  resolution, 
instructing  the  clerk  to  proceed  to  do  so  immediately.  The  matter 
was  soon  adjusted  on  this  basis,  and  some  money  was  saved  to  the 
treasury  by  the  action. 

In  March,  of  the  same  year,  the  new  board  was  organized,  as 
follows : 

L.  E.  Smith,  president;  L.  T.  Woodcock,  treasurar;  C.  I.  White, 
secretary;  H.  E.  Lomas,  Daniel  Piatt,  J.  F.  Donahugh,  John 
Farnsworth,  and  C.  F.  Webster. 

Six  lots  were  purchased  by  the  district,  in  October,  1882,  of 
Augustus  Beadle,  in  the  school  house  block,  for  the  sum  of  $350, 
giving  the  children  a  fine,  large  play-ground,  and  adding  to  the 
beauty  of  the  surroundings  of  the  school  house. 

The  following  is  an  abstract  from  the  report  of  the  treasurer  of 
the  independent  school  district  of  Cresco,  delivered  to  the  board 
at  their  meeting  held  March  20,  1882. 

Annual  report  of  money's  received  and  paid  out  by  the  treasurer, 
for  the  year  ending  February  28,  1882: 

SCHOOL    HOUSE    FUND. 

Dr.  Cr.  , 
To  amount  received  of  county  treasurer.$l,702.13 
By  'amount  overpaid  at  date  of  last  re- 
port...   423.74 

By  amount  paid  on  bonds  and  interest..  772.00 

By  amount  on  hand ,  506.39 

Totals 11,702.13  $1,702.13 

teacher's  fund. 

•To  amount  on  hand  at  last  report $    511.19 

To  amount  received  of  county  treasurer.  3,215.53 
To   amount    received   from   apportion- 
ment   610.74 

To  amount  received  from  tuition 233.25 

By  amount  paid  teachers $4,073.27 

By  amount  on  hands 497.44 

Totals $4,570.71  $4,570.71 


430  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  • 

CONTINGENT    FUND. 

To  amount  on  hand  at  last  report 17  88 

To  amount  received  of  county  treas- 
urer   1167  06 

To  amount  overpaid 224  23 

By  amount  paid  janitor 350  00 

By  amount  paid  secretary 50  00 

By  amount  paid  insurance 106  00 

By  amount  paid  for  wood 412  15 

By  amount  paid  for  old  orders 234  28 

By  amount  paid  for  repairs,  etc 256  74 

Total '. $1409  17     $1409  17 

The  present  board,  at  this  writing  (March  10,  1883.)  is  composed 
as  follows: 

L.  E.  Smith,  president;  L.  T.  Woodcock,  treasurer;  Charles  I. 
White,  secretary;  C.  F.  Webster,  John  Farnsworth,  Daniel  Piatt, 
R.  J.  McHugh,  and  Doan. 

There  was  in  1879  a  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  district  school 
house  fund  afloat,  amounting  to  $5,000,  which  with  the  interest 
for  that  year  $350,  and  indebtedness  of  the  other  funds  of  $316.67, 
made  a  grand  total  of  $5,666.67,  as  the  incumbrance  upon  the 
property  belonging  thereto. 

But  by  judicious  management,  and  real  financial  ability,  the 
board  have  reduced  the  whole  debt  to  about  $1,500,  and  that  with 
some  money  in  the  treasury. 

For  all  the  above  information  we  are  under  obligations  to  the 
kindness  and  courtesey  of  county  treasurer,  C.  I.  White,  who  is 
also  secretary  of  the  school  board,  and  it  is  no  more  than  just  that 
we  should  render  the  proper  acknowledgement. 

The  following  is  the"  annual  report  of  moneys  received  and  paid 
out  by  the  treasurer  of  the  independent  school  district  of  Cresco, 
for  the  year  ending  February  28,  1883: 

SCHOOL    HOUSE    FUND. 

On  hand  at  date  of  last  report $  $     506  89 

Received  of  county  treasurer 1399  99 

Paid  on  bonds....' 1225  00 

Balance  on  hand 681  66 


1906  66    1906  66 


history  of  howard  county.  431 

teachers'  fund. 

On  hand  at  date  of  last  report $  $    497  34 

Received  of  county  treasurer 2797  60 

Received  of  state  appropriation...  534  66 

Received  of  Vernon  Springs 142  00 

Received  of  tuition 235  57 

Paid  on  teachers'  order 4203  50 

Balance  on  hand 3  67 

4207  17        4207  17 
contingent  fund. 

By  county  treasurer $  $    941  00 

By  Vernon  Springs 73  00 

By  other  sources 13  50 

To  amount  over  paid  at  date  of 
last  report 224  18 

To  amount  paid  janitor 450  00 

To  amount  paid  for  the  school 

grounds 350  00 

To  amount  paid  for  sidewalks  and 

repairs 147  29 

To  amount  paid  for  school  furni- 
ture   22  65 

To   &,mount  paid  for   wood   and 

other  expenses 331  74 

By  amount  overpaid 498  36 

1525  86      .  1525  86 

ESTIMATE   OF    EXPENSES    FOR   THE    COMING    YEAR. 

School  house  fund $  1200  00 

Teachers  fund 3000  00     • 

Contingent  fund 1500  00 

15700  00 
C.  I.  White,  L.  E.  Smith, 

Secretary.  President. 

The  following  is  the  course  of  study  for  the  high  school  grade  in 
the  Cresco  school.  It  is  given  as  a  specimen  of  the  high  class  of 
education  and  culture  given  at  this  temple  of  knowledge. 


432  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

JUNIOR   YEAR — FIRST    TERM. 

Latin  or  review  of  English  grammar. 
Arithmetic  or  Phyisology.  \ 

SECOND   TERM. 

Latin  or  Word  analysis. 
Elementary  Algebra. 
Physiology,  one-half  term. 
Physical  Geography,  one-half  term. 

THIRD    TERM. 

Latin  or  drawing. 
Elementary  Algebra. 
Physical  Geography. 

MIDDLE    YEAR — FIRST   TERM. 

Latin  or  Chemistry 


Elementary  Algebra.  | 
Natural  Philosophy. 

SECOND   TERM. 

I 

Latin  or  Zoology.  ; 

Rhetoric  and  composition.  ! 

Natural  Philosophy,  one-half  term.                                             ,  ' 

Constitution  of  the  United  States,  one-half  term.  j 

THIRD   TERM.  ■ 

Latin  or  Geology.  j 

Rhetoric  and  composition.  j 
Geometry. 

SENIOR    YEAR — FIRST    TERM. 

Latin  or  Asti*bnomy.  ' 
English  and  American  literature.                                                       •         I 

Geometry  and  higher  Algebra.  ' 

SECOND    TERM. 

Latin  or  Book-keeping.  j 

General  History.  j 
Higher  Algebra. 

THIRD   TERM.  ' 

I 

Latin  or  Political  economy.  \ 

Botan3\  i 


General  History. 

Elocution  and  Composition  throughout  the- course. 


HISTORY  OF  HOWARD   COUNTY.  435 

RELIGIOUS    DENOMINATIONS. 

"We  are  told  as  early  as  1855,  the  IMethodists  held  religious  ser- 
vices at  Vernon  Springs,  as  is  detailed  elsewhere. 

The  first  church  edifice  erected  in  the  town  of  Cresco,  was  of 
this  denomination  ,  and  was  built  during  the  year  1866.  It  is  a 
neat  iranie  structure,  capable  of  seating  about  three  hundred  peo- 
ple, and  is  furnished  in  good  style.  The  cost  of  the  building,  as 
originally  constructed,  was  about  $3,000.  For  the  first  few  years 
it  appears  that  the  services  w^ere  held  by  the  preachers  on  the  cir- 
cuit, but  in  1870  the  church  was  made  a  station,  and  a  regular 
pastor  was  among  the  appointments,  Rev.  J.  Riddington  appears 
to  be  the  first  of  these. 

The  date  of  his  first  efforts  being  1870.  He  held  the  position 
but  a  short  time,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  C.  F.  McLain, 
who  was  succeeded   by  Rev.  W.  H.    Brocksome. 

This  gentleman  was  quite  a  favorite  with  his  congregation  and  the 
communitj^  generally,  and  remained  as  pastor  of  the  flock,  until 
1874,  w'hen  he  was  displaced  by  Rev.  J.  Dulph,  who  occupied  the 
pulpit  until  October,  1876,  when  Rev.  J.  L.  Paine  took  his  place. 
Rev.  George  Elliott  was  the  next,  and  the  date  of  his  a]'pointment, 
appears  as  being  .January  1, 1880.  He  held  this  until  December 
1.  1881,  when  the  present  pastor,  G.  W.  Pratt  succeeded  him. 
There  is  a  fine  Sabbath  school  connected  with  the  church,  which 
has  ai'air  regular  attendance. 

EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 

Tliis  church  society  was  organized,  July  20,  1867,  under  the 
name  of  Grace  church. 

The  first  rector  was  the  Rev.  J.  Ram  bo,  to  whose  untiring 
energy  the  church  owes  its  existence.  The  church  edifice  was 
erected  during  the  year  1868,  and  is  a  neat  and  handsome  struc- 
ture 24x34  feet  in  size,  and  is  capable  of  seating  some  one  bundled 
and  fifty  persons. 

The  funds  for  the  building  of  the  church,  some  S2.200,  was 
mostly  contributed  by  friends  of  the  same  denomination  in  the 
east.  The  bell  was  a  donation  from  the  famous  banker,  Jay  Cooke, 
of  Philadelphia. 

There  is  a  fine,  pleasant  parsonage,  connected  with  the  church. 
Rev.  C.  S.  Percival,  is  the  present  rector. 

The  Congregational  church  of  Cresco,   is   an  outgrowth  of  the 


436  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

church  at  New  Oregon,  or  more  properly  speaking  is  the  same 
church  removed  to  its  new  quarters.  September  7,  1856,  Rev. 
J.  W.  Windsor,  organized  the  the  church  at  New  Oregon. 

The  infant  organization  numbered  sixteen  members  at  its  incep- 
tion, it  grew  and  strengthened  with  years,  and  became  the  leading 
church. 

Mr.  Windsor  remained  pastor,  until  1866,  and  then  resigned 
and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  S.  D.  Peet,  who,  however,  did  not  long 
stay,  for  we  find,  that  during  1868,  Mr.  Windsor  was  recalled  to 
the  scene  of  his  labors. 

It  was  during  his  second  pastorate,  that  the  people  seeing  that 
the  majority  of  their  members  were  emmigrating  to  the  neighboring 
town  of  Cresco,  determined  upon  removing  the  church  there. 
'  Accordingly  in  1868,  the  building  was  removed  to  that  place, 
and  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  twelve  feet  to  the  front  and  a  bel-. 
fry  erected  thereon. 

The  reorganization  of  the  society  now  became  necessary  and  a 
meeting  was  called  for  that  purpose,  and  the  object  came  into 
effect,  and  the  edifice  dedicated  October  25th,  of  the  same  year, 
Rev.  Samuel  P.  Sloan,  McGregor,  delivering  the  dedicatory  ad- 
dress. 

In  1871,  Rev.  Mr.  Windsor,  again  resigned  his  charge,  much  to 
the  dissatisfaction  of  the  congregation,  who  all  loved  and  admired 
him;  Rev.  Mr.  Southworth  was  then  called  to  the  pulpit.  The 
latter  gentleman  presided  over  the  destinies  of  the  flock,  until  the 
21st  of  January,  1876,  when  Rev.  A.  S.  McConnell  was  called  and 
assumed  the  position  of  spiritual  guide  to  the  congregation.  His 
initial  sermon  was  preached  about  the  middle  of  February,  and 
and  was  one  of  the  finest  efforts  heard  for  some  time.  The  church 
continues  yet.  under  his  able  ministration,  and  is  in  a  flourishing 
condition. 

This  society  is  noted  as  having  a  very  fine  choir,  which  adds  to 
the  attraction  of  the  church  services,  and  delights  the  true  lover 
of  fine  music. 

The  bell  that  hangs  in  the  belfry,  and  calls  the  worshipper  to 
services  of  the  church  was  presented  to  the  society  by  a  friend  in 
New  liondon,  Conn.,  and  is  noted  as  being  the  first  bell  ever  hung 
in  a  church  tower,  Avithin  the  limits  of  Howard  county. 

The  first  or"janization    of  the    Roman   Catholic   church   in   the 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  437 

county  was  at  New  Oregon,  but  as  the  society  was 
not  of  long  duration  the  records  have  entirely  dissappeared  and 
hence  the  date  is  lost  in  the   mists   of  the  past. 

In  1871,  Rev.  Father  M.  A.  McCarty,  succeeded  in  organizing 
the  chvirch  anew. 

The  church  edifice  was  erected  in  1872,  and  is  a  neat  specimen 
of  church  architecture.  It  is  24x48  feet  in  size  and  cost  $3,000  to 
build. 

Farther  McCarty  still  continues  to  minister  to  the  spiritual 
wants  of  his  flock,  and  is  loved  and  revered  by  all,  witli  whom  he 
comes  in  contact. 

The  congregation  is  not  very  large,  but  the  regularity  with 
which  the  duties  of  the  church  are  attended  speak  well  for  their 
devotion. 

There  is  also  a  German  Lutheran  church  organization,  located 
here  who  have  erected  a  fine  edifice  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
town.     Of  this  society  we  have  no  notes. 

The  Baptist  church  of  Cresco  is  of  comparativel}'  recent  origin. 
In  April,  1878,  a  society  of  this  denomination  was  organized,  of 
which  Rev.  E.  W.  Green  seems  to  have  been  paster. 

They  had  no  church  building  but  appear  to  have  worshipped 
in  Prices  hall,  but  with  nothing  like  any  regularity,  it  being  of  a 
spasmodic  nature,  running  along  nicely  for  a  few  months  then 
suffering  a  suspension  of  a  like  time  and  again  resuming  services. 
This  gave  great  dissatisfaction  all  around,  and  in  1881,  it  was  de- 
termined to  reorganize  on  a  different  basis.  This  was  accordingly 
done  and  on  the  ordination,  of  Rev.  A.  H.  Carman,  he  was  called 
upon  to  act  as  the  pastor.  Under  his  able  leadership,  the  little 
band  has  grown  to  quite  respectable  proportions  and  is  in  a  flour- 
ishing condition. 

In  1882  the  church  edifice  was  erected  and  dedicated  as  a  house 
of  worship  November  5th,  of  that  year.  This  structure  although 
small  in  dimension,  being  but  28x42  feet,  with  a  vestry  14-20,  is 
one  of  the  finest  in  the  city.  In  architecture  it's  a  simplification  of 
the  Elizabethan  gothic  order,  and  the  effect  produced  is  beautiful. 
S.  H.  Clark  was  the  contractor  and  erected  the  structure  for  $2,- 
700. 

Inside,  the  building,  presents  a  fine  appearance,  with  its  stained 
glass  windows,  making  "a   dim   mysterious   light,"   that   superin- 


438  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

duces  to  religions  thoughts.  A  good  Sunday  school  is  also  at- 
tached to  the  churcli.  and  is  well  attended  and  conducted  and  ia 
looked  upon  as  the  nursery  of  the  future  church. 

I.  o.  o.  F. 

Cresco  lodge.  No.  260,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  was 
organized  during  the  spring  of  187-1,  with  ten  charter  members, 
viz:  John  G.  Stradley,  S.  T.  Irvine,  G.  M.  Harris,  C.  S.  Maxson,C. 
F.  Webster,  J.  F.  Webster,  M.  S.  Powall,  J.  J.  Saulsbury,  N.  Pull- 
man, and  I).  W.  Owen. 

J.  G.  Stradley  was  the  first  N.  G.,  and  G.  M.  Harris,  secretary.  . 
The  present  ollicers  are:  Robert  Blackman,  N,  G.;  George  Pratt, 
V.  G.,  and  J.  Welsh,  secretary. 

The  lodge  is  reported  to  be  in  a  tiourishing  condition,  nundier- 
ing  among  it  mau}'^  members,  some  of  the  most  substantial  men  of 
the  county.  The  finances,  as  is  usual  in  the  order,  are  in  excellent 
shape,  and  bright  days  seem  to  be  in  store  for  it. 

MASONIC. 

Cresco  lodge.  No.  150,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  is  an  outgrowth  of  the 
New  Oregon  Lodge,  which  was  moved  to  the  town  of  Cresco, 
March,  1870. 

The  oflicers  at  that  time  were:  M.  M.  Moon,  W.  M.,  and  W.  H. 
Patterson,  secretary. 

After  its  removal  the  membership  increased  rapidly,  and  we  are 
informed  that  the  efficiency  of  tlie  work  is  remarkably  creditable, 
and  that  the  prosperous  condition  of  the  lodge  is  owing  to  the 
energy  of  the  master.  The  present  secretary  is  G.  M.  Harris,  and 
the  worshii)ful  master,  M.  M.  Moon. 

Shih)h  chapter.  No.  64,  R.  A.  M.,  was  organized  August,  1871» 
and  has  a  healthy  growth.  M.  M.  Moon  was  the  first  H.  P., 
and  W.  M.  Fogo,  secretar3^ 

*         WORKMEN. 

Howard  lodge.  No. ,  A.  0.  U.  W.,  was   organized   July   26, 

1876,  and  officers  elected,  as  follows: 

S.  A.  Stone,  P.  M.  W.;  M.  M.  Moon,  M.  W.;  C.  I.  White,  G.  F.; 
M.  L.  Luther,  overseer;  C.  J.  Webber,  recorder;  S.  L.  Smith, 
receiver;  C.  F.  Webster,  financier;  H.  S.  Loomis,  guide;  E.  E. 
Bertrand,  I.  W.;  Jasper  Bottsford,  O.  W.;  B.  F.  Stone,  M.  M. 
Moon,  and  C.  I.  White,  trustees. 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  439 

The  lodge  has  liad  an  ahnost  nniutciruptcd  course  of  success, 
and  is  rated  very  high  in  stanchircl.     The  present  ofhcers  are: 

Jerry  Barker,  P.  M.  W.;  W.  M.  Wildman,  M.  W.;  M.  M.  Moon, 
foreman;  W.  C.  Brown,  overseer;  Jolin  Farnsworth,  receiver;  John 

E.  Peck,  recorder;  Geo.  H.  Kellogg,  financiei ,  Frank  Siiy re,  guide; 
G.  B.  Watts,  T.  W.,  and  A.  G.  Genshaw,  0.  W. 

THE  LAND  LEAGUE 

was  organiy.ed  January  2,  1882,  by  the  C(,'l tic- American  citizens, 
who  ahiiost  to  a  man  belong  to  it.  Tlie  object  is  to  have  a  more 
concerted  action  for  the  relief  of  their  oj)j)ressed  brethren,  across 
the  sea,  and  to  countenance  the  legal  efforts  of  Ireland's  people  to 
throw  off  the  galling  yoke  of  hated  Albion.     The   oflicers   are  P. 

F.  O'Malley,  president;  R.  J.  Mcllugh,  vice-president;  J.  H. 
Foster,  secretary,  and  P.  Connolly,  treasurer. 

TEM I'EHANCK    SOCIETIES. 

There  has  been  a  Good  Templar  lodge,  in  Cresco,  organized 
about  the  year  1874,  which  arose,  flourished  and  met  its  demise 
along  with  niany  other  such  societies.  It  would  seem  that  all 
the  institutions  for  the  improvements  of  the  morals  of  a  com- 
munity, are  but  short-lived.  Several  attempts  have  been  made  to 
resuscitate  it,  but  have  been  abortive. 

Social  Temple  of  Honor  was  organized  November  25,  1-881. 
The  presiding  Templars,  Miss  Violet  K.  Truman,  and  J.  F. 
Webster,  with  Mrs.  M.  M.  Moon,  and  Walter  Doan,  as  recorders. 

Tlie  Father  Matthew  Total  Abstinence  Society,  a  temj)erance 
organization  under  the  ausijici.'s  of  the  llonjim  Catholic  church, 
was  organized  in  the  fall  of  1874.  It  owes  much  of  its  success  to 
the  untiring  eflbrts  of  Father  McCarty,  who  is  ex-oflicio,  the 
leading  s])irit.  Although  having  but  a  small  beginning  it  has 
grown,  grandly,  and  now  numbers  eighty-five  members.  The 
officers  are: 

D.  A.  Lyons,  president;  Bernaid  Dougherty,  vice-president; 
Daniel  Barnes,  secretary,  and  P.  b\  O'Malley,  treasurer. 

This  oi'ganization  has  done  more  good  than  any  other  temper- 
ance body  in  the  town,  and  deserves  all  the  credit  due  it. 

LEGION    OF    HONOR. 

A  lodge  of  this  organization  was  instituted  in  Cresco,  September 
19,  1879,  anrl  is  in  a  flourishing  condition.  The  present  oflicers 
are:    President,    Wu),    Win^raham;    financial   secretary,   John  E. 


440  HISTORY  OF    HOWAKD  COUNTY. 

Peck;  recording  secretaiy,  C.  F.  Webster;  treasurer,  Charles  I. 
White. 

AGRICULTURAL   SOCIETY. 

As  early  as  the  winter  of  1857-8  the  citizens  of  Howard  county 
essayed  to  form  an  agricultural  society,  and  during  the  summer  of 
1858  an  organization  Avas  effected.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  the 
fair  was  held  under  its  auspices  at  Howard  Center.  It  seems, 
however,  that  the  country  was  not  settled  enough  to  support  the 
society,  and  the  whole  matter  was  abandoned  and  the  organization 
disbanded.  In  1866  another  effort  was  made  in  the  same  direc- 
tion, and  a  company  was  formed  under  the  same  name — Howard 
County  Agricultural  Society— but  it  suffered  the  same  fate  as  its 
predecessor,  and  soon  was  numbered  with  the  things  that  were. 
Things  remained  thus,  until  in  1871,  a  new  organization  was  made, 
and  as  the  old  saying  has  it,  "three  time  is  the  charm,"  this  was  a 
success  and  a  grand  one  at  that,  in  fact  it  is  said,  that  no  similar 
society  in  the  state  is  established  on  a  better  or  more  substantial 
basis  than  this.  Its  fairs  and  exhibitions  have  been  a  flattering 
success  from  the  very  beginning.  The  officers,  in  1875,  were:  C. 
F.  Webster,  president;  John  E.  Peck,  vice-president;  John  Stein- 
man,  secretary;  Jesse  Barljer,  treasurer.  The  present  officers  are: 
T.  P.  Davis,  president,  and  C.  F.  Webster,  secretary. 

The  society  owns  some  ten  acres  of  ground,  beautifully  laid 
out,  with  good  buildings,  sheds,  pens,  etc.,  and  a  remarkably  fine 
floral  hall.  Everything  owned  by  the  company  is  paid  for,  and 
with  money  in  the  treasury  they  can  bid  defiance  to  any  adverse 
fortune. 

THE  OLD  SETTLERS  SOCIETY 

was  organized  in  1869,  with  Darius  Seeley  as  president,  and  H.  D. 
Noble  as  secretary.  The  first  annunl  gathering  was  held  the  same 
year,  at  Gillett's  Grove,  Judge  M.  V.  Burdick  delivering  the 
address.  In  1871  the  second  meeting  was  held  a,t  Lime  Springs, 
there  being  none  held  in  1870,  and  was  largely  attended,  W. 
Dobson  being  the  principal  speaker.  The  society  have  held 
annual  meetings  every  year  since,  and  is  in  a  fine  and  healthy  state, 
and  the  gatherings  are  largely  attended  by  the  pioneers,  who  there 
retail  to  each  other  the  stories  of  "old  times,"  and  tell  those 
marvelous  hunting  yarns  they  so  much  delight  in. 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  441 

CRESCO  DRIVING  PARK  ASSOCIATION 

was  at  one  time  one  of  the  most  successful  organizations  of  the 
kind  in  northern  Iowa.  It  was  organized  in  1872,  and  on  its 
inception  purchased  some  eighty  acres  of  land  about  a  mile  from 
the  town  of  Cresco. 

A  mile  track  was  laid  out,  which  was  said  to  be  one  of  the  best 
in  the  state,  and  the  grounds  were  enclosed.  After  a  few  years, 
however,  the  interest  declined,  and  but  little  is  said  about  it  at 
present.  The  Howard  county  agricultural  society  own  ten  acres 
in  the  center  of  the  grounds,  and  to  them  is  due  the  fact  of  the 
preservation  of  the  grounds  and  fences. 

BANKS. 

In  the  early  days  of  Cresco,  in  1868,  Aaron  Kimball  and  John 
Farnsworth  established  a  banking  house,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Kimball  and  Farnsworth,  with  a  capital  large  enough  for  the 
wants  of  the  community  at  that  time.  A  course  of  strict  integrity 
and  honorable  dealing  has  built  up  the  concern,  until,  to-day,  it  is 
noted  ior  its  soundness  and  financial  ability.  The  bank  occupies 
quite  commodious  quarters  on  Elm  street. 

In  1873  A.  D.  Wright  established  a  banking  house  also,  but  it 
was  short-lived  and  exists  no  longer. 

October,  1877,  witnessed  the  opening  of  the  Howard  county 
bank,  then  owned  and  operated  by  Kerby  and  McHugh,  the  latter 
being  the  resident  manager.  After  a  very  successful  run  of  busi- 
ness, in  July,  1880,  John  McHugh  purchased  the  interest  of  D.  R. 
Kerby,  his  partner,  and  under  his  able  management  and  talented 
financiering  the  bank  has  won  a  front  rank  in  the  moneyed  in- 
stitutions of  the  county.  A  large  insurance  business  is  also  trans- 
acted in  connection  with  the  bank,  and  the  neat  and  stylish  ofhce 
on  Elm  street  seems  the  beau  ideal  of  a  banking  room. 

ELEVATORS. 

.  These  are  among  the  most  noteworthy  institutions  of  Cresco. 
One,  that  of  Bassett,  Huntting  &  Co.,  was  built  in  1872,  at  a  cost 
of  $17,000,  and  is  one  of  the  finest  steam  elevators  on  the  line  of 
the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railroad,  and  has  a  Ktorage 
capacity  of  50,000  bushels  of  grain.  The  other,  equally  fine  and 
large,  is  operated  by  Gilchrist  &  Co. 

HOTELS. 

It  would  seem  that  the  first  hotel  in  the  town  of  Cresco,  was  the 


442  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

old  Mansfield  house,  afterwards  known  as  the  DeNoyelles  house.. 
This  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  on  its  site  arose  the  present 
Strother  house.  This  is  the  largest  of  the  hotels  in  Cresco,  and 
the  town  can  boast  of  quite  a  number,  and  is  one  of  the  finest  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  state.  It  is  a  large,  three-story  brick 
veneered  edifice,  trimmed  with  cream  colored  Milwaukee  brick. 
It  is  large,  roomy  and  commodious,  and  fitted  up  with  all  the 
modern  improvements.  The  building  was  erected  in  1876,  by  W. 
Strother,  and  was  opened  for  business  New  Years  night,  1877,  under 
the  management  of  Priest  and  Shaw,  to  whom  it  was  leased.  In 
April,  1877,  however,  Mr.  Shaw  withdrew  from  the  partnarship, 
going  to  ("harles  City,  D.  H.  Priest  still  retaining  the  lease  and 
operating  the  hotel,  until  December,  1879,  when  W.  Strother,  the 
owner,  assumed  the  control,  which  he  continues  to  the  present 
time,  meriting  the  encomiums  of  the  traveling  community,  who  so 
largely  patronize  the  house.  A  mention  of  the  house  without 
speaking  of  the  gentlemanly  clerk,  Sidney  W.  Hart,  would  be 
like  the  play  of  Hamlet  with  the  prince  left  out. 

The  Webster  house,  on  upper  Elm  street,  is  likewise  an  old 
landmark  in  the  town's  history,  and  in  its  early  days  was  kept  by 
J.  F.  Webster,  from  whom  it  derived  its  name.  J.  J.  Mason  is 
now  and  has  been  for  some  time  the  "jolly  host,"  and  the  house 
enjoys  a  good  share  of  business. 

The  Dil  worth  house  was  erected  in  1876,  by  John  Dilworth,  its 
present  owner,  who  has  successfully  conducted  it  since  it  was  first 
built.  Neat  and  commodious,  and  operated  in  first-class  style  it 
enjoys  considerable  popularity. 

The  Van  Slyke  house  is  also  another  of  the  fraternity  of  hotels, 
and  holds  its  .evel  with  its  compeers. 

SHIPMENTS. 

An  indication  of  the  importance  of  Cresco  as  a  shipping  point, 
will  be  found  in  the  following  statement: 

Shipment  of  grain  and  produce  from  Cresco,  via  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railway,  during  the  year  1882: 

Pounds. 

Wheat 1,791,700 

Barley 3,272,940 

Oats 8,979,480  " 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTS  . 

Corn 7/2(57,300 

Potatoes 551,300 

Grass  seed 1,048,5(')0 

Flax  seed 2,214,010 

Flonr 701,900 

Mill  feed 502,330 

Dressed  hogs 55,270 

Hay.. 280,000 

Eggs 20,140 

Butter 775,570 

Poultry 43,000 

Horses 140,000 

Horned  cattle 665,500 

Live  hogs 3,860,000 

Sheep 60,000 


443 


444  UISTORY  OF    HOAVARD  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Forest  City  Township;  Location;  Early  Settlement;  Organi- 
zation; First  Schools;  Postoffice,  Churches,  and  Mills; 
Village  of  Lime  Springs,  First  Settlers;  Mill;  Town  op 
Lime  Springs  Station,  First  jNIerchants,  Mechanics,  Etc.; 
Organization  and  Officers;  Schools,  Churches,  Societies, 
Etc.,  Etc. 


•> 


Forest  City  formerly  was  known  as  Foreston,  and  occupies 
town  one  hundred,  range  twelve,  west,  and  is  the  second  in  the 
northern  tier  of  townships.  For  the  facts,  in  regard  to  this  town, 
we  are  indebted  to  the  Cresco  Times.  In  the  issue  of  that  paper, 
July  6,  1876  it  is  stated,  as  follows: 

"The  first  settlers  that  claimed  the  vacant  lands  and  homes  of 
the  red  men,  were  R.  S.  Buckminster,  J.  Knowlton,  John  Adam 
and  R.  E.  Bassett,  Ben  and  George  Gardner,  Oscar  Chescbro,  the 
three  Mortimers  and  others,  who  all  came  in  the  year  1854. 

"The  precinct  was  organized  from  Vernon  Springs  in  the  fall  of 
185(3;  C.  S.  Thuroer  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  and  Edward 
Bassett,  town  clerk.  The  whole  number  of  votes  cast  at  this 
-election  was  forty. 


HISTORY  OK    HOWARD  COUNTY.  445 

'The  first  school  in  the  township  wns  taught  l)y  Miss  Helen 
Van  Leuvan,  in  the  year  185G,  and  the  second  was  opened  by 
James  Morris,  in  the  winter  of  1857-8. 

"The  first  postoflfice  was  established  at  Lime  Springs  in  1855,  A. 
D.  C.  Knowlton,  postmaster." 

The  first  death  in  the  township  occurred  in  the  winter  of  1854-5, 
and  was  that  of  John  Mortimer,  who  was  the  pioneer  in  the  city 
of  the  dead. 

"The  year  1859  seems  to  have  been  a  year  prolific  in  the  forma- 
tion of  church  societies.  The  Jjaj^tist  being  the  first  to  lead  off, 
under  the  direction  of  Rev.  C.  E.  Brown,  of  Vernon  Springs,  at 
Lime  S})rings.  The  Methodist  following  shortly  in  the  wake  by 
organizing  two  cluirches,  one  at  Foreston  village,  and  one  at  Lime 
Springs,  both  owing  their  existence  to  the  energy  of  Rev.  Water- 
bury,  of  New  Oregon.  The  Presbyterian  denomination  not  to  be 
outdone,  also  started  churches  at  each  of  the  above  places,  in  the 
same  year,  under  the  ministration  of  Rev.  A.  Craig.  The  religious 
revival  of  that  year  seemed  to  have  permeated  all  people,  and 
denominations  vied  with  each  other  in  the  formation  of  societies, 
and  erection  of  temples  of  worship. 

"For  natural  beauty  of  scenery  this  precinct  cannot  be  excelled. 
The  rocky  shores  of  the  Upper  Iowa,  fringed  with  the  umbrageous 
shade  of  primeval  trees,  the  high,  rolling  prairies  spreading  like  a 
petrified'  sea  of  emeralds,  the  cosy  homes  nestling  in  the  beautiful 
groves  that  dot  its  surface,  all  go  to  make  up  a  jjicture  not  often 
met  with,  and  where  it  is  the  lover  of  nature  stands  entranced." 

"Along  the  banks  of  the  river  were  found  the  many  caujping 
greunds  of  the  aborigines,  and  it  is  told  that  they  were  a  matter 
of  considerable  curiosity  to  the  early  settlers,  one  J.  Knowlton,  in 
his  seeking  over  their  locality,  picking  up  and  preserving  a  knife 
lost  by  some  Indian  owner. 

Fine  water  ])0wer8  are  \vithin  the  limits  of  the  township,  which 
have  been  improved  to  some  extent,  3  mills  being  erected,  one  at 
Foreston,  one  at  Lime  Springs  (old  town),  and  another  about  two 
miles  west  of  the  latter  place.  The  precinct  contains,  besides  the 
villages  of  Foreston  and  Lime  Springs,  the  town  of  Lime  S^n-ings 
Station,  the  second  town  in  the  county  in  regard  to  population 
and  business. 

The  old  town  of  Lime  Springs  was  first  settled  by  Oscar  Chese- 


446  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

bro,  and  Joseph  Knowlton,  in  the  year  1854;  here  they  erected 
their  homes,  and  gathered  around  them  quite  a  settlement.  In 
the  spring  of  1857  tlie  most  of  the  land  belonging  to  some  land 
speculators,  0.  and  W.  O.  Wood  by  name,  they  laid  out  a  town 
plat. 

The  country  settling  up  caused  quite  an  influx  of  merchants 
and  mechanics,  and  the  site  soon  began  to  assume  the  appearance 
of  a  village,  until  two  years  later,  in  1859,  it  contained  two  stores, 
one  blacksmith  shop,  a  wagon  maker,  tavern,  school  house,  and 
some  twelve  jv  fourteen  dwelling  houses.  The  names  of  these 
early  settlers  are  A.  D.  C.  Knowlton,  .Joseph  Knowlton,  M.  M. 
Marsh,  C.  C.  Hewitt,  W.  O.  Dheseboro,  H.  H.  Wells,  Oliver  Chese- 
boro,  and  G.  M.  Van  Leuvan,  the  latter  gentlemen  being  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  law,  and  was  the  first  lawyer  in  the  township. 
The  large  •i.rist  mill  was  erected  in  1859-60,  by  M.  M.  Marsh,  and 
was,  at  the  time,  one  of  the  best  in  that  section. 

This  mill  is  a  large  three-story  structure,  partly  built  of  stone 
and  partly  frame,  and  stands  on  a  natural  elevation  on  the 
banks  of  the  Upper  Iowa  river,  whose  current  is  utilized  to  propel 
its  machinery.  Since  its  erection  by  Mr.  Marsh  it  has  passed 
through  the  hands  of  several  parties,  notably  that  of  I.  N.  Drake, 
of  Volga  City.  The  Lime  Springs  milling  company,  consisting  of 
H.  W.  Babcock  and  A.  F.  Baumgartner,who  are  the  present  owners 
and  operators,  and  they  intend  to  increase  the  facilities  and  extend 
the  business  by  the  addition  of  newer  and  more  improved 
machinery. 

The  Avater  power  is  first-class  in  every  respect,  and  is  a  never 
failing  source  of  motive  power.  Four  run  of  stone  is  the  present 
equipment  of  the  mill,  but  the  early  spring  will  witness  the  intro- 
duction of  the  roller  system  for  making  fine  flour,  when  the  old 
grinding  apparatus  will  be  used  to  grind  feed  for  cattle,  hogs,  and 
horses. 

The  same  company  own  some  fifteen  acres  of  pasture  land,  on 
which  are  kept  some  fine  stock. 

The  mill  is  situated  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  from  the  station 
of  Lime  Springs,  and  cannot  keep  ahead  of  their  orders  by  run- 
ning both  night  and  day.  A  large  amount  of  grinding  is  done  for 
the  farmers  of  the  surrounding  country,  besides  the  large  merchant 
business  controlled  by  it. 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  447 

This  is  nlmost  the  only  busincps  now  in  existence  at  the  old 
town,  for  when,  in  1868,  the  railroad  located  the  station  where  it 
now  is,  the  business  of  the  town  naturally  gravitated  there,  until 
it  is  almost  deserted.  Two  churches  still  point  their  spires 
heavenward,  one  belonging  to  the  Baptist,  and  the  other  to  the 
Methodist  denomination.  The  latter  church  seems,  in  these  later 
times  to  have  the  general  harmony  of  the  society  marred  by 
internal  dissensions.  Those  of  the  community  who  have  removed 
to  the  station  of  Lime  Springs,  ^desiring  to  move  thither  the 
chircli  edifice,  are  met  by  the  action  of  those  who  remain  in  the 
"old  town,"  whose  interests  are  diametrically  opposed  thereto,  and 
the  matter  has  to  be  decided  by  some  legal  tribunal. 

LIME  SPRINGS  STATION 

is,  next  to  Cresco,  the  most  important  one  in  the  county,  both  as 
in  regard  to  population  and  amount  of  business  transacted.  It  is 
located  on  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  twenty-nine,  in  the 
township  of  Forest  City,  on  the  line  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee 
&  St.  Paul  railroad,  and  about  ten  miles  northwest  from  Cresco. 

Laid  out  with  fine  broad  streets,  whose  sides  are  fringed  with 
stately  trees  and  smiling  cottages,  or  busy  marts  of  trade  and 
commerce,  the  town  presents  a  charming  appearance,  and  well 
deserves  the  encomiums  lavished  upon  it  by  its  citizens.  The 
place  has  grown  with  _  a  growth  that  in  rapidity  has  scarcely  a 
parallel.  On  the  location  of  the  depot  of  the  railroad  not  even  a 
single  house  was  erected,  but  in  the  course  of  a  few  short  months 
a  flourishing  town  had  sprung  into  existence,  and  what  had  been 
the  pasture  of  the  flocks  and  herds,  echoed  to  the  noise  of  artisan 
and  mechanic,  and  the  hurrying  of  tradesmens'  feet. 

In  the  spi'ing  of  1868  the  town  was  born,  as  has  been  said,  on 
the  decision  of  the  railroad  company  to  place  a  depot  at  this 
point,  and  was  known  as  Lime  Springs  Station,  although  the  gov- 
ernment called  it  Glen  Roy  postoffice  to  distinguish  it  from  the 
older  town,  for  many  years. 

Among  the  first  merchants  to  settle,  were:  Peter  Velie,  jr. 
general  merchandise;  S.  L.  Carry,  the  same;  John  T.  Cameron, 
produce;  W.  F.  Daniels,  groceries;  J.  E.  Foster,  furniture  and 
undertaking;  C.  C.  Hewitt,  hardware;  Josei)h  Knowlton,  hard- 
ware and  stoves;  H.  P.  Marsh,  lumber;    M.  M.  and  A.  E.  Marsh 


448  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

drugs  and  medicines;  Ohlqnist  Bros.,  boots  and  shoes,  and  Alonzo* 
M.  Pettit,  groceries  and  confectioneries. 

The  first  wagon  makers  to  locate  and  open  up  places  of  business 
were   Henry    D.    Brown  and  William   P.   Reynolds,  but  which  of 
these  is  the  predecessor,  is  u^ncertain. 

Lorin  J.  Johnsoiv  was  the  first  to  make  and  sell  harness  in  the 
town,  and  the  date  of  his  settlement  is  identical  with  the  birth  of 
the  village. 

D.  M.  Fuller  was  the  first  architect  and  builder,  and  Drs.  John 
W.  Reed  and  Joseph  N.  Medbery  the  pioneer  physicians. 

Among  the  first  j^laces  of  business  opened  in  the  town  Miller 
&  Son's  extensive  livery  stable  and  dray  and  'bus  line  must  not 
be  forgotten. 

The  postoffice  was  established  in  IMarch,  1868,  and  James  Green- 
leaf  commissioned  as  postmaster,  but  from  some  cause  he  held  the 
office  but  about  one  month,  when  he  resigned  it,  and  Alonzo  M.. 
Pettit  was  appointed  in  his  place,  and  still  enjoys  the  emoluments 
of  the  office. 

The  Presbyterian  church,  a  large  frame  structure  with  oval 
window  frames,  was  erected  in  the  year  1870,  and  is  now  under  the 
able  ministration  of  Rev.  P.  S.  Helms,  who  is  loved  and  revered 
by  all  in  the  community,  both  in  and  out  of  his  church.  The 
interior  of  tlie  building  is  well  finished,  Avith  frescoed  ceiling,  and 
is  well  carpeted,  possesses  a  fine  organ  and  services  are  well 
attended.  In  the  spire,  which  adorns  the  front  of  the  building, 
hangs  a  silvery  toned  bell  that  calls  the  devoutly  inclined  to 
worship. 

The  Baptist  denomination  also  possess  a  neat  and  tasty  church 
edifice,  wherein  Elder  C.  E.  Brown  holds  forth  occasionally,  and 
Elder  Benedict,  on  the  alternate  Sundays,  holds  regular  services, 
and  administers  the  rites  of  the  church  when  the  occasion  de- 
mands. This  edifice  was  erected  about  the  same  time  as  the  other 
church. 

The  school  building  is  a  fine  large  brick  building,  and  contains 
three  rooms,  and  stands  in  a  large  open  play  ground.  The  tutor- 
ship is  vested  in  T.  Dexter,  principal,  and  Misses  Libbie  Smith 
and  Hattie  Johnson.  There  is  also  a  fourth  department,  located 
at  the  old  town  under  the  supervision  of  Miss  Ida  Cheseboro. 


HISTOKY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  449 

The  schools  have  an  average  attendance  of  fifty  scholars,  and 
present  a  remarkably  high  grade  of  study.  The  standard  of  the 
schools  owes  much  to  the  efficiency  and  ability  of  Mr.  Dexter, 
who  has  direct  oversight  of  all  the  departments.  His  method  of 
imparting  instruction  is  novel,  and  is  calculated  to  impress  the 
knowledge  desired  upon  the  mind  of  the  pupil  to  a  surprising 
degree. 

The  incorporation  of  the  town  of  Lime  Springs  Station,  dates 
from  May,  1876.  At  the  first  election  held  in  that  month,  W.  P. 
Daniels  was  elected  mayor;  Peter  Velie,  jr.,  recorder,  and  H.  P. 
Marsh,  Ole  Tistleson,  G.  Somsen,  C.  E.  Hamlin,  and  J.  F.  Thomp- 
son as  members  of  the  council. 

Mr.  Daniels  did  not  see  fit  to  qualify  and  assiime  the  office,  to 
which  he  was  elected,  and  J.  F.  Thompson  acted  as  mayor,  pro 
tem.,  until  May  29th,  when  a  special  election  was  held  for  the 
purpose  of  electing  a  mayor  to  fill  the  vacancy,  and  J.  E.  Foster 
was  elected  and  immediately  assumed  the  duties  of  the  office. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  council,  held  after  he  had  assumed 
the  chair,  S.  A.  Miller  was  appointed  marshal;  Peter  Velin,  jr., 
treasurer,  and  H.  C.  Hewitt,  collector. 

At  a  meeting  held  May  30,  1876,  it  was  resolved  to  build  a  jail 
or  calaboose  for  the  use  of  the  city,  on  lot  11,  block  1,  and  in 
accordance  with  the  resolution  Avork  was  begun,  and  the  building 
erected  in  .the  succeeding  month. 

The  city  officers,  at  the  present  writing  (March,  1883),  are: 

W.  F.  Daniels,  mayor;  Charles  Gorst,  recorder;  L.  J.  Johnson, 
F.  M.  Clark,  Ole  Tistbson,  W.  H.  Farrar,  Joseph  Knowlton,  and 
Thomas  Gates,  councilmen.  But  at  the  election,  held  tliis  nKmth, 
however,  W.  F.  Daniels  was  re-elected  mayor,  Charles  Gorst, 
recorder,  and  A.  S.  Lambert,  and  J.  F.  Thompson,  as  councilmen 
in  the  place  of  Messrs.  Knowlton  and  Gates,  who  retire  to  the 
shades  of  private  life. 

Lime  Springs  Station  has  a  population,  according  to  the  census 
of  1880,  oi  468,  and  the  old  town.  Lime  Springs,  225. 

The  only  manufacturing  interest  in  the  village  is  the  Lime 
Springs  Manufacturing  Company's  "Works.  Here  are  made  all 
kinds  of  buggies,  wagons,  and  agricultural  implements,  and  is 
doing  an  extensive  and  remunerative  business.     A.  A.  Sage  is  the 


450  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY - 

head  of  the  concern,  and  it  is  owing  to  his  energy  and  persevei- 
ance  that  the  company  is  on  its  present  footing.  The  large  brick 
structure  on  the  eastern  limits  of  the  town  is  well  filled  with  work 
in  the  process  of  being  manufactured. 

Among  the  societies  established  in  the  town,  the 

LIME  SPRINGS  LODGE,  NO.  122,  A.  O.  U.  W., 

is  the  most  popular,  possessing  a  large  membership.  It  was 
organized  in  the  year  1876,  and  is  in  a  very  flourishing  financial 
condition.  Meetings  are  held  the  first  and  third  Fridays  of  every 
month,  and  are  well  attended.     The  officers  are: 

J.  D.  Brown,  M.  W.;  J.  T.  Smith,  financier,  and  W.  H. 
Farrar,  recorder. 

MASONIC. 

Howard  lodge,  No.  214,  is  an  old  established  organization,  and 
possesses  a  fine  lodge  room.  About  forty  brothers,  in  good  stand- 
ing, are  reported  as  the  present  membership.  G.  M.  Van  Leuvan 
is  the  worshipful  master,  and  A.  D.  Prescott  the  senior  warden  at 
present. 


HISTORY  OF  HOWARD   COUNTY.  453 


CHAPTER  X. 


Township  History;  Location  and  Early  Settlements  of  Sar- 
atoga, Paris,  Afton,  Jamestown,  Howard  Centre,  Albion, 
New  Oregon;  Early  Churches,  Schools,  Mills,  and  Set- 
tlers Therein. 


SARATOGA. 

The  history  of  this  township  is  given  by  H.  D.  Noble,  so  fully, 
that  we  can  do  no  better  than  quot  it  almost  entire.        He    says: 

"Saratoga  township  consists  of  congressional  town  99,  range  13, 
and  belonged  before  its  organization  to  Jamestown. 

"The  first  settler  that  pitched  his  tent  therein  was  Jared  Sigler, 
who  settled  on  Crane  creek,  in  July,  1854.  In  the  winter  follow- 
ing, Chas.  Salmon,  claimed  the  southwestquarter  of  section  twenty, 
and  laid  out  the  village  plat  of  Saratoga.  The  town  first  organ- 
ized in  the  summer  of  1858,  and  the  first  election  was  held  in 
October,  oi  tliat  year.  Thomas  J.  Gibbons,  was  elected  justice  of 
the  peace,  and  John  R.  Buckbee,  town  clerk.  The  whole  number 
of  votes  cast  at  that  election  was  but  fourteen. 

"In  the  summer  of  1858,  Rev.  Coleman  organized  the  first  Con- 
gregational church. 


454  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

"During  that  same  year  the  first  school  was  also  opened  and  was 
taught  by  Miss  Emma  Seeley. 

"This  town  is  situated  on  one  of  the  finest  portions  of  Crane 
creek.  Running  as  the  stream  does,  through  the  whole  length  of 
the  township,  makes  Saratoga  as  well  watered  as  any  section  of 
country  need  be.  The  timl)er  being  confined  to  the  banlvs  of  the 
creek. 

"The  prairie  is  low  and  grassy  for  the  most  part,  still  many  fine, 
warm  and  dry  farms  are  mingled  with  the  beautiful  grass  lands  in 
right  proportion  for  successful  farming,  in  all  its  departments." 

PARIS   TOWNSHIP. 

Is  located  on  township  98,  range  12,  and  the  north  half  of  town- 
ship 97,  range  12,  and  ccmtains  54  sections.  The  first  settlers,  of 
which  there  seems  to  be  any  record  or  rememberance,  were 
Thomas  Griffin  and  Patrick  Richards,  who  located  in  the  year 
1855. 

They  were  followed,  in  1856,  by  J.  I.  Sturgis  and  others,  in  the 
early  spring  and  for  man}''  years  thereafter  the  place  was  known 
as  "Sturgis  Point."  The  town  was  organized  from  New  Oregon,  in 
1858,  and  at  the  first  election,  P.  Smith  Avas  elected  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  P.  G^'ifiin,  town  clerk.  Twenty-two  votes  were  polled 
in  all. 

During  the  winter  of  1857-8  a  school  was  opened  for  the  rising  . 
generation,  and  I.  C.  Chaml)erlain  wielded  the  Birch  and 

"Full  many  a  whisper,  circling  round. 
Conveyed  the  dismal  tidings,  Avhen  he  frowned." 

In  1857,  a  post  office  was  established  at  Sturgis'  Point,  with  J. 
I.  Sturgis  as  presiding  genius. 

This  township  is  beautifully  divided  between  grove  and  prairie, 
and  well  watered,  as,  indeed  is  all  the  county,  by  never  failing 
springs.  Running  diagonally  through  the  southwest  corner  of  the 
town  is  Crane  creek,  and  abundant  grass  lands  seem  to  point  that 
the  hand  of  Providence  intended  this  land  for  grazing,  for  nowhere 
can  finer  beef  be  made  than  on  the  bottom  lands  and  high  prai- 
ries of  this  section. 

AFTON    TOWNSHIP. 

Consists  of  town  98,  range  14,  and  nortli  half  of  town  97,  range 
14,  and  was  settled  by  A.  Pooler,  in  the  fall  of  1854,  set  olf  from 
Howard,  to  which  it  was  heretofore  attached,  in  1858,  and  organ- 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  455- 

ized  in  1858  as  a  sepernte  townsliip.  A.  M.  CoAvaii,  and  R.  Wooten 
were  elected  justices  of  the  peace.  Forty-eight  votes  were  polled 
at  this  election. 

In  lS58,tho  Methodists  organized  a  church  and  under  the  minis- 
tration of  Rev.  A\'.  Patterson  made  quite  a  mark  in  the  history 
of  those  early  days. 

Tradition  hath  it,  that,  in  the  cold  winter,  of  1856,  two  men  of 
this  town  W.  Glass  and  Van  Am  burg,  not  being  able  to  resist  the 
benumbing  effects  of  hypoborean  winter  Avere  frozen  to  death. 

HOWARD    TOWNSHIP 

was  first  settled  by  W.  S.  Pettitone,  in  August,  1854.  It  was  first 
organized  as  a  township  with  Alton,  and  then  occupied  congress- 
ional town  98,  range  13,  north  half  97,  range  13,  town  98,  range 
14,  and  north  half  of  town  97,  range  14. 

The  date  of  this  organization  was  1856,  but  in  the  spring  of 
1858  it  was  divided  into  two  precincts,  the  eastern  one  being  called 
Howard,  the  western,  Afton.  Under  the  new  organization,  F.  E.  Day- 
ton and  W.  S.  Pettibone  were  elected  justices  of  the  peace,  and  Jas. 
Hall,  town  clerk.  Eight  votes  Avere  all  that  was  polled  at  this 
election. 

The  post  office  village  at  Busti,  is  the  only  approach  to  a  town 
in  the  township,  and  it  was  here  that  a  settlement  was  started 'by  a 
colony  from  Erie,  Pa.,  but  it  never  grew  beyond  a  tidy  collection 
of  houses,  and  still  languishes,  and  awaits  the  great  future. 

JAMESTOWN   TOWNSHIP. 

While  hunting  through  the  musty  records  of  the  past  for  the 
history  of  this  town,  tlie  following  article,  from  the  able  pen  of 
Mrs.  E.  V.  Bennett,  was  found  in  the  files  of  the  Cresco  Times, 
and  as  it  covers  all  the  ground,  we  have  taken  the  liberty  to  quote 
freely  from  it,  feeling  that  no  efforts  of  ours  could  more  fully  cover 
the  ground.      In  speaking,  first  of  the  toi)Ography,  the  article  says: 

'^The  main  body  of  our  woodlands  is  on  sections  7,  8,  17,  and 
18,  and  constitutes  Avhat  tlie  earliest  settlers  at  Wentworth,, 
Mitchell  county,  named  Round  Grove,  from  its  appearance  at  that 
distance.  This  timber  consists  of  jack  oak,  burr  oak,  poplar  and 
basswood,  with  a  sn)all  portion  of  ehn,  ma])le  and  butternut. 

"A  brook  zig-zags  along  the  western  line  of  sections  7  and  18,  in 
the  latter  of  which  it  unites  with  Spring  creek  (which  in  section. 
19  has  another  small  tributary).      Thus   linking   the   springs  and 


456  HISTOEY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

narrow  water  courses  of  the  northwest  portion  of  the 
township,  this  stream  crosses  our  west  line  in  section  30, 
and  a  Httle  further  on  is  merged  into  the  Wapsipinicon. 

"That  wealth  of  timber  in  Round  Grove  explains  the  fact  that 
emmigration  first  centred  there,  and  commenced  at  that  point  our 
historical  outline. 

"The  brook  called  by  settlers,  the  Little  VVapsie,  rises  near  the 
centre,  and  runs  south  about  midway  through  the  township.  This 
slender  stream  has  no  timbered  margin  within  our  limits,  yet  it 
also  attracted  settlement,  and  was  bordered  with  pre-emptions. 

"Township  99,  north,  and  range  14,   west  of  the  5th  principal 

meridian,  was  first  sttled  by  whites  in   1854.      That  year  Messrs 

VanHoughton,  Niles,  Shaw  and  son  broke  a  few  acres  of  ground 

and  started  their  log  cabins  in  Round   Grove.      Before  that  date 

the  surveyors  foot  alone  had  threaded  its  section  lines;    though 

the  wild  beasts  of  the  wood  and  prairie  had  long  before  laid  claim  to 

these  solitudes,  and  without  filing  their  intentions  had  preempted 

the  entire  wilderness. 

"The  Teeple  brothers  came  from  Canada  in  the  spring   of  1855. 

and  located  on  section  6,  which  the  four  brothers  George,  Ed- 
ward, Stephen  and  Albert,  pre-empted." 

These  settlers  seem  to  have  been  immediately  followed  by  Ed. 
Irish  and  Samuel  Hallett,  who,  however  did  not  stay  long,  but 
sold  out  to  actual  settlers. 

^^'illis  Spencer  was  the  next,  with  his  three  sons-in-law,  David 
Patterson,  Thos.  De  Moss  and  Lucius  Fassett,  who  all  came  in 
June  of  the  same  year,  a  colony  of  eighteen  persons.  In  quick 
order  followed  Wm.  and  Dennis  Rice,  James  E.  Bennett  and 
others.  A  party  (who  came  with  Bennett)  erected  a  steam  saw 
mill,  which  they  had  brought  with  them,  and  commenced 
operations  in  February,  1856  furnishing  lumber  for  a  number  of 
pre-emption  houses.  This  mill,  however,  was  a  losing  investment, 
and  it  was  finally  sold  at  auction,  and  taken  to  the  Upper  Iowa. 
The  first  case  tried  in  the  Howard  county  court,  Rice  &  Bradford 
vs.  Cutting,  grew  out  of  this  mill  property. 

The  comjjan}'-  who  constituted  the  mill  party,  were  Jas.  A.  Cut- 
ting D.  P.  Bradford,  Jno.  Molfitt,  and  Lyman  Southard,  who  all 
locatad  claims  within  the  present  boundaries  of  the  town.  These 
parties  date  their  incoming  from  the  fall  and  winter  of  1855,  and 
before  the  new  year  had  dawned  Milo  S.  Torsey,  Chas.  D.  Cutting, 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  •   457 

Hazen  Ricker  and  John  Fiefield  had  joined  this  little  squad  of 
hardy  pioneers.  We  must  not  forget  to  mention  Asel  Wilmot  and 
Luther  Titeuni  who  are  beleived  to  have  located  also  this  year. 
The  year  1856  saw  a  large  emmigration,  most  of  those  who  settled 
being  from  New  York,  and  the  New  England  states.  The  most 
conspicuous  names  being  Darius  and  Smith  W.  Seeley,  the  first 
named  being  afterwards  county  judge.  It  is  said  that  in  the 
spring  1858  the  actual  settlers  on  pre-empted  land — pre-emj)tors 
as  they  were  called — numbered  sixty-three.  Again  we  quote  fiom 
Mrs.  E.  V.  Bennett's  article: 

"A  meeting  was  called  January  1,  1856,  to  name  the  township, 
after  some  discussion  it  was  named  for  the  two  persons  who  were 
then  supposed  to  be  the  equal  owners  of  the  steam  mill;  (Bennett 
and  Cutthig). 

"The  first  birth  was  that  of  Marcus  DeMoss,  April  12,  1856.  The 
first  death  and  burial  was  that  of  Mrs.  D.  Patterson,  in  June, 
1857. 

The  first  marriage  was,  is  believed,  that  of  Miss  Martha  Cassety  to 
Ralph  Watson,  in  December,  1858,  Elder  Grifiin,  a  Baptist  minister 
officiating.  The  first  and  only  singing  school  was  taught  in  the 
winter  of  1867-8  by  Dr.  Stockwell." 

The  first  election  held  in  the  township  was  during  th  presiden- 
tial election  of  56;  but  the  following  spring,  April  7,  an  election 
was  held  for  township  and  county  officers,  with  the  following  re- 
sult: 

W.  E.  Thayer  and  D.  Patterson,  constables;  H.  Ricker,  Asel 
Fasset  and  Smith  W.  Seeley,  town  trustees;  and  Willis  Spencer 
and  Darius  Seeley,  justices  of  the  peace. 

Among  the  first  things  mentioned,  must  not  be  forgotten  the 
first  school.  This  was  opened  and  taught  by  Miss  Jane  Chandler, 
in  a  barn,  on  section  27,  during  the  year  1857.  This  school  was 
not  at  the  i)ublic  exjense.  The  first  public  schools,  were  two, 
opened  during  the  summer  of  1858,  one  taught  by  Miss  Mary  St. 
John,  the  other  by  Miss  Cassety.  "The  first  school  house"  says 
Mrs.  Bennett,  "was  built  of  logs,  in  Round  Grove,  in  1857." 

In  regard  to  early  church  matters  the  same  article  has  some 
very  interesting  matter  from  which  we  glean.  It  seems  that  Seeley 
and  St.  John  walking  home  from  Rices,where  they  had  been  attend- 
ing a  Sabbath  school,  talked  of  the  matter  of  establishing  a  Sun- 


458      "  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

day  scliool  nearer  home,  circumstances  favoring  them  a  class 
was  formed  which  developed,  into  a  Congregational  society  of 
thirteen  members,  organized  by  Rev.  W.  Coleman.  Meetings  were 
held  alternately  in  the  houses  of  Deacons  Seeley  and  St.  John, 
and  afterwards  contiuously  in  the  school  house  a  number  of 
souls  of  being  added  in  the  interim. 

The  iNIethodists,  while  many  of  the  early  settV^rs  were  of  that 
faith  formed  no  class  until  18G9,  when  Elder  Mapes,  organized  a 
society  of  fifteen  members.  In  1874,  the  Methodists  dedicated  a 
church  in  Riceville,  a  commodious  and  attractive  gothic  struc- 
ture. 

The  Baptist  interest  is  quite  an  entensive  one,  and  is  embodied 
in   a  Riceville  church  beyond  the  boundaries  of  the  county. 

The  hotel  was  opened  in  1870  by  James  Hendricks  on  the  north- 
west quarter  of  section  thirty. 

The  first  post  office  was  established  in  1856  at  the  steam  mill, 
with  D.  P.  Bradford  to  handle  the  letters.  This  post  office  after 
being  moved  to  the  house  of  Erastus  Leache,  where  it  was  burned 
and  never  re-established,  but  removed  to  that  part  of  Riceville  that 
lies  within  the  boundaries  of  Mitchell  county. 

HOWARD    CENTRE    TOWNSHIP. 

In  1877,  Laban  Hassett,  one  of  the  older  settlers  and  for  many 
years  county  surveyor,  wrote  a  history  of  this  town,  which  was 
published  in  the  Cresco  Times  from  which  we  freely  quote,  by 
permission.  The  account  recites,  in  "the  first  place,  that  H.  K. 
Averill,  deputy  U.  S.  surveyor,  says  in  regard  to  to  the  section  in 
question. 

"This  township,  lying  as  it  does,  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  main 
branches  of  the  Turkey  river,  is  remarkably  smooth  and  even.  It 
is  possessed  with  a  preponderance  of  first-rate  soil,  and  is  tolerably 
well  watered  by  creeks  and  marshes.  There  are  but  few  springs  in 
the  township.     No  minerals  are  found,  within  its  boundaries. 

'•Settlement  was  first  made  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  precinct,  in 
1855  by  Royal  0.  Thayer,  who  arrived  in  April  of  that  year." 

Immediately  following  him  we  find  the  names  of  Alfred 
Eldridge  and  Willard  E.  Thayer,  as  pioneers  of  this  section.  In 
1855,  came  also  Ira  Eldridge,  who  at  once  proceeded  to  erect  a 
Btore,   having  brought  with  him  a  stock  of  goods.  It  was  with  great 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  459 

difficulty  that  he  obtained  lumber  for  the  purpose  of  i^uilding  his 
store. 

A  small  part  of  it  he  got  from  Harlows  mill  at  New  Oregon, 
and  the  balance  he  brought  from  the  Mississppi  river,  except  the 
studs  and  rafters  which  later  were  hewn  out  of  poles  cut  in  the 
grove. 

The  roof  was  made  of  lap  shingles,  split  from  oak  timber. 
Early  in  September,  he  opened  his  stock  of  goods.  He  also  pre- 
empted the  northeast  quarter  of  section  36. 

Michael  Creamer  and  Patrick  Mullen  were  also  among  the 
pioneers  of  that  year,  and  Mr.  Hassett  reports  that  in  the  following 
year,  viz: 

In  1850,  that  there  were  added  to  the  population,  of  the  town- 
ship about  forty  pre-emptors;  among  whose  names  we  find  those 
of  Wm.  Conery,  John  F.  Thayer,  Wm.  A.  and  Calvin  F.  Webster, 
Henry  A.  Cook,  Laban  Hassett,  Lawence  Long  and  others. 

In  the  spring  of  1856,  John  F.  Thayer,  commenced  the  erection 
of  a  hotel,  where  Howard  Centre  now  stands,  which  was  so  far 
con)pleted  on  July  4th,  that  it  was  used  for  a  dinning  room  and 
dance  hall,  although  the  sesond  story  was  not  j^et  up. 

"The  4th  of  July,"  says  Mr.  Hassett,  "was  celebrated  in  a  grove 
south  of  the  creek,  where  seats  were  very  conveniently  arranged 
for  the  attendants. 

"The  principal  speakers  were  James  G.  Upton  and  M.  V.  Bur- 
dick.  IMr.  B.  delivering  the  oration.  Allusion  was  made  to  the 
fact,  that  the  camp  fires  of  the  Indians  had  been  but  recently  ex- 
tinguished, and  yet,  about  200  persons  were  in  attendance  to  cele- 
brate the  nations  birthday.  New  Oregon  and  Vernon  Springs, 
furnishing  a  large  jaortion  of  the  assemblage." 

The  town  of  Howard  Centre  (which  now  boasted  of  a  hotel  and 
store,)  was  laid  out  and  platted,  and  put  upon  record.  The 
acknowledgement  of  the  plat  bears  date  December  1,  1856,  and  is 
signed  by  Calvin  F.  Webster,  Jno.  F.  Thayer,  and  wife,  Thomas 
R.  Perry  and  wife,  W.  E.  Thayer  and  wife,  and  Royal  O.  Thayer 
and  wife. 

A  hack  was  run  to  Decorah  for  the  accomodation  of  individ- 
uals, and  to  bring  supplies. 

The  fall  of  1856,  having  been  very  dry,  the  infant  settlement 
suffered  much  damage  from  prairie  fires,  and  winter  setting  in  with 


460  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

the  greatest  intensit}^  and  is  remembered  to  this  day  by  those  who 
experienced  it,  as  the  coldest  they  ever  knew,  many  of  the  poor 
settlers  suffered  much.  Many  of  them  had  not  time  to  finish  their 
houses,  and  Avere  poorly  protected  from  the  wintery  blasts.  Several 
persons  Avere  frozen  to  death  in  the  awful  "blizzard"  of  the  13th  of 
December,  among  them  Wm.  Niles  of  this  town. 

Thayers  hotel  was  burned  on  the  5th  of  February,  1857,  when 
the  air  was  so  filled  with  snow  flakes,  that  his  neighbors  half  a 
mile  distant  did  not  see  the  flames. 

Mr.  Hassett  relates  that,  "a  school  was  in  session  m  the  hall,  taught 
by  W.  B.  Stone,  and  the  fire  caught  from  the  stove  pipe.  Mr. 
Thayer  Avas  absent  in  the  grove,  after  timber  to  build  a  barn,  and 
when  he  reached  home  took  in  the  situation;  he  commenced  hum- 
ming a  tune  in  a  manner  peculiar  to  John  F.,  and  said:  "Well  I 
may  as  well  draw  this  stick  up  there;  I  shall  need  a  shanty  to 
live  in;"  and  accordingly  left  the  timber  by  the  burning  coals.  He 
had  the  hotel  rebuilt,  larger  than  before,  and  in  readyness  for 
occupation  by  the  4th  of  July  next." 

The  first  post  oflSce  was  established  in  March,  1857,  and  Henry 
A.  Cook  Avas  the  first  postmaster.  He  soon  resigned,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  A.  M.  Pettitt. 

"The  order  for  the  organization  of  Howard  Centre  township, 
isssued  to  John  F.  Thayer,  by  Judge  Upton  and  attested  by  E. 
Gillett,  Avas  dated  March  13th,  1857."  The  first  election  was  held 
at  the  house  of  J.  F.  Thayer,  on  the  6th  of  April,  1857,  at  which 
tAventy  "three  votes  were  polled. 

Frank  S.  TreAV,  was  elected  Justice  of  the  peace;  Ira  Eldridge, 
Chas.  H.  Wood  and  Calvin  F.  Webster,  township  trustees;  T.  R. 
Perry,  township  clerk;  R.  O.  Thayer  and  O.  A.  Bunker,  consta- 
bles. The  judges  of  this  election  were  C.  H.  Wood,  J.  Webster 
and  Jno.  F.  Thayer;  and  the  clerks,  T.  R.  Perry  and  William  A. 
Webster. 

At  the  organization  of  the  township  schoor'?,board,';;May  7th, 
1857.  O.  G.  Talmage,  Avas  chosen  president,  Thos.  R.'^Perr}^  secre- 
tary, and  C.  H.  Wood,  treasurer.  The  meeting  was  adjourned  for 
four  weeks  to  take  into  consideration  the  erection  of  a  ^school 
house. 

The  first  tax  levied  in  the  toAvnship  was  voted  on  the  first 
day  of  June,  1857,  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  school  house. 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  461 

During  the  spring  of  1857,  a  Sunday  school  was  established  at 
Howard  Centre,  through  the  agency  of  the  American  Sunday 
school  Union.  L.  Hassest  was  the  Superintendent,  with  Mrs.  T. 
R.  Perry  as  assistant.  Rev.  John  W.  Windsor,  preached  at 
Howrad  Centre,  once  in  two  weeks  during  a  large  part  of  1S57-8, 
and  Rev.  C.  E.  Brown,  in  1858-9. 

Howard  Centre  was  made  the  county  seat  of  Howard  county, 
by  Judge  Upton,  and  the  records  Avere  removed  there  in  October, 
1857  and  remained  there,  until  the  locating  of  the  seat  of  county 
government  on  the  hill,  between  New  Oregon  and  Vernon  Springs, 
in  1858. 

The  Northern  Light,  a  six-column  folio  sheet,  published  by  Geo. 
W.  Haislet  was  started  in  the  fall  of  1858,  and  continued  to  be 
issued  for  about  a  year.  From  its  advertisements,  it  may  be 
learned,  that  R.  0.  Thayer  kept  a  livery,  and  J.  W.  Walters  solici- 
ted patronage  as  a  carpenter  and  builder. 

The  first  marriage  ceremony  solominzed  in  the  township  was  by 
S.  L.  Hassett,  justice  of  the  peace,  who  on  the  11th  of  May,  1859,, 
united  in  wedlock,  B.  F.  Benson  and  Melissa  Halsted. 

The  first  child  born  in  the  Tp.  was  C.  F.  Bunker,  advent  on 
Ociober  1,  1856,  added  a  prospective  voter  to  the  county.  The 
first  girl  was  Irene  E.  Eldridge,  born  on  Sunday,  May  17,  1857. 
The  first  death  was  that  of  Mr.  Wm.  Niles,  frozen  to  death,  Decem- 
ber 13,  1856,  as  related  before. 

The  Howard  Centre  cemetery  was  laid  out  in  June,   1863,   the- 
first  person  interred  therein  being  Mrs.  Harriet,  N.  Talmage,    who,, 
in  an  unfortunate  state  of  mind,  had  drowned  herself  in  the  Turkey 
river  near  her  house.     This  happened   on '  the  night  of  Nov.   1,, 
1862. 

ALBION    TOWNSHIP. 

This  was  known  as  Osborne  township  until  1860,  when  its  name 
was  changed  to  the  present  one  of  Albion.  It  occupies  congressional 
township  100,  range  11,  west,  bordering  the  Minnesota  line.  Along 
its  northern  boundary  runs  the  clear  rock  bottomed  and  spring 
made  waters  of  the  Upper  Iowa  river.  There  is  an  abundance  of 
timber  along  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  extending  some  distance 
back.  Bass,  elm,  maple,  and  ash  being  the  predominating  species, 
but  some  pines  are  to  be  met  with.  As  has  been  most  beautifully 
aid:  "However,  the   crowning  beauty  of  all  this  section,  is  the 


462  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

handsome  groves  that  are  universally  found  on  the  highest  points 
of  land,  and  in  this  respect  Albion  township  can  bear  the  pahn." 
The  streams  are  all  of  the  purest  quality — liquid  diamonds,  so 
to  speak — owing  their  origin  solely  to  the  springs  gushing  from 
their  homes  in  the  limestone,  and  within  the  cool  waters  the  trout 
and  bass  still  linger  lovingly.  Some  of  the  first  pioneers  in  the 
•civilization  of  Howard  county  settled  within  what  is  now  the 
boundaries  of  tliis  township.  The  first  whose  name  we  have  is 
Daniel  Crowell,  who  located  therein  as  early  as  the  spring  of  1853. 
Almost  at  the  same  time  Andrew  Nelson  located  his  claim  on 
section  10,  and  erected  the  family  cabin,  and  in  1854  he  was  fol- 
lowed by  C.  S.  Thurber.  But  for  this  year  the  incomers  were  like 
angels' visits — few  and.  far  between — but  in  1855  the  great  tide  of 
immigration,  which  came  to  our  state,  caused  quite  a  ripple  thither- 
ward, and  the  beautiiul  prairies  and  lovely  valleys  of  Howard 
county  began  to  be  thickly  dotted  with  smiling  farms,  and  smoke 
aroge  from  the  many  cabins  that  were  sprinkled  over  the  verdant 
■  bosom  uf  mother  earth. 

Among  those  who  in  the  spring  of  that  year  took  up  their  abode 
.among  us,  we  find:  Oliver  Arnold,  Thos.  Osborn,  H.  D.  Lapham, 
W.  I).  Darrow,  but  these  are  but  a  few  of  the  many  whose  names 
are  boine  by  the  recollections  of  those  who  remain.  In  1856  a 
still  Inrger  wave  bf  immigration  flowed  this  wa}'',  and  every  suc- 
ceeding year  until  the  ijloody  da^'s  of  the  civil  war,  when  it  slacked 
up  for  some  time,  only  to  begin  again  in  these  later  days. 

This  township  was  part  of  the  precinct  of  Vernon  Springs,  until 
1857,  wlien  in, the  sj)ring  of  this  year  it  withdrew  itself,  and  com- 
pleted a  separate  organization.     There   was   cast  at  this   election 
:  some  forty-eight  votes,  and  .losiah  Kelly   was   elected   town  clerk, 
with  .James  Nichols  and  James  Oakley,  justices  of  the  peace. 

The  first  church  organization  in  the  township  was  Baptist  in 
denomination,  and  was  effected  in  the  spring  months  of  1856,  with 
Rev.  T.  H.  Miner  as  pastor. 

The  Methodist  church  society  was  formed  the  same  year,  under 
the  energy  and  faithful  efforts  of  the  Rev.  Win.  Lease. 

.lu  the  month  of  March  the  Church  of  Christ  was  organized, 
■mainly  owing  to  the  etforts  of  Rev.  \Vm.  Phillips;  the  society 
numbered  at  its  start  some  twenty  members. 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  463 

One  of  the  early  settlers  says:  "The  character  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Osborne  may  be  drawi>from  the  fact  of  their  thus  early 
organizing  religious  societies." 

The  first  school  in  the  precinct  seems  to  have  been  opened  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  year  1856,  and  "svas  taught  by  Dr.  Lewis 
Reynolds;  the  school  was  small,  but  the  increase  was  rapid  so  that 
in  1859  the  scholars  in  the  township  numbered  some  one  hundred 
and  forty. 

At  the  same  time  there  Avas  over  eighty  legal  voters  in  the  same 
territory,  and  many  Avho  were  not  yet  admitted  to  the  privileges  of 
franchise. 

In  1855,  at  Arnoldsville,  was  established  the  first  postoffice,  but 
it  was  of  short  duration,  when  it  was  remoyed  to  Osborne;  A. 
Allen  being  the  postmaster. 

The  statement  is  made  by  H.  D.  Noble,  that,  "In  1858,  Osborne 
like  all  other  places  had  its  theme  ol  excitement.  In  that  year 
the  gold  fever  broke  out;  but  happily  very  few  'found  the  color', 
except  in  the  faces  of  bilious,  cadaverous,  tired  and  jaundiced 
diggers.  Hence  its  short  life  and  speedy  cure.  The  only  gold  in 
this  section  of  the  country  will  be  found  not  by  digging  to  pipe- 
clay, or  bedrock,  but  in  the  rich  loam  that  lies  on  the  surface — 
the  golden  grain  that  feeds  the  world." 

It  is  said  that  the  first  death  that  occurred  in  this  vicinity,  was 
that  of  Robert  Gilchrist,  who  froze  to  death  during  the  winter 
of  1854-5. 

"Quarries  of  limestone  and  sandstone,  and  on  the  Iowa  river 
quarries  of  rock  straight  as  the  mason's  hammer  could  dress  them, 
and  smoother,  too,  :\ve  found." 

With  the  exception  of  the  postoffice  village  at  Florenceville,  in 
the  extreme  northern  portion  of  the  township,  there  is  no  town  nor 
village,  no  fine  farm  broken  to  make  a  poor  straggling  village,  but 
the  whole  section  is  given  over  to  a  constant  succession, of  smiling 
farms  and  grazing  grounds,  covered  with  emerald  verdure. 

NEW  OREGON  TOWNSHIP. 

We  are  indebted  for  the  following  history  of  New  Oregon  town- 
ship, to  a  paper  written  by  H.  D.  Noble,  one  of  the  old  settlers, 
and  published  in  the  Cresco  Times,  July  6,  187G. 

"New  Oregon  was  one  of  the  first  locations  chosen  by  the 
pioneers,  who  first  made  Howard   county   their  home.     'Oregon 


464  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

Grove'  was  known  far  and  near,  and  was  a  landmark  to  all  western 
hunters  and  rovers  in  northern  Iowa  and  southern  Minnesota. 
The  precincts  of  New  Oregon  consists  of  the  north  half  of  town- 
ship ninety -seven  and  township  ninety-eight  range  eleven. 

The  first  settlement  was  made  in  1851,  by  Hiram  Johnson.  In 
1858,  Wm.  Cottrell,  H.  Shuttleworth,  and  Wm.  Brown  fir  t  made 
claims  in  and  about  Oregon  Grove.  S.  M.  Cole,  George  Schofield, 
J.  F.  Mitchell,  and  others  soon  followed,  and  in  1855  a  sufficient 
population  had  gathered  to  effect  a  permanent  organization.  Paris 
was  included  in  the  precinct  as  then  formed.  Daniel  Mills  was 
elected  the  first  justice  of  the  peace,  and  Samuel  Coyl  township 
clerk. 

"Uncle"  George  Schofield  built  the  first  house  in  what  has  since 
grown  to  be  the  village  of  New  Oregon.  In  the  same  year  C.  M. 
Munson  opened  a  store  near  by,  which  was  followed  by  others 
until  the  business  part  of  town,  in  1859,  consisted  of  six  stores, 
one  wagon  shop,  plow  shop,  one  harness  maker,  a  tin  shop,  two 
tailor  shops,  three  shoe  shops,  two  blacksmith  shops,  a  steam  saw- 
mill, etc. 

This  village  is  on  both  sides  of  the  Turkey  river,  and  in  the 
north  edge  of  Oregon  Grove. 

At  the  same  time  it  did  not  lack  for  professional  ability,  tor  it 
had  within  its  jurisdiction  one  doctor  J.  J.  Clemmer,  and  three 
lawyers,  C.  E.  Berry,  F.  H.  Jewett,  and  \V.  R.  Mead. 

Here  was  taught  the  first  school  in  the  count3^  In  1854  it  was 
opened  for  scholars,  and  Miss  Harriet  Cole  was  the  presiding 
genius,  and  with  smiling  face  lured  the  youth  to  flowery  paths  of 
knowledge.  Daniel  Mills  taught  tlie  first  village  school,  which 
was  established  during  the  winter  of  1856-7. 

The  Congregational  church  was  organized  at  the  hamlet  of  New 
Oregon,  in  1856,  and  Rev.  J.  W.  Windsor  was  installed  as  pastor.. 

The  church,  at  first,  was  weak  and  feeble,  as  all  such  societies 
are  in  a  new  country,  and  their  services  were  held  as  circumstances 
permitted.  The  iollowing  lines  were  written  about  the  church  of 
early  days,  and  breathe  the  very  essence  of  true  poetry.  One  of 
Howard  county's  gifted  daughters  is  the  author,  but  by  her  request 
we  suppress  the  name,  which  modesty  will  not  allow  her  to  have 
given  it  to  the  world. 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  465 

THE   OLD    LOG   CHURCH. 

On  olden  walls,  in  memory's  hall, 

With  roses  'round  it  clinging: 
A  picture  rare,  of  antique  air. 

The  old  log  church  is  swinging. 

Of  timbers  rough,  and  gnarled  and  tough, 

It  stands  in  rustic  beauty; 
A  monument  to  good  intent 

And  loyal,  Christian  duty. 

The  forest  trees,  kissed  by  the  breeze 

Of  early  autumn  weather, 
Stand  grimly  by,  and  seem  to  sigh 

And  bend  their  boughs  together. 

Down  by  the  mill,  and  up  the  hill, 

And  through  the  hazel  thicket, 
And  o'er  the  mead  brown  pathways  lead 

Up  to  the  rustic  wicket. 

And  by  these  ways,  on  holy  days, 

The  village  folks  collected. 
And  humbly  heard  the  sacred  word 
And  worshipped  unaffected. 

Sweet  fancy's  art  and  poet's  heart 

Can  see  the  old  time  preacher 
And  village  sage  now  turn  the  page, 

As  minister  or  teacher. 

For  in  the  church,  with  dreaded  birch, 

On  week  days  he  presided. 
In  awful  mien,  a  tutor  seen, 

'Twixt  lore  and  licks  divided. 

But  where  it  stood,  in  dappled  wood, 

A  village  sprang  to  life; 
And  jolly  noise  of  barefoot  boj'^s 

Is  lost  in  business  strife. 


466  HISTOKY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

With  years  now  flown,  the  children  grown, 
Are  launched  on  life's  mad  billows; 

The  pretty  maid  is  matron  staid, 
The  master's  'neath  the  willows. 

i  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  also  formed  during  the  year 
1858,  of  which  Rev.  WaterLury  was  the  initial  pastor.  The 
organization  of  a  Roman  Catholic  church  was  attained  in  the 
course  of  the  same  year. 

The  natural  location  of  the  precinct  of  New  Oregon  is  unsur- 
passed. Through  its  center,, from  northwest  to  southeast,  runs  the 
Turkey  river,  and  emptying  into  this  stream  are  spring  streams 
that  are  found  in  all  this  section  of  Iowa.  A  fine  body  of  timber, 
including  all  the  varieties  of  our  prolific  v/est,  borders  the  river, 
and  furnishes  to  all  the  region  round  about  timber  for  fuel,  fences, 
and  buildings. 

The  hard  maple,  elm  white  oak,  and  basswood  form  the  bulk  of 
this  grove.  Underlying  this  section  is  fine  quarry  limestone,  fit 
for  all  purposes  of  building. 

Through  the  southern  part  of  the  township  (97),  runs  the  Little 
Turkey  river,  fringed  with  groves  and  watering  a  beautiful  prairie 
of  moist  stock-growing  land." 

After  the  building  of  the  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railroad,  and 
the  consequent  springing  into  being  of  the  town  of  Cresco,  the 
buisiness  of  New  Oregon  experienced  the  same  fate  that  thousands 
of  other  thriving  villages  that  have  dotted  these  broad  lands  of 
ours,  sank  into  comparative  oblivion,  the  grass  growing  on  the 
streets  and  all  business  at  a  stand  still.  People  still  reside  there, 
for  it  is  in  the  paradise  of  the  county,  but  the  stillness  that  reigns 
there  makes  one  feel  sadly  that  the  tired  and  weary  struggbr  had- 
laid  down  and  rested  from  life's  weary  battle,  and  that  it  is  no 
longer  sought  to  buffet  the  waves  of  adverse  fortune. 

CHESTER    .\ND    OAKDALE    TOWNSHIPS. 

These  were  united  in  one  township  until  October  11, 1859,  under 
the  name  of  Iowa.  River  Precinct,  when  they  were  separated  and 
placed  as  now.  The  history  of  the  two  is  so  commingled  that  it 
seems  impossible  at  this  day  to  seperate  them,  and  hence  we  leave 
them  like  two  lovers  in  fond  eiubrace.     For  the  facts  in  regard  to 


HISTOltY  OK   HOWARD  COUNTY.  467 

them  we  acknowledge  ourselves  under  obligations  to  L.  E.  Smith, 
of  the  Cresco  Times,  who  has  kindly  placed  at  our  disposal  many 
ptipers  in  regard  to  the  same. 

Chester  precinct  occupies  the  congressional  township  100,  range 
13,  and  Oakdale  100,  range  14,  and  are  the  most  western  of  the 
northern  tier.  The  Iowa  river  meanders  along  through  the 
northern  sections,  the  pure,  limpid  stream  shimmering  in  the  sun, 
and  adding  beauty  to  the  landscape  already  charmde  with  the 
emerald  velvety  verdure  of  the  native  grass,  and  the  golden  amber 
of  the  ripening  grain,  while  groves  of  trees  interspersed  break  up 
what"  might  prove  to  monotonous  a  view,  where  earth  and  sky 
alone  are  seen. 

Henry  Brown,  in  May  1853,  made  the  first  settlement  in  the 
township  now  known  as  Oakdale,  and  for  nearly  a  year  he  had 
the  unbroken  solitude  to  himself,  for  there  were  no  settlers  but 
him  until  1<S54. 

During  the  summer  of  that  year  Robt.  Jerod,  Josiah  Laws,  0. 
M.  Thayer,  and  M.  Gates  laid  the  foundation  for  the  settlement 
that  now  graces  this  vicinity.  They  were,  shortly,  lollowed  by  A. 
W.  Kingsley,  Norman  Freeman,  C.  M.  Sawyer,  and  others. 

Settlers  having  gathered  in  a  suliicient  number  to  justify  the 
measure,  withdrew  the  precinct  from  Jamestown,  to  Avhich  it  had 
originally  beeii  attached,  and  organized  as  a  separate  township, 
holding  an  election  for  that  purpose  in  April,  1857.  which  resulted 
in  the  election  of  John  Adams  and  W.  Y.  Wells  for  justices  of  the 
peace,  and  C.  M.  Sawyer,  town  clerk.  At  this  election  forty-nine 
votes  were  polled. 

The  first  regular  district  school  was  taught  by  Salinda  Burknap, 
in  the  fall  of  1857,  although  there  still  lingers  a  trace  of  a  tradition 
that  in  the  previous  winter  a  school  was  taught,  but  of  this  there 
seems  to  be  no  certainty,  nor  is  the  name  of  the  teacher  remem- 
bered. 

Within  the  boundaries  of  the  two  townships  there  is  Init  one 
village,  viz:  Chester;  the  land  being  occupied  with  fine  farms,  and 
capital  grazing  grounds.  All  along  the  northern  jjart  of  the  town- 
ships fine  timber  abounds,  and  pure  water  from  the  many  springs 
that  gush  from  the  lap  of  the  earth. 


468 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 


CHESTER, 

the  only  village,  ia  still  but  a  small  place,  being  too  near  towns 
having  a  larger  growth,  and  whose  proximity  overshadow  it. 
It  was  laid  out,  in  March,  1858,  by  A.  Eaton,  and  in  1859  already 
contained  six  dwellings,  a  tavern,  and  a  school  house. 

The  first  postoffice  was  also  started  here,  being  established  in 
January,  1858,  with  A.  Eaton  as  postmaster. 

There  was  a  Methodist  Episcopal  church  organized  in  March, 
1858,  with  seven  members;  Rev.  Norton,  of  Spring  Valley,  Minn., 
supplying  the  pulpit  and  attending  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  the 
little  Jaock. 


^l. 


\\    V- 


HISTORY  OF  HOWARD   COUNTY.  469 


CHAPTER  XI. 


Reminiscences,    Anecdotes,  and    Incidents  of  Frontier  Life, 
Given  by  Early  SEtTLERS. 


taking  it  coolly. 

The  last  night  of  1855,  a  party  of  four  men  crossed  the  Missis- 
sippi, at  Dubuque,  and  found  a  new  years  ball  in  progress,  at  the 
Key  City  house,  (where  numbers  of  people  found  a  resting  place, 
on  their  way  to  northern  Iowa).  At  Dubuque  they  hired  a  teams- 
ter to  take  them  to  Howard  county. 

As  they  approached  Burr  Oak  Springs,  that  first  Sunday  in  Jan- 
uary 1856,  the  cold  and  wind  increased,  while  the  falling  snow  so 
whitened. the  track  before  them,  that  it  could  only  be  distinguished 
by  the  withered  grass  which  bordered  it.  They  urged  their  driver 
to  halt  without  avail,  he  was  confident  that  he  could  make  his  way 
after  dark  without  difliculty.  A  little  further,  on  where  the  prairie 
fires  had  left  no  grasss  to  mark  the  roadsides,  they  were  as  effect- 
ually lost  a  few  rods  from  the  track,  as  though  they  had  been 
miles  away.  Seeking  the  road  they  went  as  far  apart  as  their 
voices  should  be  heard,  but  after  repeated   efforts  failed  to  find  it. 

The}'  then  lost  no  time  in  making  preperations  to  spend  the 
night  in  such  a  manner  as,  if  possible,  to  secure  their  lives.  They 
cleared  the  covered  wagon  box  of  trunks  and  luggage,  tacked 
down  the  cover  securely,  and  without  being  able  to  stand  upright, 
exercised,  two  at  a  time  as  if  for  wages.  The  teamster  alone  lay 
down,  wrapping  his  feet  in  the  contents  of  his  carpet  sack,  and  he 
alone  was  frost-bitten.     By   force   of  kicking  they   had  to  rouse 


470  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

him  from  danger.  Had  they  trusted  to  wraps,  bedclothing  and 
buffalo  robes — with  which  they  were  well  supplied —  and  lain 
down  to  sleep,  they  would  have  paid  the  penalty  with  their  lives. 
"The  mercury  must  have  stood  forty  degrees  below  zero"  said 
Dr.  Fellows,  who  related  this  story  of  himself,  his  two  brothers 
and  R.  Kerr,  they  afterwards  learned,  that  a  number  of  persons 
perished  from  exposure  the  same  night. 

The  two  succeeding  days  were  so  cold,  that  but  few  people 
left  their  houses.  All  that  these  young  men  had  that  night,  in 
the  way  of  nourishment,  was  a  few  small  cakes  and  a  bottle  of  bra- 
ndy, the  latter  supplied  the  stimulus,  that  helped  preserve 
them . 

The  early  settlers  met  and  organized  a  "squatter  government," 
agreeing  among  themselves,  that  certain  persons  should  act  as 
officers.  The  "justice  of  the  peace"  named,  was  a  lad  of  about 
nineteen  years  of  age,  Samuel  Coyl,  by  name.  A  party,  charged 
with  larcen}^,  was  brought  before  "Sam"  one  day  for  trial.  His 
honor,  listened,  with  all  the  gr^ivity  of  a  deacon,  to  the  evidence, 
which  fully  proved,  that  the  accused,  had  broKen  open  a  compan- 
ion's trunk,  and  purloined,  therefrom,  the  sum  of  forty  dol- 
lars. 

But  "Sam"  fully  understood  his  want  of  jurisdiction, and  proceed- 
ed to  render  the  verdict,  as  folloAVs:  "Guilty ^ — g^^ilty  as  hell,  and 
the  court  knows  it  from  the  evidence — but  they  can't  prove  it — 
Scoot — scoot,   or  judge    Lynch  will   hold   court  here  to-morrow.'' 

The  culjjrit   disapeared  forth  with. 

The  county  of  Howard,  was  settled  from  every  land,  and  every 
clime,  but  very  few,  if  any  experienced  business  men,  came  among 
the  early  settlers.  As  might  be  expected,  therefore,  many  mis- 
takes were  made  in  the  "forms  and  ceremonies,"  and  occasionally 
in  the  records.  One  young  officer — young  in  years  and  young  in 
office — when  he  carried  a  record  from,  one  to  a  succeeding  page, 
instead  of  noting  the  number  of  the  future  page,  made  this  note, 
at  the  bottom  of  the  first  page,  "see  page  ahead  a  little." 

"It  is  told,  that  Howard  county,  from  its  organization,  never 
elected,  on  a  party  vote,  a  democratic  officer,  yet  the  party  kept  up 
its  annual  county  conventions  for  twenty  3^ears.  At  one  of  these 
conventions,  only  two  persons  were  present.  They  were  both 
of  the  legal  profession.     One  was  a  large  and  the  other  was  a  small 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  471 

man,  and  the  larger  acted  as  president,  and  the  other  as  secretary 
of  the ''assembly."  They  put  drink  in  their  stomachs  and  a  full 
county  ticket  in  the  political  field.  The  secretary,  in  finishing  his 
report,  said  that  "the  attendance  at  the  convention  Avas  large  and 
respectable."  The  president  protested  and  said:  It  is  true,  Mr. 
secretary,  we  seem  to  be  many,  but  do  you  not  notice  that  on  the 
ayes  and  noes,  that  but  two  of  us  answer."  The  secretary  replied: 
"Mr.  president,  if  there  is  but  two  of  us  here,  I  insist  that  the 
report  is  correct,  for  are  you   not  large  and  am  not  I  respectable." 

The  folloAving  lines  were  written  by  a  gentleman  now  residing 
in  the  county,  and  who  was  one  of  its  earliest  settlers;  he  has 
followed  many  trades  and  professions,  and  has  been  a  leading 
farmer  for  the  last  quarter  of  a  century.  We  insert  it  smply  as  a 
Bpecimen  of  the  culture  that  may  be  found  in  these  climes,  for  it 
is,  by  long  odds,  the  superior  of  the  usual  mediocre  poetry — so 
called — that  floats  through  the  columns  of  the  press  of  the  day. 
It  is  said  of  the  author,  that  although  many  of  the  poor,  have 
been  indebted  to  him  for  considerable  amounts  of  money,  yet  he 
has  never  collected  one  cent  by  execution,  or  sale  of  property  on 
mortgage.  Such  men  are  few  and  far  between,  but  the  fates  have 
rewarded  him  and  enabled  him,  through  labor  and  business  *\act, 
to  achieve  a  comfortable  competence. 

The  anagram  "Live  on  no  evil"  is  probably  the  best  in  the  English 
language.  Spelled  backward  or  forward  it  reads  the  same.  Its 
sentiment  expresses  the  essence  of  the  ten  commandments: 

LIVE    ON    NO    EVIL. 

"Live  on  no  evil,"  reads  the  same 
As  forth  and  back  we  trace  the  line; 

It  is  the  voice  of  God  to  man, 

Proclamied  from  Sinai's  height  devine, 

"Live  on  no  evil,"  church  or  state. 
But  God-like  rule  with  love,  not  hate. 

"Live  on  no  evil,"  landlord  bold. 

But  so  divide  the  loaf  and  sheaf 
That  tenant's  children  filled  Avith  glee. 

Shall  bless  the  hand  that  gives  relief. 
"Live  on  no  evil,"  church  or  stata, 

But  God-like  rule  with  love,  not  hate. 


472  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

"Live  on  no  evil,"  merchant  grand, 

That  shoddy  cloth  that  brings  you  gain, 

In  rags  hangs  from  the  wearer's  back, 
The  cold  bites  in  and  gives  him  pain. 

"Live  on  no  evil,"  church  or  state, 

But  God-like,  rule  with  love,  not  hate. 

"Live  on  no  evil,"  railroad  kings, 

Nor  scorn  our  rights  with  haughty  brow, 

Those  pondrous  engines  on  those  roads, 
Must  in  the  wake  of  mercy  go. 

"Live  on  no  evil,"  church  or  state. 

But  God-Like,  rule,  with  love,  not  hate. 

"Live  on  no  evil,"  money  lords. 
Your  fiercest  grasp  shall  prove  your  woe, 

In  life's  last  grasp  with  deep  regrets, 
And  hellish  moans  you'll  cry  out,  oh! 

"Live  on  no  evil,"  church  or  state. 
But  God-like,  rule  with  love,  not  hate. 

"Live  on  no  evil,"  man  of  soul, 
•  But  right  the  wrong  with  all  thy  might. 

When  conscience  all  our  acts  control. 

We  all  may  speak  from  Sinai's  height. 
"Live  on  no  evil,"  church  or  state. 
But  God-like,  rule  with  love,  not  hate, 

— [M.  B.  Doolittle. 

One  of  the  members  of  the  board  of  supervisors  of  the  county, 
wishing  the  board  to  do  its  full  duty  under  the  law,  presented 
the  following  resolution,  which  was  adopted  and  placed  on  the 
minutes,  instructing  the  township  assessors  as  to  what  was  their 
duty : 

"Resolved,  That  the  assessors  assess  every  thing  that  wears  a 
yoke  as  an  ox,  and  everything  that  gives  milk  a  as  cow." 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  473 


CHAPTER  XII. 


War  Record;  Action  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  of  Howard 
County;  Third  Iowa  Infantry;  Ninth  Iowa  Infantry;  Thirty- 
Eighth  Iowa  Infantry;  Third  Iowa  Battery  of  Light  Artil- 
lery; Roster  op  Volunteers. 


The  people  of  the  northern  states  may  well  be  proud  of  the 
record  they  made  in  the  dark  and  bloody  days  of  the  great  civil 
war.  When  the  war  was  pressed  on  the  country,  the  people  of 
this  peaceful  Northland  were  pursuing  the  even  tenor  of  their 
way,  doing  whatsoever  their  hands  found  to  do — making  farms  or' 
cultivating  those  already  made — erecting  houses  and  homes,  build- 
ing shops  and  factories,  and  the  whole  country  was  alive  with 
industry,  and  the  future  was  rosy  with  promise.  The  county  was 
just  recovering  itself  from  the  financial  panic  of  1857,  and  the 
failure  of  the  crops  of  1858-9.  The  future  looked  bright  and 
promisihg,  and  the  industrious  and  patriotic  sons  and  daughters 
of  the  free  states  were  bouyant  with  hope,  and  looking  forward  to 
new  plans  for  the  ensurement  of  comfort  and  competence  in  their 
declining  years,  and  they  little  heeded  the  muttering  and  threaten- 
ings  of  the  wayward  children  of  the  slave  states  of  the  sunny 
south. 


474  HISTORY  OF   HOWABD  COUNTY.  ♦ 

Like  the  true  sons  and  decendents  of  sires,  whose  sturdy  arm 
had  withstood  Britannia's  mighty  power  in  the  infant  days  of  our 
noble  republic,  they  gave  no  heed  to  the  whisperings  of  fear,  or 
dreamed  that  one  could  be  so  base  as  to  stand  back  when  their 
country  called  them,  but  all  flocked  to  the  front  to  meet  dire 
treason  face  to  face,  and  smite  it  as  it  stood. 

April  12,  1861,  Major  Robert  Anderson,  the  commandant  at  Fort 
Sumter,  in  (Charleston  harbor.  South  Carolina,  was  fired  upon  by 
the  hot  headed  rebels  then  in  arms. 

Although  the  blackest  treason,  men  looked  upon  it  as  the  sense- 
less bravado  of  the  would-be  agitator,  as  the  empty  vaporing  of  a 
few  senseless  fools,  whose  sectional  bias  and  hatred  of  free  institu- 
tion had  enraged  and  intoxicated  them. 

When  a  day  later  the  telegraph  wires  bore  to  a  startled  north 
the  stirring  news,  that  Major  Anderson  had  been  compelled  to 
surrender,  to  what  had  been  at  first  regarded  as  a  drunken  mob; 
then  the  people  looked  and  saw  behind  the  curtain  the  dark  spirit 
of  treason  stalk  forth  throughout  the  land.  The  patriotism  that 
was  bred  in  them  leaped  up  and  burned  a  steady  flame  upon  the 
altar  of  their  country. 

Thus  startled,  as  it  were,  from  their  bright  dreams  of  the  future, 
fro'm  undertakings  half  completed,  and  realized  that,  that  mob  had 
behind  it  a  dark  purpose;  a  deep,  dark,  well  organized  plan  to 
disrupt  this  great  Union,  destroy  the  government,  and  to  erect 
upon  the  ruins  the  oligarchy  of  slavery,  and  a  slave-holding 
aristocracy. 

But  it  was  "reckoning  without  their  host,"  for  immediately  upon 
the  receipt  of  the  news  of  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumpter,  President 
Lincoln,  who  but  a  few  short  weeks  before  had  taken  the  oath  of 
oflice  as  chief  executive  of  the  nation's  will,  issued  a  proclamation, 
calling  for  75,000  men,  volunteers  for  three  months.  Scarcely  had 
the  ink  dried  upon  the  pen,  scarcely  had  the  wires  stopped  vibrat- 
ing with  the  message,  as  it  sped  along  through  all  the  northern 
states,  then  the  call  was  filled.  Men  were  counted  out  by  thous- 
ands and  money  poured  with  lavish  hand  into  the  lap  of  the 
nation.  The  people  who  loved  their  land  and  government,  could 
not  give  enough.  Patriotism  vibrated  and  pulsed  and  thrilled 
through  every  heart.  The  merchant  left  his  counter,  the  farmer 
his  plow,  the  bench  gave  up  the  judge,  and  even  the   college  and 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  475 

school  furnished  their  porportion  of  the  nation's  defenders.  Ail 
lines  of  party  were  swept  away,  and  but  one  thought  seemed  to 
animate  each  breast — save  the  Union. 

Not  with  insolence  was  the  insolent  flinging  of  the  gauntlet  met, 
but  with  the  calm,  determined  mien  of  heroes,  whose  patriotism 
and  love  of  country  overpowered  every  other  consideration. 

But  seventy-five  thousand  men  were  not  enough  to  subdue  the 
rebellion — nor  were  ten  times  that  number.  The  war  went  on  and 
call  followed  call,until  it  seemed  that  all  the  able-bodied  men  were 
in  the  front,  fighting  the  battles  of  their  country.  But  to  every 
call,  men  and  mone}''  were  freely  offered,  readily  and  freely  given? 
and  the  people  determined  to  crush  out  the  foul  treason  and  sub- 
due the  rebellion. 

Such  were  the  impulses,  motives,  and  actions  of  the  patriots  of 
the  "Northland,"  among  whom  Howard's  sons  bore  a  conspicuous 
part. 

Tuesday,  June  4,  1861,  the  board  of  supervisors,  in  session 
assembled,  ])y  resolution  appointed  a  committee,  consisting  of 
Messrs.  Gary  Munson  and  St.  John,  to  draft  resolutions  "in  the 
present  crisis  of  nationa.  afftiirs,  and  recommend  some  offers  of 
assistance  to  the  general  government." 

The  committee  appointed,  at  once  presented  the  following  reso- 
lutions, which  were  immediately  adopted: 

Whereas,  The  president  of  the  United  States  has  issued  his 
several  proclamations  for  troops,  to  sustain  our  federal  government, 
and  suppress  the  rebellion,  therefore. 

Resolved,  That  we,  as  the  legal  representatives  of  the  county  of 
Howard,  state  of  Iowa,  do  hereby,  as  loyal  citizens  and  representa- 
tives, pledge  our  lives,  our  fortunes,  and  our  sacred  honors  in  sup- 
port of  the  Union,  the  constitution,  and  the  laws. 

Resolved,  That  the  resources  and  credit  of  the  county  of  Howard, 
both  in  men  and  money,  be  pledged  to  the  last  man  and  dollar 
to  support  the  government  in  suppressing  the  present  rebellion: 

Resolved,  That  in  case  of  reverses  to  our  arms,  making  necessary 
an  increase  of  our  army,  we  will  levy  a  tax  on  the  taxable  property 
of  our  county,  sufficient  to  support  a  company  of  one  hundred 
men,  at  least,  in  the  field,  by  paying  them  five  dollars  extra  over 
government  price. 

Resolved,  That  we  fully  endorse  the   course  of  the  administra- 


476  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

tion,  and  the  action  of  our  state  legislature  in  regard  to  the  present 
emergency." 

At  the  September  session  of  the  board  they  passed  another  reso- 
lution, to  pay  ten  dollars  to  each  volunteer  from  the  county  for  an 
outfit.  Also  to  allow  the  wives  and  widowed  mothers  of  the 
volunteers  from  Howard  county,  in  service  of  the  United  States, 
four  dollars  per  month,  and  one  dollar  for  each  child  under  twelve 
years  of  age.  The  clerk  was  ordered  to  audit  their  bills  monthly, 
and  when  so  passed  the  treasurer  to  cash  them  at  once.  The  first 
who  seems  to  have  availed  themselves  of  this  allowance,  was  Mrs. 
Amelia  Johnson,  of  New  Oregon,  she  having  two  sons  in  the 
federal  army. 

At  the  August  session  of  the  board,  1862,  the  following  resolu- 
tion was  adopted: 

Resolved,  That  this  board  authorize  the  clerk  to  issue  a  county 
warrant  for  fifty  dollars  to  each  accepted  volunteer,  not  the  head 
of  the  family;  and  four  dollars  per  month  for  each  wife  and 
widowed  mother,  and  one  dollar  for  each  child  of  the  same,  under 
twelve  years  of  age,  of  every  accepted  volunteer,  on  presentation 
of  proper  bills,  provided,  that  all  of  said  volunteers  be  applied  on 
the  quota  of  Howard  county  for  the  late  call  for  300,000  men  for 
three  years,  or  during  the  war. 

December  7,  1863,  is  the  date  of  the  following  resolution  adopted 
by  the  honorable  board: 

Resolved,  that  this  board  hereby  appropriate  the  sum  of  three 
hunderd  dollars  to  each  accepted  volunteer  who  shall  enlist,  from 
this  county,  between  this  and  the  fifth  day  of  January  next,  pro- 
vided, this  resolution  shall  not  extend  to  enlistments  beyond 
filling  our  quota.  Also  the  sum  of  four  dollars  per  month  to  the 
wife,  and  one  dollar  per  month  t  >  each  child  under  twelve  years  of 
age,  as  an  additional  bounty  to  the  family  of  any  accepted  volun- 
teer, who  enlists  from  the  county  within  the  term  above  specified, 
and  that  the  clerk  of  this  board  be  and  is  hereby  authorized  to 
issue  warrants,  to  parties  entitled  thereto,  on  presentation  of  the 
proper  certificates.  And  that  we  hereby  levy  an  additional  tax  of 
fifteen  mills  on  the  dollar,  for  the  purposes  of  the  above  bounty, 
and  hereby  instruct  the  clerk,  to  immediately,  extend  the  same  on 
the  tax  list  of  this  year. 


HISTORY  OF    HOWAED  COUNTY.  477 

As  late  as  June,  1866,  the  following  appear*  upon  the  minutes 
of  the  board: 

"Board  passed  a  resolution  to  pay  every  enlisted  man  the  sum 
of  one  hundred  dollars,  as  bounty,  who  was  either  a  regular  or 
volunteer,  and  who  had  received  no  bounty  from  this  or  any  other 
county  or  state,  including  all  drafted  men,  who  were  credited 
to  Howard  county.  Also  to  men  who  enlisted,  and  through  no 
fault  of  their  own,  were  credited  to  other  places;  and  also  to  make 
up  the  sum,  to  one  hundred  dollars,  to  all  who  enlisted  from 
the  county,  when  the  bounty  given  was  a  less  sum  than  that 
amount." 

THIRD    IOWA    INFANTRY. 

As  a  number  of  the  men  from  Howard  county  were  enlisted  in 
this,  one  of  the  most  noted  of  the  Iowa  regiments,  a  short  sketch 
will  not  be  out  of  place. 

The  "Old  Third,"  as  it  is  lovingly  called  by  its  late  members,, 
was  organized  in  Dubuque,  by  Colonel  N.  G.  Williams,  and 
mustered  into  the  service  of  the  government,  JVlay,  1861.  The 
officers  were:  N.G.Williams,  colonel;  John  ^cott,  lieut.  colonel; 
Wm.  M.  Stone,  major. 

Its  initial  fight  was  at  Blue  Mills,  Mo.;  where  it  laid  the  founda- 
tion for  its  after  reputation  as  one  of  the  best  in  the  service.  It 
also  took  a  foremost  part  at  Shiloh,  Tonn;  Hatchie  river,  Mata- 
moras,  Vicksburg,  and  Jackson,  Miss;  Atlanta,  and  participated  in 
the  Atlanta  campaign,  and  Shei  man's  march  to  Savannah. 

The  regiment  was  mustered  out  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  July  12, 
1864. 

NINTH    IOWA    INFANTRY. 

Col.  William  Vandever,  of  Dubuque,  received,  in  August,  1861,. 
a  commission  to  raise  a  regiment  of  Infantry  in  the  state  of  Iowa, 
to  be  known  as  the  ninth  Iowa  infantry. 

Howard  county,  with  the  fires  of  patriotism  burning  brightly  on 
her  altars,  contributed  sixty-eight  men  for  company  I,  and  four 
for  company  H. 

The  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
^September  24,  1861,  except  companies  H,  I,  and  D,  whose  times  of 
muster  precede  that  date,  being  respectively,  H  Aug.  21,  I  Septem- 
ber 18th,  and  1)  September  2d.     On  the    26th   of  September   the 


478  HISTORY  OV    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

regiment  left  Dubuque,  for  St.  Louis,  on  the  steamer  Canada,  and 
arrived  at  that  place  on  the  30th. 

Here  they  remained  for  some  time.  After  drilling,  and  inspec- 
tion, for  a  considerable  time,  the  regiment  was  pronunced  fit  for 
duty,  and  on  the  25th  of  January,  1862,  was  moved  by  rail  to 
Rolla,  Missouri,  and  assigned  to  the  army,  then  making  preperation 
to  take  the  field  against  the  enemy,  under  Major-General  Samuel 
R.  Curtis. 

The  regiment  was  brigaded  with  the  25th  Missouri  infantry, 
third  Illinois  cavalry  and  third  Iowa  battery,  and  the  brigade 
placed  under  the  command  of  Col.  Wm.  Vandever,  baring  the 
ninth,  under  the  cdiimand  of  Lieutenant  Frank  Herron.  The 
movements,  of  this  regiment  has  been  given  in  the  history  of  the 
third  Iowa  battery,  with  which  it  was  brigaded  and  whose  exploits 
are  there  related  by  an  eye  witness. 

The  exploits  of  this  gallant  regiment,  at  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge, 
have  covered  it  with  unfading  laurels.  The  loss  it  suffered  alone 
would  tell  the  tale,  had  we  no  better  testimony,  having,  three 
ofHcers,  two  non-commissioned  officers,  and  twenty-eight  privates 
killed;  six  officers,  thirty-eight  non-commissioned  officers  and  one 
hundred  and  thirty -nine  privates  wounded,  many  of  whom  after- 
wards died,  and  two  privates  missing. 

Besides  this  engagement,  called  by  the  federal  forces,  the  battle 
of  Pea  Ridge  and  by  tlie  rebels  the  battle  of  the  Elkliorn,  the  rgi- 
ment  took  part  in  the  fighting  at  Chickasaw  ba3^ou,  Arkansas 
Post,  seige  of  Vicksburg,  Ringgold,  Dallas,  Lookout  Mountain,  and 
were  participants  in  the  Avorld  renowned  Atlanta  campaign, 
and  the  subsequent  march  to  the  sea. 

The  ninth  finally  laid  down  its  arms  and  was  mustered  out  at 
Louisville,.  July  18,  1865. 

THIRTY-EIGHTH  IOWA  INFANTRY. 

Company  I.,  of  this  regiment,  was  almost  entirely,  composed  of 
men  from  Howard  county. 

The  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
at  Dubuque,  November  4,  1862,  with  D.  H.  Hughes,  of  Decorah, 
.  as  colonel.  It  took  a  part  in  the  seige  of  Vicksburg,  the  Red 
river  expedition  under  Ranks,  and  December  12,  1864,  was  consol- 
idated with  the.  thirty-fourth  infantry.  Was  mustered  out  at 
Houston,  Texas,  August  15,1865.     For   full  details  of  the   move- 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUMTY.  47,9 

ments  of  the  regiment  see  page  307,  history  of  Chickasaw    county. 

THIRD   IOWA    BATTERY    OF    LIGHT   ARTILLERY. 

As  quite  a  number  of  the  "boys"  from  Howard  county  were  in 
the  third  Iowa  battery  it  has  been  deemed  of  interest  to  give  here 
a  sketch  of  the  same.  We  are  indebted  to  the  official  report  for 
the  facts  and  quote  freely  from  it. 

"This  battery  was  organized  by  Captain  M.  M.  Hayden,  under 
special  authority  from  the  secretary  of  war,  during  the  months  of 
August  and  September,  1861,  at  Dubuque,  under  the  name  of  the 
the  Dubuque  Battery,  and  was  attached  to  the  9th  regiment  Iowa 
volunteer  infantry.  Col.  William  Vandever,  commanding.  On 
the  3d  of  September,  1861,  the  first  detachment  was  mustered  in 
by  Captain  Washington,  William  H.  McCluve,  of  Cedar  Falls, 
Iowa,  being  mustered  as  first  lieutenant,  under  whose  charge  the 
detachment  was  placed  in  Camp  Union,  near  Dubuque. 

"The  battery  was  speedily  filled  up  be  recruits,  and  on  the  24th 
of  the  same  month,  the  final  muster  in  as  a  battery  took  place;  the 
following  being  the  list  of  officers: 

"Captain  M.  M.  Hayden;  senior  first  lieutenant,  W.  H.  McCluve; 
junior  first  lieutenant,  M.  C.  Wright;  senior  second  lieutenant,  W. 
H.  Crozier;  and  junior  2d  lieutenant,  Jerome  Bradley.  September 
26th,  the  battery  in  company  with  the  ninth  Iowa  infantry,  left 
for  St.  Louis,  on  the  steamer,  Canada,  arriving  on  the  30th  of  Sep- 
tember. 

"The  drill  was  here  commenced,  and  clothing,  etc.,  served  out, 
the  necessary  requisitions  being  made  out  for  horses,  guns, 
harness,  etc.,  were  forwarded  but  owing  to  small  supply  and  im- 
mense demand  they  had  some  time  to  wait  for  them. 

"November  13th,  the  men  were  sent  to  Pacific  Cit}'-,  Missouri, 
thirty-five  miles  west  of  St.  Louis,  to  guard  the  railroad,  although 
it  would  have  puzzled  any  one  to  tell  how,  as  they  had  no  arms 
of  any  kind.  Here  they  remained  during  the  greater  part  of  the 
winter.  The  guns  and  equipments  were  received  by  them  Decem- 
ber 1st. 

"The  battery  consisted  of  four  six-pounder  bronze  guns,  and  two 
twelve-pounder  howitzers.  After  much  drilling  and  inspections 
and  reviews,  in  connection  with  the  9th  regiment,  they  were  pro- 
nounced as  fit  for  duty,  and  that  with  the  reputation  of  being  first 
class  in  every  particular. 


480  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY, 

"On  the  25th  of  January,  they  moved  by  rail  to  Rolla,  and  as- 
signed to  tlie  army,  then  about  to  take  the  field,  under  General 
Curtis,  and  whicli  intended  to  move  on  Springfield,  Mo.,  then  the 
headquarters  of  the  rebel  forces  in  that  state.  The  l)attery  set  out 
for  the  rendezvous  of  Curtis'  army,  at  Lebanon  on  the  the  twenty- 
eighth  of  January,  sixt^'^-five  miles,  over  one  of  the  worst  roads 
ever  seen. 

"The  continual  rain  and  cold  made  this  one  of  the  most  trying 
marches  raw  troops  could  be  called  on  to  perform ;  but  in  spite  of 
all,  after  six  day's  of  hard  labor,  the  battery  reached  Lebanon. 
Here  they  were  brigaded  with  the  ninth  Iowa  infantry,  twenty- 
fifth  Missouri  infantry,  and  third  Illinois  cavalry,  Col  \Vm.  Van- 
dever  commading." 

The  following  is  related  in  his  report,  by  Capt.  M.  C.Wright,  who 
commanded  the  battery  in  1864.  As  it  is  the  testimony  of  an 
eye  witness  we  insert  it  in  full  as  it  covers  the  entire  ground. 

General  Curtis  commenced  his  forward  movement  on  the  9th 
of  February,  and  on  the  13th,  took  peaceable  possession  of  Spring- 
field, the  enemy  having  evacuated  their  position  on   the   night  of 

the  12th. 

"The  famous  race  after  Price  commenced  early  in  the  morning 

of  the  14th,  and  then  the  first  live  soldiering  commenced.      The 

weather  was  exceedingly  cold  for  the  season,  but  no  allowance  was 

made  for  this.     On  they  pushed,  making   over   twenty-five   miles 

the  first  day  out  of  Springfield.     Every  efiVn't  was   made   to   force 

the  enemy  to  halt,  and  iight,  but  to  no  purpose.     He  seemed  only 

intent  upon  escape.      In    his  flight  everything  which  could  retard 

his  progress  was  thrown  away.      Old   wagons,  lame   horses  and 

mules,  were  ])y  far  too  numerous  along  the  road  for  anything  short 

of  a  race  for  life. 

"At  Flat  creek,  distant  about   fifty  miles  south   of  Springfield, 

the  battery  was  so  fortunate  as  to  get  near  enough  to  his  rear  guard 

to  give  him  a  few  sliells.     This  was  their  first  gun  at  the   enemy, 

and  the  conduct  of  the   battery  was   witnessed   by  Gens.   Curtis, 

Sigel,  arid  others,  who  only  coniplainad  that  our  boys  drove  them 

off  too  quickly.     This  occurred  on  the  the  15th.     The  pursuit  was 

still  continued,  and  without  eliciting  anything  of  interest  beyond 

the  evident  intention  of  the  enemy  to  escape,  if  possible,  until  our 

forces  had  crossed  the   Missouri    State   line,   and   reached   Sugar 

creek,  where  Price,  strengthened  b}'^  the  arrival  of  3000  Texas   and 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  481 

Louisiana  troops,  under  Ben  McCuUoiigli,  who  had  been  sent 
northward  to  meet  him,  as  well  as  emboldened  by  a  very  advant- 
ageous position,  made  a  stand.  The  advance  of  cavalry  coming 
upon  the  enemy,  and  thinking  that  he  was  in  small  force,  proba- 
bly only  stragglers  from  liis  rear  guard,  charged  him  but  were 
forced  to  turn  and  fall  back  with  considerable  loss. 

"Vandever's  brigade  was  ordered  forward  at  "double-quick," 
and  our  battery  was  pushed  up  beyond  the  furthest  point  reached 
by  the  cavalry,  wliere  our  boys  were  greeted  by  a  terrible  fire  from 
a  battery  concealed  in  the  front,  and  under  this  fire  the  third  went 
into  battery  and  replied  in  the  direction  of  the  enemy,  and  such 
was  the  coolness  of  the  gunners  and  the  deliberation  with  which 
they  delivered  their  fire,  that  in  less  than  thirty  minutes,  not  only 
was  their  loud-mouthed  opponent,  against  whom  the  principal  fire 
was  directed;  forced  to  limber  up,  and  gallop  off  the  field,  but  also 
the  cavalry  and  infantry,  Avhich  had  deployed  on  the  right  and 
front,  was  taken  with  a  sudden  disgust  of  shot  and  shell,  and 
betook  themselves  beyond  reach  before  our  own  infantry  were 
able  to  get  within  musket  range.  This  lively  little  brush  cost  the 
battery  two  horses  killed,  and  one  caisson  disabled  by  the  enemy's 
fire.  ^ 

"The  affair  was  witnessed  by  Gens.  Curtis  and  Sigel,  and  many 
other  officers  Avho  were  on  the  ground,  and  the  battery  received 
most  unqualified  approbation  for  the  energetic,  and  skillful  man- 
agement of  its  guns.  licing  too  much  exhausted  to  push  on, 
they  remained  on  the  field  that  night,  and  until  the  second  morn- 
ing, Avhen,  having  gained  some  intelligenc  of  the  enemy's  where- 
abouts, Gen.  Curtis  moved  off  to  the  right  of  the  former  coufse,  in 
the  direction  of  Bentonville,  intending  to  flank  the  position  of 
Price  at  Cross  Hollow. 

"The  movement  was  a  complete  success.  Our  army  flanked 
the  position,  but  the  enemy  were,  in  tlie  meantime,  in  full  retreat, 
evidently,  determined  to  place  Boston  mountain  between  them- 
selves and  harm. 

"It  being  impossible  to  move  farther  southward,  owing  to  the 
exhausted  state  of  the  troo])S  and  horses,  they  went  into  camp  at 
Cross  Hollows,  Avhere  they  remained  until  the  rebel  army, 
re-enforced  by  10,000  men  under  Van  Dorn,  marching  northward 
to  attack  them  compelled  Gen.  Curtis  to  fall  back  to  the  the  strong 


482  HISTORY  OP   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

position  at  Sugar  ci*eek,  or  rather  to  the  ridge   beyond,   known  as 
Pea  Ridge. 

This  General  Curtis  did  upon  the  5th  and  6th,  of  March,  fortu- 
nately without  the  loss  which  the  enemy  contemplated  inflicting 
upon  him,  viz: 

"Whipping  the  army  in  detail;  the  army  was  camped  at  Cross 
Hollows.  Carr's  (4th)  division,  nowever,  alone,  were  at  this  point, 
but  Cutis'  headquarters  were  here.  Sigel's  (1st)  Asboth's  (2d) 
and  Davis'  (3d)  were  at,  and  near  Bentonville,  the  army  having 
been  separated  on  account  of  forage. 

"On  the  4th  of  March,  a  portion  of  Vandever's  brigade,  consist- 
ing of  detachments  of  the  9th  Iowa,  and  24th  Mo.,  infantry,  and  3d 
111.  cavalry,  wrth  one  section  of  the  battery  under  command  of 
Lieut.  Wright,  the  whole  commanded  by  Col.  Vandever,  started, 
on  a  reconnoissance  in  the  direction  of  Huntsville,  Ark.,  distant 
forty-five  miles.  This  place  was  reached,  and  the  object  of  the 
expedition  having  been  accomplished,  it  Avas  about  to  start  back 
for  Cross  Hollows,  when  the  arrival  of  a  messenger  from  Gen. 
Curtis,  showed  the  folly  of  such  an  attempt^  as  it  would  only  result 
in  its  falling  into  the  hands  of  the^  enemy,  Then  commenced  one 
of  the  hardest  marches,  that  was  made  during  the  war.  The 
troops  were  forced  to  march  through  one  of  the  roughest  countries 
in  the  Union,  ford  White  river,  and  make  forty-seven  miles  in 
one  day.  The  ford  over  which  they  crossed  was  within  seven 
miles  of  Cross  Hollows,  and  while  our  little  force  was  crossing 
here,  the  entire  rebel  army,  under  Van  Dorn  and  Price,  was  at  the 
former  place,  though,  happily  for  our  boys  ignorant  of  their  where- 
abouts. 

So  well  did  Col.  Vandever  mange  the  march,  that  no  one  was 
allowed  to  escape,  and  thus  give  information  to  the  enemy,  of  the 
proximity.  At  length,  after  this  most  exhausting  march  the  de- 
tachment reached  the  camp  of  our  forces  at  Pea  Ridge  about  9  p. 
M.,  greatly  to  the  joy  and  surprise  of  almost  every  one,  who  had 
given  it  up  for  lost.  The  exhaustion  of  that  march  was  so  terrible, 
that  scarcely  one  who  escaped  the  destruction  of  the  next  two 
days'  battle  but  could  be  found  in  the  hospital;  and  many  of 
them,  the  victims  of  that  day's  march,  are  now  in  their  graves. 

"Early  on  the  morning  of  the  7th,  skirmishing  havin ;  com- 
menced on  the  extreme  right  of  our  line,  Vandever's  brigade  was 
hurried  to  the  front,  and  instantly  became  engaged.     Two  sections 


HISTOKY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  483 

of  the  battery  went  into  action  under  a  terrific  fire  of  both  infantry 
and  artillery,  which  were  posted  in  the  front,  about  300  yards 
distant  from  Elkhorn  tavern.  The  first  Iowa  battery,  which  the 
third  relieved,  had  already  l)een  terribly  cut  to  pieces,  and  was 
forced  to  leave  the  field.  Before  the  battery  had  been  in  position 
ten  minutes,  it  had  one  gun  disabled  by  thy  enemy's  artillery,  one 
limber  blown  up,  and  several  men  wounded  and  horses  killed.  So 
destructive  was  the  fire  that  Col.  Carr,  commanding  the  division, 
who  was  on  the  ground,  ordered  the  two  sections  to  fall  back, 
which  was  immediately  done.  The  entire  battery  again  took  up 
position  to  the  right  of  Elkhorn  tavern,  where  it  remained  until 
the  entire  division  was  forced  to  fall  back  in  the  evening.  During 
the  day  the  enemy  repeatedly  charged  the  position,  but  were  in- 
variably driven  back  in  confusion.  In  one  of  these  charges  they 
managed  to  "secure  one  of  the  guns  of  the  battery,  which  was 
being  placed  in  an  elevated  position,  some  distance  to  the  left  of 
the  battery,  but  was  almost  entirely  unsupported.  The  division, 
which  entered  the  fight  in  the  morning  with  less  than  2,200  fight- 
ing men,  held  their  ground  for  over  six  hours  against  nearlj^  five 
times  their  number,  and  not  until  over  one-third  of  the  entire 
division  had  been  killed  and  Avounded,  did  the  eneni}',  afterwards 
known  to  be  over  12,000  strong,  succeed  in  forcing  the  gallant  Carr 
to  retire. 

"The  suddenness  of  their  final  attack,  with  the  meagerness  of 
the  support,  compelled  the  battery  to  leave  two  of  their  guns  upon 
the  field.  These  guns,  however,  Avere  not  abandoned,  until  they 
were  sjdked,  and  every  horse  had  been  killed,  and  every  man 
serving  with  them,  either  killed  or  wounded.  They  fell  back 
some  400  yards,  where,  support  coming  to  their  aid,  they  kept  up 
fire  with-  the  remaining  guns,  until  darkness  put  an  end  to  the 
engagement. 

"They  remained  on  the  field  during  the  night,  and  participated 
in  the  engagement  of  the  8th,  which  terminated  in  the  rout  of  the 
enemy,  and  his  fiight  from  the  field. 

"The  entire  loss  of  the  battery  in  the  two  days  was,  two  men 
killed,  two  officers  and  fifteen  men  wounded,  twenty-three  horses 
killed,  and  three  guns  captured.  They  fired,  during  the  engage- 
ment, over  1,200  rounds  of  ammunition.  The  battery  acquitted 
itself  nobly  in   this,   one  of  the  most   sanguinary    conflicts  of  the 


484  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY . 

war,  and  received  most  complimentary  notices  in  the  official  repoiia 
of  Cols.  Vandever  and  Carr,  also  of  Brig.  Gen.  Asboth.  Three 
days  after  the  battle,  the  army  was  moved  southward  again,  but 
after  one  day's  march,  took  the  back  track,  and  moved  northward 
to  Keiths ville,  where  it  remained  until  April  5th,  when  the  army 
commenced  the  march  to  Batesville,  Independence  county.  Ark., 
which  point  was  reached  without  encountering  anything  of  interest, 
about  the  10th  of  May.  From  thence  they  moved  south  to  Searcy, 
on  little  Red  river,  and  afterward  returned  to  Batesville,  about 
the  20th  of  June. 

"From  Batesville,  Gen.  Curtis  commenced  his  celebrated  march 
to  Helena,  Ark.,  where  he  arrived  on  the  12th  of  Jul}'-,  having  en- 
countered most  terrible  hardships  on  account  of  the  excessive 
heat,  and  great  scarcity  of  provisions.  Remained  at  Helena  until 
Gen.  Steele's  expedition  against  Little  Rock  was  organized,  in 
August,  1863. 

"During  their  stay  at  Helena,  the  battery  was  a  portion  of  the 
force  in  several  expeditions,  most  prominent  among  which  were 
Hovey's  Mississippi  expedition,  November  1862;  Gorman's  White 
River  expedition,  January,  1863;  and  the  Yazoo  Pass  expedition, 
March,  1863.  In  the  latter  expedition  thebattery  took  an  active 
part  in  the  bombardment  of  Fort  Pemberton,  at  the  junction  of 
the  Tallahachie  and  Yallabusha  rivers.  Returned  to  Helena, 
April  8,  1863;  remained  in  camp  there  until  August  11th.  The 
battery  took  part  in  the  defense  of  this  place  against  the  attack  of 
the  rebels  under  Price,  Holmes,  and  others,  on  the  4th  of  July, 
1863.  Fired  over  one  thousand  rounds  at  the  enemy,  but  escaped 
without  any  loss  of  men,  owing  to  the  excellent  protection  of  our 
fortifications.     Had  eight  horses  killed. 

"During  the  fall  of  1862,  the  battery  was  the  recipient  of  a 
splendid  stand  of  colors,  consisting  of  a  banner  and  guidon — a 
present  from  the  ladies  of  Milwaukee,  Wis.  They  were  made  of 
the  finest  material,  and  bore  upon  their  folds  the  names  of  the 
diff'erent  engagements  in  which  the  battery  had  participated.  The 
banner  bore  on  one  side  the  coat  of  arms  of  Wisconsin,  and  on  the 
other  that  of  Iowa.  They  were  accompanied  by  the  most  touch- 
ing adth-ess  from  the  donors,  referring  in  most  glorious  terms  to 
the  conduct  of  the  battery  in  every  duty  it  had  been  called  upon 
to  perform,  closing  with  a  stirring  appeal   to   the  members  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  HOWAED    COUNTY.  487 

battery  to  protect  well  the  trust  thus  placed  in  their  hands,  and 
never  to  give  up  the  struggle  until  these  glorious  colors  should  be 
honored  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land.  Coming 
from  the  ladies  of  a  distant  state,  the  battery  was  justly  proud  of 
these  colors. 

"Forming  a  portion  of  Gen.  Steele's  forces  in  the  Little  Rock 
expedition,  it  took  part  in  the  capture  of  that  place,  without  any 
loss.  Also  took  part  in  the  expedition  of  Gen.  Rice  against 
Arkadelphia,  in  October,  1863. 

"In  December,  1863,  and  January,  1864,  the  battery  re-enlisted 
as  veterans,  under  authority  of  the  War  Department,  and  in 
February  the  veterans  of  the  organization,  with  the  officers,  were 
sent  north  on, furlough,  from  which  they  returned  in  May.  After 
that  time  the_  battery  received  new  guns  and  a  complete  outfit,  as 
well  as  a  large  number  of  recruits. 

"At  the  expiration  of  the  original  term  of  service  of  the  battery, 
September  26,  1864,  the  non-veterans  were  sent  north,  where  they, 
with  Capt.  M.  M.  Hayden,  were  mustered  out,  October  3,  1864. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  killed  and  wounded  at  the  battle  of 
Pea  Ridge,  Ark.,  March  7th  and  8th,  1862: 

Killed — Privates  Dudley  Gilbert  and  Freedom  Jackson. 

Wounded — Sen.  1st  Lieut.  Wm.  H.  McClure;  Jr.  1st.  Lieut. 
Melvil  C.  Wright;  Corpl.  David  H.  Rowles;  Privates  Adolph 
Borget,  Charles  N.  Collins,  Wm.  Field,  Richard  J.  Long,  Ephraim 
Odell,  Francis  M.  Thompson,  Jacob  Yost  (died  of  wounds),  Thos. 
Bunton,  Theodore  Connerardy,  George  W.  Dearth,  John  F.  Kelly^ 
Joseph  R.  Maddock,  Calvin  J.  Smith. 

LIST  OF  COMMISSIONED  OFFICERS  IN  THE   THIRD    IOWA    BATTERY  SINCE 

ORGANIZATION. 

Mortimer  M.  Hayden,  captain,  mustered  out  October  3,  1864. 

Melville  C.  Wright,  captain,  promoted  from  first  lieutenant, 
October  30,  1864. 

Wm.'H.  McClure,  first  lieutenant,  resigned  September  4, 1862. 

Jerome  Bradley,  first  lieutenant,  promoted  A.  Q.  M.,  May  1, 
1862. 

Otis  G.  Day,  first  lieutenant,  mustered  out  April  30, 1863. 

Orlo  H.  Lyon,  first  lieutenant,  promoted  from  second  lieutenant, 
April  28,  1864. 


488  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

Joseph  J.  Dengl,  first  lieutenant,  promoted  from  second  lieuten- 
ant, October  30,  1864. 

Wm.  M.  Crozier,  second  lieutenant,  cashiered  by  sentence  general 
court  martial. 

Daniel  U.  Lee,  second  lieutenant,  resigned  October  11,  1862. 

Leroy  S.  House,  second  lieutenant,  resigned  November  14,  1864. 

Hiland  H.  Weaver,  second  lieutenant,  promoted  from  first  ser- 
geant, October  30,  1864. 

The  third  Iowa  battery  of  light  artillery,  after  holding  part  in 
the  battles  of  Chickasaw  Bayou,  Arkansas  Post,  Lookout  Moun- 
tain, Seige  of  Vicksburg,  Dallas,  and  the  famous  Atlanta  cam- 
paign, and  marching  with  Sherman  to  the  sea,  was  mustered  out 
of  the  service  at  Davenport,  July  14,  1865. 

ROSTER  OF  VOLUNTEERS. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  give  the  entire  list  of  the  sons  of 
Howard  county,  in  the  service  of  the  general  government  during 
the  civil  war,  as  all  were  not  credited  to  the  county.  But  by  a 
careful  investigation  of  the  report  of  the  adjutant  general  of  the 
state,  supplemented  by  personal  inquiry,  it  is  hoped  that  the  list 
given  is  as  accurate  as  the  circumstances  will  admit. 

THIRD  IOWA  INFANTRY — CO.  D. 

Charles  P.  Brown,  Joseph  S.  Nefl', 

Gearge  H.  Culver,  Henry  H.  Sheldon, 

R.  E.  Carpenter,  Daniel  Wise. 

CO.  I. 

'  George  Merchant,  Isiah  Wood, 

John  O'Donnell. 

SEVENTH  IOWA  INFANTRY — CO.  B. 

W.  E.  Thayer,  Joseph  M.  Gallahan, 

David  Seeley. 

NINTH  IOWA  INFANTRY — CO.  H. 

Jasper  N.  Moulton,  A.  J.  Cook, 

Stephen  Teeples,  Alfred  Knowlton. 

CO.  I. 

Samuel  Fellows,  1st  lieut.  Charles  Kemery,  2d  heut. 

C.  B.  Ashley,  David  Garver, 

John  Logue,  Levi  Yantz, 

Myrtello  Barber,  Isaac  Bryan, 

W.  C.  Bryan,  S.  A.  Converse, 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 


489 


Joseph  Capler, 
James  M.  Johnson, 
John  Oren, 
J.  F.  Powell, 
Chas.  W.  Polley, 
Lauriston  AveriL, 
Sherman  Barnes, 
George  S.  Briggs, 
Joseph  H.  Fenton, 
Daniel  C.  Harding, 
Chas.  D.  Lockwood, 
Daniel  A.  McMartin, 
Harvey  S.  Ayres, 
Hiram  Birch, 
John  P.  Freeborn, 
Simon  Hughes, 
Robert  Hurley, 
Osborn  Lutes, 
William  McCrea, 
Charles  L.  Wilder, 
J.  D.  O'Donnell, 
Horace  B.  Rome, 
D.  M.  Townsend, 
Joseph  Yantz, 
Andrew  Miller, 
W.  M.  Colby, 
Daniel  B.  Burke, 
D.  P.  Griffin, 


D.  C.  Horning, 
Martin  Kile, 
Finley  D.  Pierce, 
William  L.  Ransom, 
T.  J.  Papin, 
Amos  S.  Halstead, 
Clark  Johnson, 
Benj.  F.  Knight, 
John  F.  Knight, 
Thos.  J.  Bridges, 
Edwin  Chapell, 
Ezra  M.  Cole, 
Francis  A.  Daniels, 
John  Goodenough, 
Lewellyn  Hurley, 
Martin  B.  Jones, 
John  Long, 
A.  Strogher, 
Lorenzo  Wentworth, 
Adam  Vance, 
Salisbury  Sherman, 
Hiram  M.  Townsend, 
M.  M.  Wells, 
Geo.  A.  Owen, 
N.  R.  Johnston, 
Walter  Scofield, 
Thos.  J.  Powell, 
Walter  Mintay. 


V.  R.  Dunn, 


TWELFTH  IOWA  INFANTRY — CO.  G. 

Fred.  Radian, 
Edward  Rachan. 


THIRTEENTH  IOWA  INFANTRY 


John  R.  Curry, 
Terence  McGrary, 


Isaac  Cottrell, 
Francis  Craig. 


TWENTY-FIRST  IOWA  INFANTRY- 

John  Becker. 


-CO.  A. 


CO.    I.    THIRTY-EIGHT   IOWA    INFANTRY. 

W.  H.  Powell,  1st  Lieut.,  W.  H.  Patterson,  2d  Lieut., 

B.  D.  Everingham,  Lewis  L.  Light, 


490 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 


Jonas  F.  Adams, 
Alva  J.  Stearns, 
Madison  Taft, 
Samuel  L.  Thomson, 
0.  A.  Bmiker, 
0.  D.  Curtis, 
Otis  A.  Adams, 
Wm.  H.  Buckland, 
Ard.  Bryan, 
Charles  E.  Booth, 
Charles  Craghill, 
G.  W.  Dawes, 
Geo.  Duffy, 
John  Feather, 
Isaac  W.  Poe, 
Chas.  W.  Sawyer, 
Wm.  Winters, 

C.  F.  Mitchell, 

E.  B.  Sloan, 
S.  Hazledine, 
M.  C.  Abrams, 

D.  C.  Ashley, 
Jos.  W.  Brown, 
Jason  Bennett, 
Jno.  P.  Bossard, 
L.  p.  Bayes, 

F.  L.  Dauberschmit, 
James  Forester, 

Adam  Fussell, 

A.  J.  Garnsey, 

R.  B.  Henderson, 


Robt.  Logue, 
Walter  Mintey, 
S.  Nichols, 
S.  G.  Oldham, 
F.  H.  Ransom, 
Philip  Serfors, 
Benj.  Strawn, 
Jas.  Shaw, 
Andrew  Witt,  Jr.,. 
Peter  Phillips, 
Jay  H.  Phillips, 
F.  Richards. 
Ole  Talif, 
Geo.  W.  Weller, 
L.  D.  Huckins, 
J.  B.  Kingsley, 
C.  M.  Pepin, 
A.  S.  Pepin, 
Alex.  J.  Powell, 
Sylvanus  Pekin, 
W.  P.  Rinia, 
J.  W.  Maynard, 
E.  B.  Millington, 
Wm.  Niles, 
H.  C.  Obert, 
James  M.  Phillips, 
Edwin  Phillips, 
John  B.  Parrington,. 

J.  F.  Sheldon, 
Ezra  Witt, 
Enos.  Wood. 
Jas.  Heldridge, 


John  Holverson, 

FORTY-SIXTH    IOWA  INFANTRY — CO.  F. 

Ed.  M.  Ashley,  George  Daggett, 

Henry  Pierce,  S.  E.  Trask. 

SIXTH    IOWA  CAVALRY — CO.    F. 

Elijah  Murry,  William  C.  Storr, 

W.  F.  Lyman,  E.  Miner, 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 


491 


Joseph  Richards, 
Peter  Smith. 


B.  W.  Sawver, 


H.  M.  Harlow, 


CO.    K. 

John  M.  Sawyer. 

CO   M. 

C.  J.  Nichols. 

THIRD   IOWA   BATTERY. 

Geo.  L.  Brown,  William  Radford, 

Edmund  D.  Howe,  George  H.  Niles, 

George  W.  Combs,  Truman  H.  Smith, 

James  Q.  Jones, 
Michael  Kelley. 


Theod.  B.  Sheldon, 


\V^>" 


492  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


Chronology  of  the  County,  Being  an  Account  of  the  Prin- 
cipal Events,  Occurring  in  the  County,  From  the  Earliest 
Time  to  the  Present  Moment,  Arranged  Chronologically. 


1851. 

During  the  month  of  December,  Hiram  Johnson  erected  his 
humble  cabin,  and  dwelt  therein,  the  first  white  man  to  locate 
within  the  bounds  of  what  now  constitutes  the  county  of  Howard. 

1853. 

This  is  the  first  year  that  any  immigration  came  into  Howard 
county.  It  is  told,  that  during  the  twelve  months,  Henry  Brown 
located  in  Oakdale  township,  Daniel  Crowell  and  Andrew  Nelson, 
in  Albion,  William  Cottrell,  Thomas  Lewis,  William  Brown 
and  H.  Shuttleworth  in  New  Oregon,  and  Owen  Sprague,  William 
Harlow  and  others  at  Vernon  Springs. 

1854. 

During  the  year  S.  M.  Cole,   James  Q.    Uj^ton,  George  Schofield 
and  others   came  to   Vernon   Springs.     "Uncle"  George  Schofield 
building  the  first  house,  in  what  was  afterwards  the  villiage  of 
New  Oregon. 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY.  493 

A.  D.  C.  Knowlton,  Joseph  Knowlton,  Oscar  Chesebro,  located 
the  first  claims  in  Forest  City  township. 

Jarecl  Sigler  and  others  in  Saratoga,  making  the  first  settle- 
ments in  that  township. 

This  same  year  it  is  also  recorded,  that  C.  S.  Thurber  and  others 
were  the  pioneers  in  the  settlement   in   Albion  township. 

The  first  settlement  of  Afton  township,  was  made  this  year,  by 
A.  Pooler.  Joseph   Hall  and  others. 

A.    Kingsley   and    others    settled  in  the  township  of  Chester. 

The  first  saw  mill  in  the  county,  was  erected  this  year,  near 
Vernon  Springs,  on  the  Turkey  river,  by  Oren  Sprague. 

1854. 

Saw  mill  at  New  Oregon  erected  by  William  Harlow,  in  the 
early  part  of  the  year. 

The  first  grist  mill  built  in  the   county,  erected  at  Foreston 

First  store,  within  the  limits  of  the  county,  opened  by  Henry 
Milder,  at  Vernon  Springs,  and  known  as  the  "Blue  Store"  to  all 
the  settlers  round  about. 

First  school  in  the  county,  opened  during  the  year  by  Miss 
Harriet  Cole,  at   Vernon  Springs. 

The  first  post  office,  established  in  the  county  was  at  "Oregon 
Grove,"  and  of  which  Hiram  Johnson  was  appointed  postmaster, 
but  before  his  commission  had  arrived,  he  had  removed  from  the 
county,  and  k^.  M.  Cole  was  appointed  in  his  place. 

This  year,  Lucy  Thurber,  the  first  white  child  was  born,  in  the 
county,  and  in  October  of  this  same  year  Jacob  Harlow,  the  first 
boy  in  the  county,  was  born. 

It  is  recorded  that  the  first  death  to  occur  in  Forest  City  town- 
ship, was  during  this  year,  and  was  that  of  John  Mortimer. 

Howard  township  first   settled  by   W.  S.    Pettibone  and  others. 

The  first  settlement  in  Jamestown  township  made  by  Messrs 
Van  Houghton,  Niles  and  Shaw. 

During  the  winter  of  this  year  Robert  Gilchrist,  of  Albion  town- 
ship was  frozen  to   death,   wliile   attempting  to    cross  the  prairie. 

1855. 
The  settlements  during  the  year  are  Thomas  Griffin  and  Patrick 
Richards  in  Paris  township;  R.  0.  Thayer  W.  E.  Thayer  and  oth- 
ers, in  Howard  Centre;  C.  D.  Cutting,  William   and  Dennis  Rice, 
in  Jamestown  township.  > 


494  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

The  second  grist  mill  erected  in  the  county,  at  Vernon  Springs, 
on  the   Turkey   river. 

S.  M.  Cole  erects  and  establishes  the  first  hotel  in  the  county,  it 
being  near  the  town  of  Vernon  Springs;  this  hotel  was  for  some 
years  the  principal  stopping  place  for  M.  0.  Walker's  stages  and 
for  all  travelers  and  emigrants  passing  west. 

The  county  organized  this  year,  in  accordance  with  an  order  is- 
sued from  the  court  of  Judge  Lyons,  of  Chickasaw  county,  and 
first  election  held,  resulting  in  the  election  of  James  G.  Upton  as 
county  judge,  Edmund  Gillett,  county  clerk;  William  Woodward, 
recorder  and  treasurer. 

Vernon  Springs  township  was  organized  this  year. 

Postoffice  established  at  the  village  of  Lime  Si)rings,  with  A.  D. 

C.  Knowlton  as  postmaster;  this  being  the  first  in  the  township 
of  Forest  City. 

The  postoffice  located  at  Arnoldsville  was  the  first  in  Albion 
township,  and  A.  Allen  was  commissioned  the  postmaster.  It  re- 
mained here,  however,  but  a  short  time  when  it  was  removed  to 
Osborne. 

C.  M.  Munson  opened  the  first  store,  in  the  village  of  New  Oregon, 

during  the  year. 

1856. 
The  settlement  of  Jamestown  township   dates  from  this  year, 
although  a  few  settlers  had  pre-empted  claims  therein  the  year  be- 
fore.    It  is  recorded  that  a  party  consisting   of  James  A.  Cutting, 

D.  P.  Bradford,  John  Mofiitt  and  Lyman  Southard,  erected  a 
steam  saw  mill,  which  they  had  brought  with  them,  near  the  town 
of  Riceville.  Large  immigration  poured  into  this  town  this  year, 
among  whom  may  be  found,  the  names  of  Darius  and  Smith  W. 
Seeley. 

The  first  election,  ever  held  in  the  town  of  Jamestown,  was  the 
presidential  one  of  this  year,  which  resulted  in  the  election  of 
James  Buchanan,  to  the  position  of  chief  executive  of  the  nation. 

April  12,  Marcus  De  Moss  born,  the  first  birth  in  the  precinct  of 
Jamestown. 

John  F.  Thayer  commences  the  erection  of  the  hotel,  at  Howard 
Centre,  early  in  the  year,  and  at  the  grand  celebration  held  in  the 
grove  near  by,  and  at  which  M.  V.  Burdick  and  James  G.  Upton, 
spoke,  the  lower  story  was  used  as  aballroom,although  the  second 
story  was  not   built  yet. 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  495 

The  record  of  the  survey  and  plat,  of  the  town  of  Howard 
Center,  bears  date  of  December  1,  of  this  year. 

The  first  postoffice  in  the  toM'nship  of  Jamestown  is  established 
in  the  spring,  with  D.  P.  Bradford,  to  handle  the  mails. 

This  yeaf  proving  dry,  and  the  herbage  growing  dry,  the  prairie 
fires,  destroyed  much  propert}^  for  the  pioneers,  and  the  cold 
winter  coming  on,  the  coldest  they  had  ever  known,  many  being 
without  shelter,  suffered,  untold  hardship.  The  fearful  blizzard  of 
December  13,  will  be  remembered  by  them  all,  and  many  suffered, 
even  unto  d^ath,  notably,  among  which  is  Mr.  William  Niles,  who 
attempting  to  cross  but  a  short  strip  of  open  country,  wandered 
from  the  track,  was  lost,  and  perished  in  the  darkness  and  the 
storm. 

Kev.  John  W.  Windsor  organizes  the  Congregational  church  at 
New  Oregon.  This  is  the  parent  of  the  church  of  the  same  de-. 
nomination  npw  located  at  Cresco. 

The  first  marriage  in  the  county  is  celebrated  this  year,  being 
that  of  Edmund  Gillett  to  Miss  Helen  Barber,  this  was  at  Vernon 
Springs. 

The  county  seat  is  located  at  Vernon  Springs,  in  the  spring,  by 
order  of  Judge  Upton,  and  the  books  and  papers  of  the  county 
moved  there  and  court  held  at  that  place. 

The  organization  of  Forest  City  township  is  perfected,  and  the 
first  election -held  therein,  resulting  in  electing  C.  S.  Thurber,  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  and  E.  Bassett,  town  clerk. 

The  first  school  in  the  township  of  Forest  City  was  opened  and 
taught  by  Miss  Helen  VanLeuvan,  in  the  fall  of  this  year. 

Howard  and  Afton  townships  organized  in  one  precinct  during 
the  year. 

Charles  F.  Bunker,  born  October  1st,  being  the  first  birth  in  the 
township  of  Howard  Center. 

In  the  spring,  in  Albion  township,  the  Baptist  church  was  or- 
ganized, with  Rev.  T.  H.  Miner  as  pastor.  Later  in  the  year  the 
'^lethodist  of  the  community  organized  their  church,  and  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Lease  was  chosen  their  sjuritual  leader.  The  Church  of 
Christ  was  also  organized  this  year,  under  the  labors  of  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Phillips.    * 

During  the  fall  of  this  year.  Dr.  Lewis  Reynolds  opened  and 
taught  the  first  school  in  Albion  township. 


496  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTY. 

The  first  regular  village  school  was  opened  in  the  town  of  New 
Oregon,  and  Daniel  Mills  assumed  the  tutorship. 

1857. 

Albion  township  was  a  part  of  Vernon  Springs,  until  this  year, 
when  it  withdrew,  andjcompleted  a  separate  organization,  and  held 
its  first  election,  at  which  were  cast  some  forty-eight  votes,  and  re- 
sulted in  electing  JamesNichols  and  James  Oakley,  justices  of  the 
peace,  and  Josiah  Kelley,  town  clerk. 

The  townships  of  Chester  and  Oakdale  organized  in  one,  under 
the  name  of  Iowa  River,  and  at  the  first  election,  held  in  April, 
forty-nine  votes  were  polled,  John  Adams  and  W.  Y.  Wells  being 
elected  justices  of  the  peace,  and  C.  M.  Sawyer,  town  clerk.  In  the 
same  township  the  first  regular  district  school  was  organized,  and 
taught  by  Miss  Salinda  Burknap,  although  it  is  said,  that  a  school 
had  been  in  operation  the  year  before,  but  of  which  there  is  noth- 
ing known  of  a  certainty. 

Postofiice,  at  Howard  Center,  established;  Henry  Cook  being 
commissioned  as  the  first  postmaster  thereof. 

The  organization  of  Howard  Center  township  perfected,  and  first 
election  held  March  13th,  at  the  house  of  John  F.  Thayer,  result- 
ing in  the  choice  of  Frank  S.  Trew,  as  justice  of  the  peace;  Ira 
Eldridge,  Chas.  H.  Wood,  and  Calvin  F.  Webster,  town  trustees; 
T.  R.  Perry,  town  clerk;  R.  0.  Thayer,  and  O.  A.  Bunker,  con- 
stables. 

The  township  school  board  was  also  organized,  and  the  first  tax 
levied  in  the  precinct  was  one  voted  by  the  people  for  the  purpose 
of  raising  funds  to  erect  a  school  house.  The  election  took  place 
June  1st. 

It  is  recorded  that,  all  this  year,  the  Rev.  John  W.  Windsor 
preached  on  alternate  Sabbaths,  at  the  town  of  Howard  Center, 
being  the  first  to  teach  the  word  of  God  in  that  precinct. 

February  5th,  during  a  blinding  snow  storna,  the  flakes  falling 
so  thick  and  last  that  none  could  see  the  flames  half  a  mile  off", 
the  hotel  of  John  Thayer,  at  Howard  Center,  was  destroyed  by- 
fire.  There  was,  at  the  time  of  the  breaking  out  of  the  conflagra- 
tion, a  school  in  session  in  the  building  taught  by  W.  B.  Stone. 
Tlie  fire  caugl^t  from  a  defective  flue,  or  a  brokCTi  stovepipe,  and 
in  a  short  time  reduced  the  building  to  a  pile  of  ashes. 

The  host,  Mr.  Thuyer  was  in  the  timber  at  the  time,  getting  out 
timbers  for  a  barn,  and  when  he   saw   the  work  of  the  devouring 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  497 

elements,  immediately  commenced  operation  to  rebnild  him  a 
hotel,  even  before  the  glowing  coals  had  lost  their  lirey  breath,  he 
began  his  labors,  and  by  the  fourth  of  July  next  had  the  building 
completed,  and  much  larger  and  better  than  before. 

I.  C.  Chamberlain  teaches  the  first  school  in  the  township  of 
Paris. 

The  postoffice  at  Sturgis'  Point,  in  the  same  town,  located  with 
J.  I.  Sturgis  as  postmaster. 

In  Jamestown  township  the  first  election  for  township  officers 
was  held,  April  7th,  and  W.  E.  Thayer  and  D  Patterson  were 
chosen  constables;  Willis  Spencer  and  Darius  Seeley,  justices  of 
the  peace;  H.  Ricker,  Asel  Fassett,  and  Smith  W.  Seeley,  town 
trustees. 

The  first  school  was  also  taught  in  this  township,  this  year.  Miss 
Jane  Chandler  being  the  teacher.  The  building  was  built  of  logs 
at  "Round  Grove,"  and  for  some  years  answered  the  purpose,  when 
it  grew  to  limited,  as  to  space,  and  was  replaced  with  a  larger  one 
of  frame. 

The  first  term  of  the  district  court,  held  in  the  county,  was  at 
Vernon  Springs,  Samuel  Murdock  being  the  judge.  It  was  at 
this  term  that  the  first  naturalization  papers  ever  issued  in  the 
county,  were  taken  out  by  Joseph  S.  Schafer,  an  alien,  who  desired 
to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

During  the  fall  the  county  seat  was  removed  from  Vernon 
Springs  to  thf'  town  of  Howard  Center. 

First  movement  of  the  people  of  the  county  toward  a  railroad 
was  initiated  this  year;  a  vote  of  the  people  offering  the  North- 
western railroad  $150,000  to  build  a  road  into  the  county.  This 
proved  of  no  avail,  as  that  railway  never  accepted  the  bonus  nor 
built  any  track  in  that  direction. 

The  Baptist  church,  at  Vernon  Springs,  organized,  with  Rev.  C. 
E.  Brown  as  pastor.  The  first  school,  in  the  same  township, 
opened  and  taught  this  year  by  Aaron  Kimball. 

1858. 

Howard  County  Sentinel,  the  first  paper  published  in  the 
county,  established  February  18th,  by  a  stock  company,  with  J, 
Howard  Field  as  editor.  This  paper  was  ijuite  a  su«cess,  u  til  it 
was  burned  out  in  the  following  year,  and  never  re-established. 

The  Star  of  the  west,  another  journal,   was  established,  at  New 


498  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

Oregon,  by  Gilmore  &  McKay,   but   it   had   a  life  of  but   eleven 
weeks,  ere  it  died. 

George  W.  Haislet  starts  the  Northern  Tight,  a  weekly  paper  at 
Howard  Center;  it  lasted  but  one  year,  when  it  was  removed  to 
more  congenial  climes. 

This  seems  to  be  a  good  year  for  newspapers,  for  we  learn  that 
the  North  Iowa  Gazette,  a  democratic  organ,  under  the  editorship 
of  Messrs.  Harrison  &  Peck,  issues  its  initial  number.  The  dura- 
tion of  its  life  was  only  about  a  year,  as  it  expired  from  want  of 
patronage,  there  not  being  many  democrats  in  the  county. 

During  the  summer  the  organization  of  Saratoga  township,  and 
the  consequent  election,  is  recorded.  T.  J.  Gibbons  being  chosen 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  John  R.  Buckbee,  town  clerk;  fourteen 
votes  were  polled. 

County  seat  moved  from  Howard  Center  and  located  on  the 
bluff,  between  New  Oregon  and  Vernon  Springs  villages,  by  the 
-commission,  consisting  of  M.  V.  Burdick,  G.  N.  Holbrook,  and 
George  Bronson.  These  gentlemen  were  appointed  by  Judge 
Upton  for  the  purpose,  in  answer  to  the  wishes  of  the  i:)eople  of 
the  county,  and,  finding  that  it  could  not  be  granted  to  either  of 
the  above  mentioned  towns,  compromised  the  matter  by  giving 
it  to  neither,  but  placed  it  half  way  between  them.  The  court 
house  was  commenced  at  that  point  this  year,  but  was  not  finished 
and  occupied  until  the  next  spring,  and  was  paid  for  by  the 
private  subscription  of  both  villages. 

Methodist  church,  at  Vernon  Springs,  organized,  with  Rev.  Fall 

as  pastor. 

The  Congregational  church,  at  Saratoga,  organized,  and  the  first 

school,  in  that  place,  opened  b}"^  Miss  Emma  Seeley. 

At  the  organization  of  Paris  township,  this  year,  the  vote  polled 
was  but  twenty-three,  and  P.  Smith  was  elected  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  P.  Griiiin,  town  clerk. 

Afton  township  was  also  organized  this  year,  polling  forty -eight 
votes,  and  electing  A.  M.  Cowan  and  R.  Wooten,  justice^  of  the 
peace.  • 

The  organization  of  the  Methodist  church,  in  Afton  township, 
dates  from  tliis  year. 

The  town  of  Chester  laid  out,  in  March,  by  A.  Eaton,  and  the 
first  postofiice  established,  and  Mr.  Eaton  installed  as  the  post- 
tnaster. 


• 


HISTORY  OF   HOWARp  COUNTY.  499 

Methodist  church,  at  Chester,  organized,  in  March,  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Norton,  with  seven  members. 

The  first  marriage  in  Albion  township  takes  place,  being  that  of 
Ralph  Watson  to  Miss  Martha  Cassety,  the  ceremony  being  per- 
formed by  Elder  Griffin,  a  Baptist  minister. 

This  year  the  Episcopal  and  Roman  Catholic  churches,  at  New 
Oregon,  were  organized.  The  former  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Waterbury. 

It  was  during  this  year  that  the  "gold  fever"  broke  out  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  county,  sonie  deluded  creatures  conceiving 
that  the  auriferous  metal  could  be  found  in  paying  quantities  on 
the  banks  of  the  Upper  Iowa  river.  The  mania  had  its  run,  but 
that  was  to  short,  and  the  craze  being  over,  the  men  settled  down 
to  work,  and  were  once  more  reasonable  beings. 

1859. 

The  court  house,  on  the  blufif,  near  Vernon  Springs  and  New 
Oregon,  finished  and  occupied  as  such,  in  February. 

The  New  Oregon  Plaindealer  established,  uy  H.  Lick  and  W.  R. 
Mead;  this  has  proved  one  of  the  few  successful  papers.  With- 
standing the  storms  and  adversities  of  early  journalism,  it;,  has 
rode  triumphant  into  harbor.  Continuing  in  New  Oregon,  until 
May,  18G7,  it  was  then  transferred  to  Cresco,  Avhere  it  yet  remains 
under  the  charge  of  W.  R.  and  F.  J.  Mead. 

The  first  Baptist  church  within  the  precinct  of  Forest  City,  was 
organized  this  spring,  with  Rev.  C.  E.  Brown,  as  pastor  and 
spiritual  guide.  The  Methodist  churches,  at  Foreston  and  Lime 
Springs,  and  the  Presbyterian  churches  in  both  the  above  places, 
were  also  instituted  during  the  year. 

1860. 

The  large  stone  grist  mill,  at  Lime  Springs,  was  completed  this 
year,  although  partly  built  the  year  previous.  M.  M.  Marsh  was 
the  sole  owner  and  builder,  and  at  the  time  of  its  construction 
the  finest  in  this  section. 

The  first  delinquent  tax  sale,  in  the  county,  was  held,  this  year, 
and  was  but  slimly  attended. 

186L 

The  mode  of  county  government  being  clianged  this  year  from 
the  hands  of  the  county  judge  to  that  of  supervisors,  one  from 
each  township;   tlie  board  met  January  7th  lor  the  first  time. 


500  HISTORY  ofThoward  county. 

The  southern  slave  states  having  now  risen  in  arms  against  the 
government,  the  board  of  supervisors,  on  June  4th,  }>ass  a  resolu- 
tion to  sustain  the  honor  of  Howard  county,  by  pledging  the 
resources  of  the  county  to  the  federal  government,  both  in  men 
and  money.  In  September  they  pass  an  ordinance,  by  which  they 
agree  to  pay  every  man,  enlisiing  from  the  county,  ten  dollars  as  an 
outfit,  and  also  to  pay  monthly,  to  the  wives  of  such,  the  sum  of 
four  dollars,  and  one  dollar  to  each  child  under  twelve  years 
of  age. 

Company  I,  ninth  Iowa  infantry,  raised  in  the  county,  and 
mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  September  ISth. 
This  company  did  good  service  in  the  fiery  battle  front,  returning 
at  the  cloje  of  the  war  with  much  thinned  ranks,  and  leaving 
many  a  loved  comrade  in  the  cold  embrace  of  death,  tar  away  in 
southern  swamps. 

1862. 

The  summer  breezes  blowing  down  from  Minnesota  bring  the 
fearful  tidings  of  Indian  massacre  and  butchery.  Thousands  flee- 
ing for  their  lives,  leaving  their  property  to  be  destroyed  by  the 
red  fiends,  came  for  shelter  to  Howard  county,  creating  quite  a 
scare.  The  county  government  asked  the  state  for  arms,  but 
before  the  "circumlocation  office"  had  got  round  to  it,  the  need 
had  passed  away,  and  all  was  quiet  once  more. 

Company  I,  thirty-eighth  Iowa  infantry,  raised  in  the  county, 
and  marched  to  join  the  boys  in  the  front.  This  company  was 
mustered  in  at  Dubuque,  November  4th,  and  served  its  full  time, 
until  the  close  of  the  war. 

1868. 

The  board  of  supervisors,  of  the  county,  submit  to  the  ratifica- 
tion of  the  legal  electors  of  the  county,  the  question  of  donating 
all  the  swamp  lands  of  the  county  to  aid  in  the  construction  and 
equipment  of  the  McGregor  Western  railroad,  on  the  condition 
that  they  would  build  a  railroad  from  North  McGregor  westward 
to  intersect  the  county  from  east  to  west.  At  an  election  held' 
October  19th,  the  people,  by  a  large  majority,  proclaim  themselves 
in  favor  of  such  donation. 

The  cemetery  in  Howard  township  laid  out,  also  the  first  person 
interred  therein  being  Mrs.  Harriet  N.  Talmage,  who  had  drowned 
herself,  while  suffering  under  a  temporary  aberration  of  mind. 


HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY.  501 

The  board  of  supervisors  of  the  county,  finding  that  it  was  still 
necessary  to  find  a  few  more  men  to  fill  the  quota  of  Howard 
county,  in  the  federal  army,  offer  the  Kum  of  three  hundred 
dollars  to  all  who  will  enlist,  and  be  accepted,  between  December 
7th  and  January  5th  next,  and  their  wives  and  children  to  receive 
the  same  monthly  ])ayments  as  had  been  paid  to  the  others. 

1865. 

The  board  of  supervisors,  wanting  to  change  the  location  ol  the 
county  seat,  declare  that  the  present  court  house  is  unfit  for  the 
purpose,  the  weather  having  rotted  it  down,  until  it  was  unsafe  for 
the  records,  and  ordered  the  officers  to  remove  the  said  records 
and  i)apers  to  Vernon  Springs.  The  board  met  at  the  latter  place, 
but  the  records,  etc.,  were  not  moved  owing  to  the  objections  raised 
against  it. 

The  time  in  which  the  McGregor  Western  railway  was  to  get 
their  track  and  roadbed  into  the  county,  having  expired  before 
they  were  enabled  to  do  so,  they  asked  the  people  to  extend  the 
time  on  the  contract,  which,  at  an  election  held  in  October,  was 
accordingly  done. 

During  the  year  the  first  effort  was  made  to  purchase  a  poor 
farm,  and  erect  a  poor  house,  but  it  fell  through  for  want  of,  the 
proj^er  support. 

1866. 

In  the  spring  of  this  year  the  McGregor  Western  railroad  crossed 
the  boundary  of  the  county,  and  first  broke  ground  for  their  track 
within  its  limits.  J^ntering  in  section  twenty-three,  in  Vernon 
Springs,  the  road  passes  northwest  and  leaves  the  county  on 
section  ten,  Oakdale  township,  traversing  the  northeast  corner,  and 
skirting  the  north  line  of  the  county.  The  people  and  officers  of 
the  county  justly  complained  at  the  action  of  the  railroad  com- 
pany, in  not  comi)lying  with  the  terms  of  the  contract  entered 
into  by  them  with  the  county,  which  recites  that  the  road  was  to 
cross  the  entire  length  of  the  county,  from  east  to  west.  This  was 
the  source  of  much  trouble  and  litigation  in  the  future. 

The  town  of  Cresco  was  laid  out  and  platted,  and  the  said  plat 
placed  on  record,  June  12th,  of  this  year.  There  have  been  several 
additions  made  to  this  plat  since,  and  now  covers  nearly  four 
times  as  much  territory  as  at  first  laid  out. 

The  first  settlement  of  the  town  also  dates  from  this  year. 


502  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  CO UNTIf, 

The  London  Times,  in  an  issue  early  in  the  ensuing  year,  quotes 
the  town  of  Cresco  as  an  example  of  the  wonderful  growth  of  the 
American  western  towns,  and  says  "that  in  six  months  a  bald 
prairie  is  covered  with  stores,  shops,  and  dwellings  of  a  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  and  resounds  to  the  hum  of  rushing  business." 

The  first  school,  in  Cresco,  also  dates  from  this  year,  and  was 
taught  in  the  house,  afterwards  used  jis  a  private  residence  by  Mrs. 
Bateman. 

1867. 

In  the  course  of  this  year,  the  board  of  supervisors  of  the  county 
are  presented  with  a  petition,  signed  by  Augustus  Beadle  and 
others,  praying  that  the  seat  of  the  county  government  be  re- 
located at  Cresco,  and  offering,  if  that  was  done,  to  erect  a  suitable 
building  to  be  used  as  a  court  house,  and  for  the  use  of  the  county, 
donate  it  free  of  any  charge  whatever.  A  committee  of  the  whole 
being  appointed  to  view  the  proposed  site  of  the  building,  was 
reported  upon  favorably,  and  the  board  accepted  the  offer,  and 
ordeied  the  county  officers  to  remove  the  records,  files,  papers, 
and  offices  to  the  new  court  house,  when  it  was  finished.  The 
Howard  county  court  house  association  immedialely  commenced 
the  erection  of  the  structure,  which  was  finished  in  June,  and  the 
removal  made.  Owing  to  the  opposition  of  many  in  the  county, 
the  county  seat  was  not  formally  relocated,  but  by  a  legal  fiction 
was  still  supposed  to  remain  at  "the  bluff,"  but  for  the  conveni- 
ence the  court  house,  at  Cresco,  was  recognized  as  the  real  county 
seat. 

January  20th  the  Howard  County  Times  was  born.  The  pro- 
prietors, Messrs.  Wood  &  Mix,  establishing  the  same  under  the 
most  favorable  circumstances.  This  paper  passed  through  many 
hands  since,  but  has  never  lost  its  prestige,  as  one  of  the  brightest 
and  best  of  northern  Iowa's  papers. 

1868. 

The  board  of  supervisors  submit  to  the  action  of  the  qualified 
electors,  the  question  of  levying  a  special  tax,  to  furnish  the 
necessary  funds  to  purchase  a  poor  farm,  and  erect  suitable  build- 
ings, but  on  account  of  the  hard  times,  owing  to  the  depreciation 
in  values,  consequent  on  the  close  of  the  war,  the  people  of  the 
county  saw  fit  to  deny  the  tax,  and  for  the  time  being  the  matter 
was  dropped. 


HISTORY  Oi>   HOWARD  COUNTY,  503 

The  matter  of  the  McGregor  raih-oad  again  crops  out,  in  a 
petition  to  the  legislature  of  the  state,  praying  that  body  not  to 
legalize  the  action  of  a  former  board  of  supervisors,  donating  all 
the  SAvamp  lands  of  the  county,  to  the  road,  on  the  plea,  that  the 
said  company  had  not  complied  with  the  terms  of  its  contract., 
This  matter  was  afterwards  carried  into  the  courts,  and  consider- 
able litigation  carried  on,  but  in  the  end  the  matter  was  com- 
promised, and  the  railroad  allowed  to  hold  possession  of  the 
lands  in  dispute,  on  the  condition  that  the  company  put  a  depot 
at  the  town  of  Chester.  '^ 

On  the  night  of  March  15th,  the  office  of  the   county  treasurer 

was  burglariously  entered,  the  safe  broken  open  and  the  contents, 
amounting  to  $13,000,  abstracted.  There  has  been  no  clue  to  the 
thief  or  thieves,  nor  never  will  be,  in  all  probability,  but  suspicion 
was,  and  is,  rife.  This  loss  was  a  serious  loss  to  the  county,  al- 
ready burdened  with  debt,  and  helped  to  retard  the  settlement  of 
the  county. 

The  railroad  locate  their  depot  within  three-fourths  of  a  mile  of 
Lime  Springs  and  the  new  town,  Lime  Springs  station,  sprung  into 
being.  This  town,  like  its  neighbor,  Cresco,  grew  with  a  surpris- 
ing growth  and  before  winter  had  cast  its  snowy  mantle  over  the 
ground,  quite  a  town  stood  on  what  was  a  before  a  fertile  farm- 
Among  the  first  merchants  in  the  place,  we  find  the  names  of  Peter 
Velie,  Jr.,  S.  L.  Gary,  J.  F.  Cameron,  W.  F.  Daniels,  J.  E.  Foster^ 
C.  C.  Hewitt,  Joeseph  Knowlton,  H.  P.  Marsh,  M.  M.  and  A.  E. 
Marsh,  Ohlquist  Bros.,  and  Alonzo  Pettit. 

The  postoffice  at  Lime  Springs  station  was  established  this  year, 
with  James  Greenleaf  as  postmaster;  he  however,  did  not  occupy 
the  position,  but  about  a  month  when  on  his  resigning  it,  Alonzo 
Pettit  was  appointed,  and  still  holds  that  office. 

The  town  of  Cresco  is  incorporated,  and  an  election  held  for  city 
officers,  April  20th,  resulting  in  the  choice  of  Isaac  Gregory,  for 
mayor;  .W.  R.  Mead,  recorder;  Henry  Widner,  attorney;  B. 
Chapin,  treasurer  and  L.  T.  Woodcock,  J.  Clemmer,  John  C.  Clark 
and  John  E.  Peck,  as  council. 

1869. 

The  station  at  Chester,  located  this  year,  and  the  business  of  the 
town  receives  a  new  impetus. 


504  HISTORY  OF   HOWARD  COUNTV, 

The  independent  school  district  of  Cresco,  organized,  this  year 
and  the  main  part  of  the  school  building,  at  that  place  erected. 

The  Methodist  church,  in  Jamestown  township,  was  organized 
during  the  course  of  this  year,  by  Elder  Mapes,  with  some  fifteen 
members. 

1870. 

The  indebtedness  of  the  county  in  its  present  state  of  floating 
warrants  proving  an  incubus  upon  the  finances  of  the  treasury,  the 
board  resolved  to  bond  it  and  create  a  sinking  fund  for  the  re- 
demption thereof.  This  was  accordingly  done,  and  bonds  issued 
in  sums  of  $100,  and  the  whole  debt  placed  in  shape.  It  is  owing 
to  this  and  the  able  management  of  the  funds  since,  that  the 
county  enjoys  its  present  good  financial  condition. 

By  the  law  of  the  state  board,  the  of  supervisors  is  reduced, 
this  year,  to  the  number  of  three. 

The  bridge  at  Lime  Springs,  then  in  the  process  of  construction, 
falls  in  ruins. 

Presbyterian  and  Baptist  churches  in  Lime  Springs  station,  built 
during  the  year. 

James  Hendricks  builds  and  opens  the  hotel  in  that  part  of  the 
town  of  Riceville,  which  lies  in  Howard  county, 

1873. 

October  21st,  the  Cresco  Times,  passed  into  the  hands  of  L.  E. 
Smith,  who  is  at  present  the  sole  proprietor  and  owner. 

The  People's  Representative,  a  weekly  newspaper,  starts  on  the 
stormy  sea  of  journalism.  This  paper  seems  to  have  succumbed 
to  the  tide  of  adverse  fates,  as  it  no  longer  exists. 

At  the  election,  held  in  October,  this  year,  "Jerry"  Barker,  re- 
ceived 656  votes,  and  W.  W.  White,  651,  for  auditor.  The  latter 
being  the  incumbent  of  that  office,  contested  the  election,  claim- 
ing illegal  votes  on  the  part  of  the  o])position.  The  matter 
continued  for  some  time  and  the  conflict  waxed  warm.  The  board 
of  supervisors  took  the  matter  in  hand  and  decided  to  appoint  Mr. 
Barker  to  the  office,  claiming  the  right  to  do  so;  to  this  Mr.  White 
objected,  sajdng  that  the  board  had  no  right  to  remove  him,  and 
that  the  law  api3roved  of  his  right  to  hold  the  office,  until  his  suc- 
cessor was  elected.  He  was  shortly  reminded  of  the  fact,  that 
as  he  had  been  appointed  by  the  board,  to  fill  a  vacancy,  and  not 
elected  the  same  power  could  rescind  the    appointment.      This 


HISTORY  OF  HOWARD    COUNTY.  505 

view  of  the  matter  caused  Mr.  White  to  surrender,  and  Mr. 
Barker  entered  upon  the  duties  of  the  office,  early  in  the  ensuing 
year. 

1874. 

The  school  building,  at  Cresco,  proving  not  large  enough,  the 
west  wing,  of  that  structure,  was  built  this  year,  adding  consider- 
able more  room. 

The  Rlethodist  church  of  Ricevilie,  was  erected  and  dedi- 
cated in  the  early  part  of  the  year.  This  is  one  the  neatest  speci- 
mens of  gothic  architecture  in  the  county. 

1875. 
The  wrought  iron  bridge  at  Florenceville  is  constructed   during 
the  year. 

1876. 
The  first  normal  institute,  in  the   county,   is  held   during  the 
spring  of  this  year.     J.  C.  Gilchrist,  of  St.  Paul  was  the   director 
and  was  assisted  by  J.  Breckenridge,  of  Decorah,  and  Miss  Bucklin, 
ofCresco. 

iri  May,  of  this  year  the  town  of  Lime  Springs  Station  is  incor- 
porated. 

December  31st,  the  court  house,  at  Cresco,  is  destroyed  by  fire 
and  all  the  court  records  and  valuable  papers  reduced  to  ashes. 
The  fire  is  thought  to  have  been  of  incendiary  origin,  but  of  this 
there  yet  lacks'  proof.  About  midnight  the  alarm  was  given  and 
all  hastened  to  the  burning  building,  but  to  late  to  be  of^  any  good, 
as  the  flames  had  gained  such  a  headway  as  to  defy  their  feeble 
efibrts.  A  strong  effort  was  made  to  save  the  papers  in  the  court 
room,  but  the  heat  and  the  dense  volumes  of  smoke  drove  back, 
all  such  as  volunteered  for  the  forlorn  hope.  In  a  few  short  hours 
the  building  was  reduced  to  a  pile  of  glowing  ashes,  and  smoking 
heaps  of  rubbish. 

1877. 

This  year  will  ever  remain  notorious,  from  the  defalcation  and 
absconding  of  the  treasurer,  Frank  Kyte.  It  seems,  that  Monday, 
July  12th,  the  news  was  received  in  Cresco,  that  Mr.  Kyte  was 
drowned  at  McGregor,  the  afternoon  before.  On  receipt  of  intlli- 
gence,  several  of  the  most  prominent  citizens,  left  for  the  point  in 
question  to  verify  the  report,  and  if  true,  to  recover  the  body.  On 
their  arrival  at  that  city  the}'^  found  that,  althoug  strenuous  efibrts 


506  HISTORY  OF    HOWARD  COUNTY. 

had  been,  and  were  being  made  that  no  sigus  of  the  corpse  were 
visible.  After  developments  opened  the  eyes  of  all,  and  the  con- 
viction was  forced  upon  them,  that  instead  of  being  drowned, 
Frank  Kyte,  had  decamped  with  $18,500  of  the  county's  money, 
and  that  the  story  of  his  drowning  was  a  plot,  to  cover  up  his 
tracks. 

The  corporation  of  Cresco,  extends  its  limits  southward  so  as  to 
take  in  the  bluff,  whereon  rested  the  legal  county  seat,  and  so  ab- 
sorbing, as  it  were,  that  honor.  This  settled  the  county  seat  ques- 
tion, it  is  hoped  definitely. 

1878. 

The  people  of  the  county,  SBeing  that  a  rigid  adherence  to  the 
letter  of  law,  and  a  strict  government  of  the  bond  of  Frank  Kyte, 
the  defaulting  treasurer,  would  work  the  financial  ruin  of  many 
persons  who  had  signed  it,  petition  the  board  of  supervisors  to 
compromise  the  matter  with  them.  This  was  accordingly  done, 
and  the  matter  rested. 

1880. 

The  new  court  house,  at  Cresco,  rebuilt  and  re-occupied  by  the 
county  officers. 

The  first  class  to  graduate,  from  the  Cresco  high  school,  held  its 
commencement  exercises  this  year. 

1881. 

The  debt,  of  the  independent  school  district  of  Cresco,  is  bonded 
by  resolution  of  the  board  of  school  control. 

1882. 

Jail  and  sheriffs  residence  erected,  in  court  house  square,  by 
the  county. 


CHICKCSAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  507 


CHICKASAW  COUNTY  BIOGRAPHIES 


NEW  HAMPTON. 


Sam.  J.  Kenyon,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Oneida  county, 
New  York;  in  1847.  In  '56  he  went  to  Wisconsin  with  his  pa- 
rents, and  settled  in  Walworth  county;  came  to  New  Hampton  in 
'69  and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law,  Is  a  graduate  of  Milton 
college.  Rock  county,  Wisconsin,  his  legal  studies  being  subse- 
quently pursued  under  the  preceptorship  of  Governor  Wyman 
and  Robert  Harkneso.  He  is  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Nancy  Ken- 
yon, who  were  natives  of  England.  Married  Lilly  H'-adley,  a  na- 
tive of  Wisconsin.  They  have  four  sons.  Mr.  Kenyon  was 
mayor  of  New  Hampton  two  years,  is  a  prominent  lawyer  and  an 
influential  citizen. 

H.  Klatt  &  Bros.,  meat  market,  New  Hampton;  business  estab- 
lished in  '81.  The  Messrs.  Klatt  Bros,  are  sons  of  August  Klatt,of 
Prussia.  H.  Klatt,  senior  member  of  the  firm  was  born  in  Ger- 
many in  '55,  and  is  married  to  Dorotha  Mandel,  a  native  of  Cook 
county,  Illinois.  They  have  one  son.  Albert  Klott,  junior  mem- 
ber of  the  firm,  was  born  in  Germany  in  '57.  came  to  America  in 
71  and  located  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  where  he  remained  until  '81. 
The  above  firm  does  an  extensive  and  constantly  increasing  busi- 
ness. 


508  CHICKASAW.COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES 


\^ 


Hon.  J.  H.  Powers,  ex-state  senator,  and  a  prominent  attorney 
of  New  Hampton,  was  born  at  Rochester,  Windsor  county,  Vt.,  in 
1830.  His  parents  were  Alonson  0,nd  Sarepta  Martin  Powers,  both 
natives  of  Vermont.  In  1836,  he  moved  with  his  parents  to  Free- 
dom, Portage  county,  Ohio,  where  he  resided  until  1857.  He  re- 
ceived an  academic  education,  at  Kingsville,  Ashtabula  county, 
Ohio,  and  studied  law  one  year  with  Judge  Taylor,  of  Milan,  teach- 
ing in  the  Berlin  academy  atjthe  same  time.  He  next  studied  law 
with  Walker  &  Gunekel,  a  well-known  law  firm  of  Dayton,  Ohio, 
ond  subsequently  spent  one  year  in  Texas.  Mr.  Powers  had,  in 
addition  to  his  mental  labors,  served  an  apprenticeship  of  five 
years  at  the  mason's  trade,  ufitil  he  was  twenty  years  of  age,  and 
worked  six  months  at  bricklaying  upon  Hiram  college,  Ohio,  the 
college  made  famous  by  the  now  historical  fact  that  the  late  Presi- 
dent Garfield  was  at  one  time  its  president.  In  Texas,  Mr.  Pow- 
ers built  the  court  house  and  jail  (and  two  brick  business  build- 
ings) in  the  town  of  Bastrop,  and  also  one  dwelling  northeast  of 
Austin,  beyond  the  capitol.  Returning  to  Ohio,  he  attended  the 
law  school  at  Cincinnati,  and  after  graduating,  came  to  Iowa,  lo- 
cating at  Waukon,  Allamakee  county,  in  1855;  where,  being  with- 
out money,  he  set  the  boiler  and  built  the  chimney  for  a  steam 
saw  mill.  On  the  death  of  his  father,  he  returned  to  Ohio,  and 
after  settling  up  the  affairs  of  the  estate,  once  more  located  in 
Iowa,  selecting  the  embryo  town  of  Forest  City,  in  Richland  town- 
ship, Chickasaw  county,  as  his  future  home.  Here  he  also  set  the 
boiler,  and  did  the  necessary  brick  work,  in  the  erection  of  a  mill, 
and  was  for  a  time  deputy  clerk  of  the  county  court.  Mr.  Pow- 
ers settled  at  New  Hampton  in  1857,  and  has  been  in  continued 
practice  of  the  law  at  that  place  ever  since,  except  during  the  time 
of  his  legislative  service,  and  his  service  in  the  army.  In  1858  he 
was  elected  a  road  supervisor,  and  in  1859,  was  called  by  the  voice 
of  the  people  to  represent  his  senatorial  district  in  the  state  legis- 
lature, in  which  latter  capacity  he  served  during  the  first  session, 
and  the  extra — known  as  the  war — session,  resigning  his  office  to 
enter  the  volunteer  service  as  a  private  in  company  B,  seventh 
Iowa  infantry.  He  was  subsequently  promoted  to  the  captaincy 
of  company  I,  ninth  Iowa  infantry,  and  served  until  disabled,  in 
1863.  In  1864  he  was  appointed  draft  commissioner,  and  drafted 
fifteen  companies,  filling  the  quota  assigned.      He  was  also  exam- 

\ 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  509 

ined  in  Washington,  passed,  and  received  a  commission  in  the  in- 
valid corps,  but  never  took  the  oath  of  olfice.  Capt.  Powers  has 
been  prominently  identified  with  the  republican  party  of  this  sec- 
tion for  many  years;  has  attended  nineteen  state  conventions  as  a 
delegate — and  once  in  the  "lobby" — and  was  a  delegate  to  the  na- 
tional republican  convention  at  Chicago,  which  nominated  Gar- 
field for  the  presidency  in  1880.  He  was  one  of  the  principals  in 
the  organization  of  the  Bank  of  New  Hampton,  which  subsequent- 
ly consolidated  with  the  Chickasaw  county  bank,  thus  forming 
the  First  National  bank  of  New  Hampton.  August  31,  1859,  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Eugenia  F.  Stebbins,  daughter  of  Capt.  Aaron 
Stebbins,  of  Long  Meadow,  Massachusetts,  and  they  have  three 
children  living — Isabella  Eugenia,  Edwin  Hosmer  and  Julius  H.; 
two — Clarence  P^ugene  and  Alonson  Aaron — being  deceased.  He 
has  been  an  active  member  of  the  Congregational  church  of  New 
Hampton  ever  since  the  organization  of  the  society.  Capt.  Pow- 
ers takes  especial  pride  in  the  fact  that  his  material  success  has 
been  achieved  through  a  series  of  persistent  efforts,  and  loves  to 
refer  to  the  days  when  with  his  own  hands  he  built  houses  and 
followed  the  mason's  trade,  laying  brick  on  the  first  brick  house  in 
Chickasaw  county;  diging,  besides,  the  early  wells,  plastering 
houses  and  building  chimneys  here  in  New  Hampton.  As  noted 
elsewhere,  he  was  also  the  contractor  who  erected  the  first  court 
house  in  Chickasaw  county.  The  captain's  life  has,  indeed,  been  a 
busy  one,  and  many  are  the  stories  of  pioneer  hardship  he  could 
relate — of  tramping  miles  to  obtain  work,  and  in  carrying  on  his 
senatorial  canvass;  of  his  first  visit  to  New  Hampton,  on  foot,  and 
with  only  twenty-five  cents  in  his  pocket;  while  it  is  undoubtedly 
true  that  no  man  in  the  county  possesses  so  complete  a  fund  of 
valuable  historical  information,  and  early  reminiscences  of  the 
count}"  of  Chickasaw.  In  the  latter  direction  he  has  for  years 
taken  especial  pains,  in  the  gathering  of  facts  and  the  collection  of 
relics,  and  should  he  ever  issue  from  the  press  a  work  of  his  own, 

it  will  be  certain  to  contain  much  interesting  matter  that  must  else 
remain  forever  unwritten.  At  the  most  useful  point  of  a  long  and 
successful  career,  Mr.  P.  can  scarcely  look  back  upon  the  varied 
incidents  of  the  past,  and  no  doubt  realize  the  true  strength  of  the 
contentment  which  comes  from  the  persistent  overthrow  of  even 
the  most  formidable  obstacles. 


510  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

M.  T.  Stocks,  marble  cutter,  was  born  in  Stephenson  county,  Ill- 
inois, in  1854,  removed  with  his  parents  to  Iowa  in  '55,  and  settled 
in  Washington  townsliip  this  county.  Came  to  this  place  August 
1st,  '82,  and  engaged  in  business  as  above. 

S.  R.  Shear,  photographer,' was  born  in  Chemung  county,  New 
York,  in  '32,  and  is  a  son  of  R.  L.  and  Mary  A.  Shear,  the  former  a 
native  of  Canada,  the  latter  of  New  York.  In  '45  he  came  to  Lake 
county,  Indiana,  where  he  lived  eleven  years.  In  '56  he  moved  to 
Winnesheik  county,  Iowa,  remaing  there  until  '69,  when  he  came 
to  New  Hampton,  and  engaged  in  business  as  above.  Married 
Jane  E.  Miller,  a  native  of  Wisconsin,  and  they  have  five  children, 
Edgar  M.,  Allen,  Millie  A.,  Ida  M.  and  Ethel  P. 

Osmon  Dana,  liveryman,  was  born  in  Franklin  county,  N.  Y., 
in  1831,  came  west  in  '50,  and  settled  in  Lake  county,  Illinois,  and 
lived  there  until  '58,  when  he  moved  Bremer  county,  Iowa,  and 
engaged  in  farming.  In  '78  he  came  to  New  Hampton,  having 
purshased  the  Central  house,  which  he  conducted  until  April,  '82, 
when  he  bacame  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Dana  &  Bayne,  Mar- 
ried Mary  Ann  Sutherland,  a  native  of  New  Nork,  and  they  have 
one  son  and  five  daughters. 

W.  D.  Stafford,  hardware  merchant,  was  born  in  Geauga  county, 
Ohio,  in  1833,  whence  he  removed  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  with  his 
parents,  to  West  Union,  Iowa.  In  '67  he  came  to  Fredericksburg, 
this  county,  and  engaged  in  the  hardware  business,  moving  to 
New  Hampton  in  '70.  His  parents  were  David  and  Lucindia 
Stafford,  natives  of  New  York.  Married  Harriet  E.  Utter,  a  native 
of  IJinois,  and  they  have  one  son,  Linn  G.  Mr.  S.  has  been  a 
member  of  the  board  of  supervisors  three  years,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  M.  E.  church. 

John  Foley,  of  the  firm  of  Foley  &  Heming,  luniuer  dealers. — 
Fortunately  for  the  development  of  our  country,  it  is  not  infre- 
quently the  case  that  the  successful  and  representative  citizen  has 
obtained  the  recognition  which  it  is  the  laudable  ambition  of  all  to 
secure,  only  through  a  series  of  contests  with  repressive  circum- 
stances; that  the  early  life  of  the  average  successful  man  has  been 
a  battle  against  adverse  wirids,  a  struggle  against  conflicting  tides. 
It  is  at  once  the  advantage  and  the  pride  of  the  majority  of  our 
public  men,  that  they  have  had,  at  one  time  or  another,  to  wrestle 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  .    511 

with  the  "bread  and  butter"  problem,  and  have  splendidly   earned 
their  position  and  their  leisure.      The  subject  of  this  sketch   fur- 
nishes an  apt  instance    of- the   ultimate   advantages   of  self-help. 
Coming  to  Chickasaw  county  when  but  sixteen    years   of  age,   he 
has  by  intense  application,  sound  judgment  and   entire   trustwor- 
thyness,  won  his  way  to  a  handsome  competency,  an  enviable  po- 
sition, and  a  popularity  as  deserved  as  it  is  exceptional.       Mr.  F. 
was  born  in  the  county  of  Galway,  Ireland,  August  14,  1841.     His 
parents  were  Thomas  and  Catherine   Foley,  who   immigrated  to 
America  in  1847,  settling  first  in    Nova  Scotia,   whence,    after   an 
eight  months'   residence,  they    went  to   Massachusetts,   in  which 
state  they  lived  about  two  years,  going  thence  to    Baltimore,    Md. 
His  father  died  in  Baltimore,  in  1852,  a  sister  also   having   previ- 
ously died  in  Lowell,  Mass.      Of  four    children,  John  is  the  only 
one  living.     In  June,  1857,  he  came  with  his  mother  to  Dubuque, 
this  state.     Having  fears  for  his  health,  which   was   at  that   time 
anything  but  robust,  after  a  month's  residence  in   Dubuque,  John 
came  to  Chickasaw  county,  where  his  mother  soon  joined  him.  He 
settled  on  a  farm  in  section  20,  town  97,  range  12,  in   Jacksonville 
township.     Here  he  immediately  began  to   utilize  -the  native   in- 
dustry and  sturdy  common  sense  that   have   since   characterized 
him  as  one  of  the  county's  most  progressive  citizens,  working  hard 
upon  the  farm,  and  employing  his  leisure  moments   in   educating 
himself  for  the  more  ambitious  work  before  him.     He  soon  began 
to  teach  school  during  the  winters,  continuing  his  unremittent   ef- 
forts at  self  improvement  meanwhile.       So  commendable  a  course 
could  but  bring  .the  most  desirable  results,  and  while   his    worldly 
substance  increased,  his  personal  popularity  kept  pace;    so  much 
so,  that  in  1871  he  was  elected  by  a  very  flattering  majority  to  the 
responsible  position  of  county  treasurer.       Immediately  on  enter- 
ing upon  tlie  discharge  of  the  official  duties  he  moved   his   family 
to  New  Hampton,  and  has  ever  since  been  a  prominent  resident  of 
this  thriving  count.y  seat.      To  the   office   of  county  treasurer  he 
was  re-elected  three  successive  terms,  holding  the  office  four  terms 

or  eight  years  in  all,  and  so  satisfactory  was  his  performance  of 
his  duties  as  to  elicit  the  merited  approval  of  the  citizens  irrespec- 
tive of  party  lines.  We  might  select  many  printed  testimonials 
as  to  his  fitness  for  public  responsibility,  but  the  following  from 
the  New  Hampton  Courier  of  October  4th,  1873,  will  suffice: 


612  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

"Attentive  to  the  duties  of  this  office,  cordial  in  his  intercourse 
with  the  taxpayers  and  correct  in  his  business,  he  has  made  scores 
of  friends  and  not  a  single  enemy.  It  is  infinitely  to  his  credit 
that  without  fear,  without  favor  and  without  prejudice,  he  has 
sought  to  perform  the  duties  of  the  place  rather  than  to  build  up 
a  clique  who  should  conspire  to  keep  him  in  office.  A  man  of 
the  people,  he  has  faithfully  performed  the  people's  work,  with  an 
eye  single  to  their  interest.  He  found  the  finances  of  the  county 
embarrassed,  its  credit  depressed,  and  distrust  of  its  financial  con- 
dition and  management  universal.  When  he  took  possession  of 
the  treasurer's  office  county  warrants  had  not  been  redeemed  over 
the  counter  for  years,  but  had  been  hawked  about  the  streets  and 
peddled  from  hand  to  hand,  until  they  finally  found  their  way 
into  the  hands  of  the  money  brokers,  at  a  discount  to  the  people 
of  from  ten  to  thirty  per  cent.  His  advent  to  the  treasurer's  of- 
fice changed  all  this  in  a  single  day.  Public  confidence  rose  as  by- 
magic.  The  ability  of  the  county  to  meet  its  obligations  prompt- 
ly, was  no  longer  doubted.  County  warrants  commanded  their 
face  in  greenbacks  on  the  street  and  in  the  treasurer's  office.  They 
have  continued  to  do  so  up  to  this  hour.  The  people  of  Chicka- 
saw county  owe  Mr.  Foley  a  debt  of  gratitude.  He  has  done 
their  work  ably,  faithfully  and  for  the  compensation  fixed  by 
law.  In  his  official  capacity  he  has  known  no  friends  and  no 
enemies.  He  has  favored  no  organized  rings,  and  sought  to  buijd 
up  no  special  interests;  but  with  rigid  impartiality  has  dealt  hon- 
orably with  all.  More  than  this,  at  the  thne  of  his  election,  he 
was  perhaps  the  only  man  in  the  county  upon  whom  all  the  ele- 
ments in  opposition  to  treasury  misrule  could  have  been  concen- 
trated, He  accepted  the  office  of  treasurer  at  a  positive  sacrifice 
of  his  private  business  interests." 

Prior  to  holding  the  office  of  treasurer,  Mr.  Foley  had  been  a 
member  of  the  board  of  supervisors  one  term,  and  was  for  nine 
years  connected  with  the  school  board  of  his  town.  He  is  an  ar- 
dent friend  of  education,  and  labors  assiduously  for  its  advance- 
ment. In  1881  he  was  for  a  time  heavily  engaged  in  railroad  con- 
tracting on  the  Marion  extention  of  the  C.  M.  &  St.  P.  railroad, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1882  entered  the  lumber  business  with  Mr.  H. 
H.  Heming,  forming  the  present  firm  of  Foley  &  Hemming,  than 
which  there  is  no  more  enterprising  and  reliable  firm  in  the  coun- 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  513 

ty.  In  politics  Mr.  Foley  is  a  life-long  democrat,  which  fact,  when 
we  consider  that  Chickasaw  is  a  strong  republican  county,  gives 
added  significence  to  his  popularity.  In  the  fall  of  1881,  without 
solicitation  or  even  consultation  on  his  part,  he  was  nominated  by 
his  party  for  state  senator,  to  represent  the  districts  composed  of 
the  counties  of  Bremer,  Howard  and  Chickasaw,  but  the  urgent 
demands  of  his  private  business  affairs  compelled  him  to  withdraw 
from  the  canvass.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  democratic  national 
convention  at  Cincinnati,  which  nominated  Hancock  in  1880,  re- 
ceiving the  very  flattering  endorsement  of  the  convention  to  se- 
lect delegates  at  Burlington,  where  there  were  many  contestants 
for  the  honor.  At  this  writing  (October,  1882),  Mr.  Foley  is  the 
candidate  of  his  party  in  the  state,  for  the  highly  important  office 
of  state  treasurer,  having  been  nominated  without  effort  on  his 
part,  at  the  late  state  convention  at  Marshalltown.  Mr.  Foley's 
mother  died  iu  the  spring  of  1877.  He  was  married  in  1866  to 
Miss  Mary  Conley,  of  this  county.  His  costly  residence  in  New 
Hampton  is  a  model  of  convenience  and  elegance,the  surroundings 
betraying  tnc  refinement  of  taste  which  necessarily  accompanies 
well  directed  physical  energy  and  intellectual  activity.  Mr.  F. 
was  reared  in  the  Catholic  faith,  and  steadfastly  adheres  to  the  re- 
ligion of  his  ancestors. 

C.  E.  Phelps,  station  agent  was  born  in  Darien.  Genesee  county, 
New  York,  in  1839,  and  in  '45  moved  to  Madison,  Wisconsin, 
where  he  remained  until  '4U,  when  he  removed  to  Omro,  Wiscon- 
sin, at  which  place  he  was  for  more  than  three  years  in  the  em- 
ploy of  the  railroad  company.  Mr.  P.  came  to  New  Hampton  in 
'71,  and  became  the  station  agent  of  the  C.  M.  &  St.  P  R.  R.  com- 
pany at  this  place,  which  position  he  has  ever  since  continued  to 
acceptably  fill.  He  is  a  son  of  Elijah  and  Hannah  Knowles 
Phelps,  the  former  a  native  of  Connecticut,  the  latter  of  Rhode 
Island.     The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  married  in  '60   to    Louisa 

A.  Bigalow,  of  New  York,  and  has  three  children,  Ada    L.,    Clyde 

B.  and  Arthur  C.  In  '60  he  enlisted  in  company  A,  third  Wis- 
consin cavalry,  and  received  his  discharge  in  July,  1863'  During 
the  greater  part  of  his  term  of  service  he  was  a  clerk  at  department 
headquarters. 

Dr.  J.  T.  P^erguson,  dentist,  was  born  in  Jeff*erson  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1844.     His  parents  were   John    C.   and    Anna   Alcorn 


514  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Ferguson,  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  latter  of 
Ireland.  The  family  moved  to  Washington  county,  Iowa,  in  '57 
and  to  Dayton  township,  this  county,  in  70.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  farmed  and  taught  school  at  intervals,  pursuing  the  study 
and  practice  of  dentistry  meanwhile  under  Dr.  J.  P.  Campbell,  of 
this  place,  and  he  opened  his  dental  rooms  here  in  77.  Married 
Miss  A.  M.  Moore,  of  Washington  county,  Iowa,  in  '69,  and  has  six 
children,  Estella  M.,  Ira  P.,  Amos  K.,  Lorenzo  G.,  Clarence  E.  and 
Josiah  A. 

Gideon  Gardner,  or  Deacon  Gardner,  of  New  Hampton,  as  he  is 
more  familiarly  known,  was  born  in  Plainfield,  Hampshire  county 
Massachusetts,  February  23,  1807,  his  parents  being  Benjamin  and 
Molly  Tirrill  Gardner.  His  father,  the  youngest  of  seven  brothers, 
was  a  soldier  in  the  revolutionary  war.  The  head  of  the  Gardner 
family  came  over  in  the  Mayflower,  and  Governor  Gardner,  of 
Massachusetts,  was  one  of  his  descendants.  William  Gardner,  an 
uncle  of  Gideon,  was  aid-de-camp  to  General  Washington.  Benja- 
min Gardner  was  a  farmer,  his  son  following  the  same  avocation, 
remaining  in  Massachusetts  until  1831,  working  awhile  at  the  ma- 
son's trade,  in  Pittsfield.  In  the  above  mentioned  year  he  came 
west  as  far  as  Ohio,  halting  in  the  town  of  Chester,  Geauga  county, 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade  and  taught  music.  Three  years  later 
he  went  to  Medina  county,  working  at  his  trade  in  the  summer, 
and  teaching  music  in  the  winter,  as  well  as  carrying  on  a  farm, 
buying  wool  and  dealing  in  stock  during  a  portion  of  the  time. 
He  was  for  three  years  engaged  in  merchandising  in  Chatham, 
Medina  county,  and  in  1854  immigrated  to  Grinnell,  Iowa.  There 
he  aided  in  laying  out  the  town,  founding  the  college,  organizing 
the  Congregational  church,  at  which  time  he  was  chosen  deacon. 
He  remained  at  Grinnell  two  years,  farming  and  iii  the  business 
management  of  a  store,  and  in  1856  he  was' sent,  with  Mr.  Homer 
Hamlin,  by  a  company,  in  search  of  land  on  which  to  locate  a 
colony.  They  inspected  land  adjoining  the  county  lines  of  How- 
ard and  Chickasaw  counties,  but  prices  being  unsuitable,  they 
started  to  return  to  Grinnell.  On  their  way  back  they  were  very 
favorable  impressed  with  the  beauty,  soil  and  natural  advantages 
of  the  country  in  and  about  where  New  Hampton  now  stands,  and 
accordingly'  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  on  the  present  town 
site  of  New  Hampton,  and  obtained  the   refusal  of  thirty   acres 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  515 

more.  They  then  returned  to  Grinnell,  and  while  there  they  in 
duced  Mr.  H.  Gurley  to  return  with  them,  offering  him  as  an  in- 
ducement the  right  to  purchase  the  thirty  acres  for  which  they  had 
the  refusal.  This  proposition  Mr.  Gurley  accepted,  purchased  the 
thirty  acres,  and  is  still  a  resident  of  New  Hampton.  Mr.  Ham- 
lin, who  was  suffering  from  ill-health,  from  the  consequences  of 
which  he  subsequently  died,  returned  to  Grinnell  in  1858,  and  in 
1867  Mr.  Gardner  purchased  Mr.  Hamlin's  interest  in  the  eighty 
acres  above  mentioned.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  Mr.  Gardner 
was  the  original  proprietoi;  of  most  of  the  land  upon  which  stands 
this  flourishing;  little  city;  he  surveyed  and  platted  the  townsite, 
there  being  less  than  a  half-dozen  families  here  at  the  time.  In 
July,  1861,  Mr.  Gardner  entered  the  seventh  Iowa  infantrv  as  cap- 
tain of  company  B,  and  was  discharged  in  September,  1862,  on  ac- 
count of  age  and  physical  disability — serving  as  major  when  he 
left  the  regiment.  While  in  Medina  county,  Ohio,  he  was  county 
assessor  two  years,  and  during  his  early  residence  at  New  Hamp- 
ton, was  justice  of  tlie  peace  for,  some  time;  was  chairman  of  the 
county  board  of  supervisors  for  a  number  of  years,  and  was  mayor 
of  the  city  one  term.  Mr.  Gardner  was  originally  a  whig,  then  a 
free  soiler,  and  latterly  has  been  a  republican.  He  has  been  a 
member  of  the  church  for  half  a  century,  helped  to  organize  the 
New  Hampton  Congregational  church,  and  was  its  first  deacon. 
His  Christian  character  is  unimpeachable;  his  life  has  been  a 
model  of  the  purest  religious  type,  and  has  been  a  power  in  the 
advancement  of  the  community's  highest  interests.  In  1827  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Naomi  Parker,  who  died  in  Decem- 
ber, 1879.  She  was  a  very  estimable  lady,  who  exemplified  the 
highest  Christian  graces  in  her  every -day  life,  and  whose  death 
was  the  occasion  for  sincere  sympathy  and  grief  on  the  part  of  all 
who  knew  her.  Of  three  children  but  one  is  living,  Weston  D. 
Deacon  Gardner  has  entered  upon  his  seventy-sixth  year;  he  is  six 
feet  and  two  inches  tall  and  with  his  erect  form  and  patriarchal 
beard,  is  an  exceptionally  fine  illustration  of  "how  to  grow  old 
gracefully."  He  has  married  grandchildien,  who  venerate  his 
name,  as  do  the  citizens  of  the  entire  community  in  which  he  re- 
sides. 

H.  H.  Potter,  attorney  at  law,   wrs   born   in  St.  Clair  county, 
Michigan,  in  1842.     His  early  life  was  spent  in    Michigan,  where 


616  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

he  received  an  academic  education.  Mr.  P.  came  to  Chickasaw 
county  in  1865,  and  settled  in  Bradford  township.  Soon  after- 
wards he  was  elected  county  surveyor,  which  position  he  held 
four  years.  He  read  law  with  A.  G.  Case,  now  of  Charles  City, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1870,  and  immediately  began 
practicing  in  New  Hampton.  Mr.  Potter  was  married  to  Florence 
Somerville,  of  Davenport,  Iowa,  in  1872,  and  they  have  one  child, 
Arvin.  Mr.  P.  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church,  and  is  a 
republican  in  politics. 

W.  D.  Gardner,  son  of  Capt.  Gideon  Gardner  and  Naomi  Parker 
Gardner,  was  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1829,  and  moved  with  his 
parents  to  Ohio,  in  1882,  and  accompanied  his  father  to  Grinnell, 
Iowa,  in  1854.  He  settled  on  a  farm  near  Grinnell,  and  was  en- 
gaged in  farming  ten  years.  In  1864  he  came  to  New  Hampton, 
and  became  proprietor  of  the  New  Hampton  house,  which  he  con- 
ducted eleven  years.  In  1877  he  engaged  in  the  drug  business  in 
company  with  Mr.  Olmstead,  which  business  he  still  continues. 
Was  married  to  Harriet  M.  Lj^on,  also  a  native  of  Massachusetts, 
and  they  have  four  children — Lyman  B.,  Hattie  S.,  Ida  W.  and 
Henry  Ward. 

John  A.  Green,  county  treasurer,  was  born  March  17,  1842,  and 
is  a  son  of  Hazard  Green,  who  came  to  Lake  county,  Illinois,  in 
1845,  where  the  family  lived  for  about  ten  years,  coming  to  Chick- 
asaw county  in  1854,  and  settling  in  Jacksonville.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  enlisted  in  company  C,  thirty-eighth  Iowa  infantry, 
as  second  lieutenant,  and  served  (itteen  months.  He  was  post- 
master of  Lawler  for  a  period  of  about  ten  years,  and  was  elected 
to  his  present  position  in  1879,  and    re-elected   in  the  fall  of  1881. 

Harrison  Gurley,  a  pioneer  whose  action  and  useful  career  has 
enabled  him  to  retire  from  business,  was  born  in  Tolland  county. 
Connecticut,  January  14,  1815.  He  is  a  son  of  Roger  and  Pamelia 
Bicknell  Gurley,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Connecticut.  The 
family  are  descendants  of  Sir  William  I)e  Gourley,  of  Scotland, 
who  came  to  the  new  world  when  he  was  but  fourteen  years  of  age, 
in  1679,  changing  his  name  upon  arrival  to  {)lahi  William  Gurley, 
and  taking  up  his  residence  with  a  Dr.  Stoddard,  in  Connecticut. 
William  Gurley  was  drowned  when  twenty. two  years  of  age,  leav- 
ing a  son,  Samuel,  from  whom,  as  above  stated,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  a  descendant.     At  twelve  years  of  age    Harrison    Gurley 


CHICCA8AW    COUNTV    BIOGRAPHIKS.  517 

went  to  Windom  county.  Connecticut,  remaining  there  until  1835, 
when  he  went  to  Hartford,  his  parents  remaining  in  Windom 
county.  At  Hartford  he  was  first  employed  as  a  clerk,  afterwards 
engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  and  subsequently  in  merchant 
tailoring.  In  1855  he  immigrated  to  Grinnell,  Iowa,  where  he  re- 
mained about  one  year,  during  which  time  he  was  a  dealer  in- 
general  merchandise.  In  the  fall  of  1856  he  removed  to  New 
Hampton,  moving  his  stock  of  goods  hither  from  Grinnell,  pur- 
chased thirty-three  acrc^  of  land,  on  part  of  which  now  stands  the 
town  of  New  Hampton,  and  was  for  ten  years  the  only  merchant 
in  the  place.  In  1876  he  was  chosen  president  of  the  Hank  of 
New  Hampton,  which  position  he  held  until  December,  1881, 
when  the  bank  was  consolidated  with  the  Chickasaw  County  bank, 
the  two  forming  the  present  First  National  bank  of  New  Hamp- 
ton, of  which  Mr.  Gurley  is  still  a  director.  His  father,  Captain 
Gurley,  was  an  officer  in  the  revolutionary  war.  The  subject  of 
our  sketch  was  postmaster  of  New  Hampton  several  years,  and  has 
for  forty  years  been  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church.  In 
politics  Mr.  Gurley  is  a  republican.  He  married  Isabell  M.  Ham- 
ilton, a  daughter  of  James  Hamilton,  of  New  York,  and  they 
have  one  son.  Royal  H.,  who  was  born  in  1861,  and  is  now  in  his 
second  year  at  the  Iowa  State  Universit3^ 

VV.  L.  Darrow,  banker,  was  born  in  Genesee  county,  N.  Y.,  in 
1835,  and  is  a  .son  of  Luther  and  Hannah  Kinne  Darrow,  his  father 
was  a  native  of  Washington  ceunty,  New  York,  his  mother  of 
Vermont.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  lived  in  Genesee  county 
until  1864,  receiving  his  education  at  a  graded  school,  and  was  for 
a  portion  of  the  time  engagetl  in  school  teaching.  In  1864,  his 
health  failed  him,  he  immigrated  to  lovva,  driving  a  fiock  of  sheep 
from  his  native  state  througli  to  this  state,  and  walking  the  entire 
distance,  save  from  Dunkirk  to  Toledo.  He  arrived  at  New 
Hampton  about  eigliteen  years  ago,  and  camped  near  the  townv 
sleeping  the  first  night  on  the  ground.  Mr.  Darrow  next  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  Dccifield  township,  tiiis  county,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  larming  till  1870,  when  he  removed  to  New  Hampton, 
and  engaged  in  money  loaning  and  tJelling  sewing  machines  and 
organs.  This  business  he  continued  until  1879,  when  he  went  in- 
to banking  and  brokerage.  in  this  latter  year,  in  com])any  with 
Mr.  B.  G.  Smith,  lie  erected  tlu-  hamlsome  brick  business  block  in 


518  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

which  they  now  do  an  increasing  business.  Mr.  Darrow  has 
broken  over  1,000  acres  of  land  in  Chickasaw  county,  and  opened 
a  number  of  farms,  a  portion  of  which  he  has  sold,  but  still  pos- 
sesses 1,200  acres  of  improved  lands,  the  larger  portion  of  which  is 
in  Washington  towaship.  He  is  one  of  the  ruost  active,  capable 
and  trustworthy  citizens  of  Chickasaw  county,  and  as  such,  com- 
mands the  res])ect  and  confidence  of  the  citizens  generally.  .Mr. 
Darrow  was  married  to  Maria,  Douglas,  a  native  of  Hillsdale  coun- 
ty, Michigan,  in  1864,and  they  hav^e  one  daughter,  Verna.  Mr.  D. 
is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  church,  and  is  a  republican  in  his  poli- 
tics. 

Dr.  I,  K.  Gardner,  physician  and  surgeon,  was  born  in  Canada 
West,  in  1846,  his  parents  being  U.  S.  and  Mary  M.  Gardner,  the 
former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  the  latter  of  Berne,  Switzerland. 
His  parents  moved  to  Sanilac  county,  Michigan,  when  he  was 
four  years  of  age,  coming  thence  to  New  Hampton,  in  1865,  and 
settling  upon  the  same  farm  upon  which  they  have  ever  since  re- 
sided. Mr.  Gardner  i^tudied  medicine  under  the  preceptorship  of 
Dr.  Mixer,  of  New  Hampton,  and  subsequently  graduated  from 
the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Michigan.  Return- 
ing to  Chickasaw  county  he  located  at  Lawler,  in'  1870,  practicing 
medicine  there,  until  1877,  when  he  formed  a  partnership  with  his 
former  preceptor.  Dr.  Mixer,  and  removed  to  New  Hampton.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  state  medical  society,  and  the  American  Medi- 
cal association.  Dr.  Gardner  married  Maggie  Gardner,  a  native  of 
Michigan.  Drs.  Mixer  &  Gardner  are  among  the  most  prominent 
-and  successful  physicians  of  northeastern  Iowa. 

J.  A.  Albertson,  deputy  sheriff,  was  born  in  Stevenson  county, 
Illinois,  in  1818,  his  parents  being  Albert  and  Mary  Ann  Albert- 
son,  both  natives  of  Indiana.  In  1852  he  moved  to  West  Union, 
Iowa,  lived  there  about  two  years,  and  moved  thence  to  Albany  in 
the  same  county.  At  Albany  he  lived  about  eighteen  months, 
coming  thence  to  the  old  village  of  Chickasaw,  in  this  county,  in 
1855.  His  home  was  at  Chickasaw  until  1874,  when  he  came  to 
New  Hampton  to  reside  permanently.  During  the  intervening 
years,  however,  Mr.  A.  was  absent  for  periods  of  various  duration 
from  his  home  in  Chickasaw.  December  Jst,  1861,  he  entered  the 
government  service,  taking  charge  of  a  corral  at  Tipton  Missouri, 
and  in  March,  1862,  he  went  to  St.  Louis  and  enlisted  in  company 


CHICKASAW    COL-.XTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  519 

H,  fourth  Iowa  cavalry,  receiving  his  discharge  February  23, 1864. 
He  served  with  his  regiment  in  various  campaigns,  and  was  with 
the  company  during  the  seige  of  Vicksburg.  After  the  expiration 
of  his  term  of  service  he  returned  to  Chickasaw  county  and  engag- 
ed in  the  milHng  business  until  1868,  in  which  year  he  was  elected 
county  sheriff,  serving  in  this  official  capacity  two  years.  He  was 
subsequently  occupied  in  prospecting  and  mining  among  the 
mountains  for  about  three  years.  Mr.  Albertson  became  deputy 
sheriff  of  Chickasaw  county  January  1,  1882.  lie  is  a  representa- 
tive pioneer,  and  a  citizen  of  sterling  worth,  who  merits  the  univer- 
sal respect  in  which  he  is  held  by  his  fellow  citizens.  In  1864  he 
was  married  to  Arminta  M.  Miller,  of  Tioga  county.  New  York,and 
has  one  daughter,  Dora. 

D.  B.  Sneden,  justice  of  the  peace,  attorney  at  law  and  insurance 
agent,  was  born  in  New  York  city,  in  1815,  some  months  after  the 
death  of  his  father,  Capt,  David  Jesse  Sneden,  who  lost  his  life  in 
the  heroic  performance  of  his  duty  as  a  sea  captain,  while  off  the 
coast  of  Virgini'a.  His  mother,  Mary  Berrien  Sneden,  also  died 
when  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  about  eight  months  old.  D. 
B.  Sneden  lived  witli  .Judge  Thompson,  assaoLate  judge  of  the 
court  of  Susquehanna  county,  Pennsylvania,  at  Great  Bend,  In 
that  county,  until  1839,  when  he  returned  to  New  York  city,  hav- 
ing a  brother  and  three  sisters  living  there.  Thence  in  1844  he 
moved  west  to.  Madison,  Wisconsin,  where  he  subsequently  built 
one  of  the  largest  brick  blocks  at  that  time  in  the  city..  From 
Madison  he  went  to  Omro,  Winnebago  count}^,  wliere  he  resided 
twenty -one  years,  during  wliich  time  he  held  various  public  of- 
fices of  responsibility  and  trust.  While  in  Winnebago  county  he 
was  at  one  time  a  condidate  on  the  democratic  ticket,  for  member 
of  the  state  legislature,  against  Hon.  Geo.  W.  Beckwith,  and  re- 
duced a  republican  majority  of  900  to  343.  He  came  to  New 
Hampton  in  1871,  was  elected  justice  of  tlie  peace  during  the  same 
year,  and  has  held  the  office  ever  since,  with  the  exception  of  the 
year  1878.  Mr.  Sneden  tirst  studied  law  with  tlie  Hon.  Franklin 
Lusk,  of  Susquehanna  county,  one  of- Pennsylvania's  leading  law- 
yers, and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Wisconsin,  and  again  in  this 
state.  He  was  tirst  married  in  Pennsylvania  to  Lucy  Buck,  who 
died  of  consumption,  in  1843,  and  in  1847  he  married  Miss  Susan 

Phelps,  of  Dane  county,    Wisconsin.       He   has  three  daughters — 


520  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Alice  v.,  now  Mrs.  H.  J.  Guest;  Florence  V.,  now  Mrs.  E.  P. 
Sherman,  and  Blanche  C,  now  Mrs.  S.  G.  Boyce.  The  Sneden 
family  is  an  old,  extensive  and  highly  respected  family,  who  are 
settled  principally  in  and  about  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  and 
are  of  ancient  Holland  and  French  derivation.  Mr.  Sneden  has 
lost  by  death  two  children  by  his    first    marriage,    Lucy    C.   and 

William  A. 

« 

Hiram  Shaver,  attorney  at  law  and  mayor  of  New  Hampton, 
was  born  in  Groton,  Tompkins  county.  New  York,  December  8th, 
1845,  and  is  a  son  of  Seymour  and  ¥j.  Carpenter  Shaver,,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  New  York.  When  he  was  two  years  of  age 
his  parents  moved  to  Kendall  county,  Illinois,  where  they  remain- 
ed seven  years,  going  thence  to  Green  county,  Wisconsin.  They 
remained  in  Green  county  nine  years,  when  they  removed  to  Del- 
aware county,  where  they  resided  three  years,  after  which,  in  1867 
they  went  to  Butler  county.  In  the  spring  of  1868  the  subject  of 
our  sketch  began  the  study  of  law  under  G.  C.  Wright,  teaching  in 
the  public  school  meanwhile,  was  admitted  to  practice  in  January 
1871,  and  in  April  of  that  year,  located  at  New  Hampton,  this 
county,  where  he  has  ever  since  been  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
his  profession  He  was  elected  mayor  of  New  Hampton  in  1881, 
and  re-elected  in  1882.  He  married  Estella  Van  Dorn,  a  native 
of  Saratoga  Springs,  New  York,  and  they  have  two  children — P^s- 
tella  rnd  Roll  a. 

Dr.  A.  H.  Wight,  county  ^'ecorder,  was  born  in  Schujder  county 
New  York,  in  1843,  and  is  the  eldest  son  of  G.  F.  and  Polly  Wight, 
the  former  a  native  of  Maine,  the  latter  of  New  York.  His  pa- 
rents removed  to  Dodge  county,  Wisconsin,  when  he  was  nine 
years  of  age,  where  he  lived  until  1861,  when  he  enlisted  in  com- 
pany E,  tenth  Wisconsin  volunteer  infantry,  serving  three  years, 
and  receiving  his  discharge  at  Madison,  Wisconsin.  He  was 
wounded  three  times,  once  at  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  and 
twice  at  the  battle  of  Chaplain  Hills.  Mr.  W.  served  one  year  as 
second  lieutenant  in  the  eleventh  Michigan  regiment.  On  his  re- 
turn from  the  army  he  located  at  Bellevue,  Michigan,  and  studied 
medicine  under  Dr.  H.  T.  Fero.  He  graduated  at  the  Ann  Arbor 
Medical  Institute,  in  the  class  of  '70,  came  west  and  located  at 
Ionia,  this  county,  where  he  practiced  medicine  until  1880,  in 
which  5^ear  he  was  elected  to  his  present    official    position.       He 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  521 

married  Ellen  S.  Hemenway,  a  native  of  New  York,  and  they 
have  one  child — Clarence.  In  politics  Dr.  Wight  is  a  staunch  re- 
publican. 

E.  H.  Yarger,  proprietor  of  the  Central  house,  was  born  in  Cen- 
ter county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1854;  came  west  to  Stark  county, 
Ohio,  in  1856;  removed  to  Paris,  Edgar  county,  Illinois,  in  1857, 
where  he  lived  one  year,  going  thence  to  Green  county,  Wisconsin, 
and  thence  to  webster  county,  Iowa.  Here  he  lived  on  a  farm 
from  1869  to  1876.  From  Webster  county  he  moved  to  Green, 
Butler  county,  where  he  lived  three  years,  going  thence  to  Hamp- 
ton, Franklin  county,  Iowa,  at  which  place  he  was  engaged  in  the 
printing  business.  He  then  went  to  sumner,  Bremer  county ,where 
he  ran  the  sumner  Gazette,  and  from  there  to  Clarksville,  Butler 
county,  where  he  became  the  proprietor  of  the  Tremont  House. 
In  April,  1882,  he  came  to  New  Hampton,  and  assumed  the 
proprietorship  of  the  Central  House.  He  was  married,  August  14, 
1880,  to  Emma  Cannan,  a  native  of  Hampton,  and  they  have  four 
children — Clara-,  Emma,  Elmer  and  Ettie. 

J.  M.  Lynch,  county  clerk,  was  born  in  Dayton,  Montgomery 
county,  Ohio,  May,  12,  1855.  In  '58  the  family  moved  to  Chicka- 
saw county,  Iowa,  settling  in  Utica  township.  They  subsequently 
removed  to  Lawler,  where  his  father  engaged  in  the  mercantile 
business,  young  J.  M.  being  employed  as  clerk.  Upon  the  death 
of  his  father  J.M.  closed  out  the  business,  and  was  for  some  time 
thereafter  a  clerk  in  various  establishments.  In  '77-8  he  was  en- 
gaged in  trade  in  company  with  J.  A.  Green,  dealing  in  drugs  and 
groceries.  He  then  sold  his  interest  in  the  business  and  accepted 
a  position  in  the  Bank  of  Lawler,  in  which  position  he  was  occu- 
pied at  the  time  of  his  election  to  the  county  clerkship  in  '80.  He 
married  Maria  T.  Kerby,  a  native  of  this  county.  They  have  one 
child — John  D. 

A.  E.  Bigelow,  president  of  the  First  National  bank,  was  born  in 
Genesee  county.  New  York,  in  1830,  came  west  in  '41,  and  settled 
in  Kenosha  county,  Wisconsin,  where  he  remained  until  1850.  He 
then  went  to  California.  Three  years  later  he  returned  to  this 
county  and  settled  in  old  Chickasaw,  and  engaged  in  farming  un- 
til '64,  when  he  came  to  New  Hampton,  having  been  elected 
county  treasurer  the  preceeding  fall.  After  the  termination  of  his 
term  of  office  he  entered  the    banking   business,  establishing  the 


622  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Chickasaw  County  bank  in  company  with  J.  H.  Easton,  of  De- 
corah,  which  bank  is  now  known  as  the  First  National  bank  of 
New  Hampton.  He  has  been  for  a  number  of  years  largely  inte- 
rested in  real  estate  transactions,  and  was  for  two  years  sheriff  of 
Chickasaw  county,  having  been  the  second  person  elected  to  that 
position.  He  married  Adeline  Smith,  of  New  York.  They  have 
six  children,  Lillie,  Carrie  L.  Grant  M.,  Dayton  F.,  Harrie  and 
Clyde. 

Edward  T.  Runion,  one  of  Chickasaw  county's  well  known  pio- 
neers, is  a  son  of  Adam  and  Mary  Moss  Runion.  and  was  born  in 
New  York  in  1818.  At  an  early  age  he  left  home  and  traveled 
through  New  York,  and  the  west,  stopping  at  Cleveland  Ohio,when 
he  was  about  eighteen  years  old.  At  Cleveland  he  lived  twenty- 
five  years,  and  subsequently  seven  years  at  Berea,  Ohio,  coming  to 
New  Hampton,  this  county,  in  '56.  Here  he  engaged  in  farming, 
and  started  the  first  blacksmith  shop  in  New  Hampton  in  '57. 
Nearly  all  of  his  home  farm  is  within  the  present  town  limits  of 
New  Hampton,  his  residence  being  a  large  and  costly  brick  struc- 
ture. He  owns  in  all  240  acres,  among  the  most  valuable  lands  in 
Chickasaw  county.  His  town  property  is  especially  valuable,  lots 
being  in  demand  at  high  drices.  Mr.  R.  married  Elizabeth  Falvey 
at  Cleveland,  Ohio.  They  have  three  children — John,  Hannah 
and  Allie. 

A.  C.  Boylan,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Mercer  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1853.  His  parents  were  A.  A.  Boylan  and  Eliza 
McFarland  Boylan,  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  the  lat- 
ter of  Ohio.  In  the  fall  of  '56  the  family  moved  to  Green  county, 
Wisconsin,  where  they  remained  until  '66,  when  they  came  to 
Utica  township,  this  county.  A.  C.  Boylon  lived  upon  the  farm 
here  about  four  years,  tlien  attended  the  Bradford  academy  three 
years,  after  which  he  was  for  three  years  a  student  of  the  State 
University.  In  the  fall  of  '76  he  read  law  a  short  time  at  Charles 
City,  going  thence  to  West  Union,  where  he  prosecuted  his  legal 
studies  under  the  prece})torship  of  L.  L.  Ainsworth  until  October, 
1878,  when  he  came  to  New  Hampton  and  entered  the  practice  «f 
his  profession,  in  which  he  has  ever  since  been  lucratively  engag- 
ed. December  1,  '81,  he  was  married  to  Mary  A.  Fitch,  daughter 
of  E.  S.  Fitch  of  New  Hampton. 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  523 

0.  B.  Sherman,  dealer  in  general  merchandise,  was  born  in  Ben- 
nington county,  Vermont,  in  1825,  and  is  a  son  of  Sterling  and 
Jane  Sherman,  natives  of  Vermont.  He  lived  on  a  farm  with  his 
parents  until  '55  when  he  came  to  Milwaukee,Wisconsin,remaining 
until  '67,  during  which  year  he  moved  to  New  Hampton,  and  en- 
tered into  his  present  business.  Mr.  Sherman  married  Caroline 
T.  Port3r,  a  native  of  New  York,  and  they  have  two  sons — Ed- 
ward and  Charles.  Mr.  Sherman  is  a  staunch  republican  in 
politics. 

J.  A.  Lapham,  county  superintendent  of  public  instruction, 
was  born  in  Rock  county,  Wisconsin,  in  1854,  and  is  a  son  of  C.  T. 
and  Olivia  Lapham,  both  of  whom  are  natives  of  New  York. 
When  he  was  one  year  of  age  they  moved  to  Fayette  county, Iowa, 
where  they  lived  until  '74,  and  then  came  to  this  county  and  lo- 
cated near  Fredericksburg,  soon  after  removing  to  Bradford, 
where  they  still  reside.  Mr.  L.'s  early  life  was  spent  on  his  father's 
farm,  and  subsequently  he  engaged  in  school  teaching,  in  which 
profession  he  continued  until  his  election  to  his  present  jjosition 
in  '81.  Was  married  to  Ella  Ranch,  a  native  of  this  county,  and 
they  have  one  child. 

Hoi'ton  Mandeville,  sheriff  of  Chickasaw  county,  was  born  in 
Genesee  county.  New  York,  in  1829,  and  is  a  son  of  Michael  and 
Elsa  Maria  Corey  Mandeville,  natives  of  New  York.  In  '39  the 
family  moved  to  Rockford,  111.,  where  they  still  reside,  and  where 
young  Horton  grew  to  manhood.  In  '54  he  came  to  Iowa,  and  lo- 
cated in  Bradford,  in  this  county,  engaging  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness, which  he  continued  five  years.  Then  going  to  Cedar  Falls, 
and  engaging  in  the  livery  business,  returning  to  Nashua,  this 
county,  in  '64.  Mr.  M.  was  engaged  in  various  business  enter- 
prises'from  that  time  until  '81,  in  which  year  he  was  elected  to  his 
present  office. 

Joshua  Sutter,  dealer  in  groceries  and  provisions,  was  born  in 
Switzerland  in  1839,  and  was  educated  at  the  State  University  at 
Chur,  receiving  his  diploma  in  1865.  Mr.  S.  came  to  America  in 
'66,  locating  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  where  he  was  employed  as  a 
teacher  in  the  German  and  English  schools  until  '75,  when  the  in- 
stitution was  consolidated  with  the  public  schools,  he  continuing 
as  principal  of  the  German  and  English  department  until  '78,  re- 
signing his  j)osition  on  account  of  ill-health.     Mr.  S.  then  came  to 


524  CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES. 

New  Hampton  and  engaged  in  business  as  above.  Was  married 
to  Emily  Bothin,  a  native  of  Prussia,  and  they  have  three  children 
— Emil.  Ida  and  Alvin. 

W.  J.  Springer,  attorney  at  law,  born  in  Macon  county,  Illinois, 
in  1852.  In  '55  his  parents  moved  to  Iowa  county,  Iowa.  His 
parents  were  W.  G.  and  Lydia  Springer,  natives  of  Kentucky.  The 
subject  of  our  sketch  read  law  in  the  office  of  Rumple  &  Lake,  of 
Marengo,  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  August,  1879,  at  which 
time  he  located  in  New  Hampton.  Married  Mary  E.  Wilson,  a 
native  of  Ohio.  They  have  two  children — a  son  and  daugh- 
ter. 

C.  A.  Harris,  junior  member  of  the  firm  of  Kipp  &  Harris,  deal- 
ers in  general  merchandise,  was  born  in  Worcester  county,  Massa- 
chusetts, in  1837,  and  is  a  son  of  Almon  and  Charlotte  Sage  Harris, 
natives  of  Massachusetts.  In  '54  he  came  with  his  parents  to 
Chickasaw  county  and  settled  in  Deerfield  township;  in  '67  he 
moved  to  Chickasaw,  where  he  remained  four  years  in  the  general 
merchandise  business;  in  '70  he  was  elected  county  recorder,  and 
held  the  office  ten  years.  Six  months  after  going  out  of  office  he 
purchased  an  interest  in  the  present  business.  Married  Julia  A. 
Harris,  who  was  also  born  in  Massachusetts,  and  they  have  two 
children — Edward  A.  and  Addie  V. 

S.  W.  Hartwell,  dealer  in  harness,  saddlery,  etc.,  was  born  in 
Hubbardston,  Massachusetts,  in  1834,  and  is  a  son  of  B.  and  Roxa 
Sargent  Hartwell,  both  ot  whom  were  natives  of  Massachusetts. 
He  came  west  in  1857,  and  settled  in  Franklin  county,  Iowa.  Five 
years  later  he  enlisted  in  company  H,  thirty -second  Iowa  volun- 
teer infantry,  and  served  fifteen  months,  being  discharged  at  Ft. 
Pillow,  Tennessee.  He  returned  to  Franklin  county,  and  after 
several  changes  of  residence,  came  to  New  Hampton  in  1880.  Mr. 
Hartwell  has  been  twice  married,  first  to  Mary  Bigelow  of  New 
Hampton,  who  died  in  1875,  leaving  two  children,  Ella  and  Eugene 
His  second  marriage  was  to  Libbie  Stone  in  1881,  and  they  have 
one  child,  an  infant. 

O.  Kelson  was  born  in  Norway  in  1852,  came  to  America  ie  '70, 
and  settled  in  Ridgeway,  Winnesheik  county,  Iowa,  where  he  was 
engaged  two  years  in  blacksmithing.  From  Ridgeway  he  went  to 
Oalmar,  and  entered  into  the  saloon  business,  and  in  '77    came    to 


CHICKCSAW    COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  525 

New  Hampton  and  entered  his  present  business.  Married  Belle 
Hanson,  a  native  of  Norway;  and  they  have  three  children,  Ida  A. 
Olef  and  Christian. 

E.  P.  Sheffield,  county  auditor,  was  born  in  Chenango  county, 
New  York,  in  1843,  and  is  a  son  of  Erastus  and  Olivia  Sheffield, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  New  York.  Mr.  S.  came  west  in  '55 
and  settled  in  DeKalb  county,  Illinois,  where  he  lived  until  '64, 
when  he  came  to  Iowa  and  located  in  this  township.  Mr.  S.  en- 
gaged in  various  business  until  the  fall  of  '79,  wh^n  he  was  elect- 
ed to  his  present  office. 

G.  F,  Phillips,  druggist,  was  born  in  Waupaca  county,  Wiscon- 
sin, in  1858.  He  came  to  Iowa  with  his  parents  in  '59,  locating  at 
Lansing,  where  he  lived  ten  years.  From  Lansing  he  removed  to 
Lawler  in  '69.  Mr.  P.  received  his  education  at  Fayette  college. 
Married  Ada  L.  Phelps,  a  native  of  Wisconsin. 

Dr.  A.  E.  Clark,  dentist,  was  born  in  Waukon,  Iowa,  in  1854, 
and  is  a  son  of  John  T.  Clark,  who  now  resides  at  Cresco.  He 
was  a  student  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Charles  Brown  of  Decorah,  after 
which  he  located  at  Waukon,  in  the  practice  of  dental  surgery  un- 
til '79,  when  he  removed  to  New  Hampton. 

John  Norton,  farmer,  section  23,  P.  0.  Lawler;  owns  240  acres 
of  land;  born  in  Ohio  in  1820.  In  1846  he  moved  to  Michigan, 
and  engaged  in  farming  near  Coldwater,  in  Branch  county,  re- 
maining six  years,  thence  to  Kane  county,  111.,  settling  near  Au- 
rora, he  remained  there  three  years,  and  then  came  to  Iowa,  set- 
tling here;  he  obtained  160  acres  from  the  government  in  Jackson 
township,  which  he  afterwards  sold,  and  purchased  his  present 
farm.  He  took  a  trip  to  Oregon,  in  view  of  locating,  but  returned 
to  Iowa.  He  has  thoroughly  improved  his  land,  and  it  is  well 
fitted  for  stock  raising.  "He  has  a  fine  herd  of  Holstein  cattle.  He 
married  Mi.s  Mary  Wolf,  in  1846,  in  Ohio;  their  children  are,  Ira, 
Asa,  Albert  and  Alvira,  two  children  deceased.  Mrs.  Wolf  died 
in  1862. 

George  Hackett  (deceased)  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this 
township;  he  came  to  Iowa  from  Wisconsin,  in  October,  1863,  and 
settled  on  the  stage  road,  between  New  Hampton  and  Chickasaw 
and  in  the  following  January  moved  to  section  32  in  this  town- 
ship, where  he  purchased  240  acres  of  land  besides  eighty  acres  of 


526  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIliS. 

timber  in  Dresden  township.  He  was  a  much  respected  citizen, 
and  highly  esteemed  by  all.  He  died  On  the  fourth  of  February, 
1879,  since  which  time  the  property  was  divided,  the  widow  re- 
taining the  home  property.  Mr.  H.  was  married  to  Mary  Brown- 
wigg,  a  native  of  England;  their  children  are  William  H.  J.  and 
Mary  Ann. 

F.  J.  Wesp,  farmer,  owns  240  acres  of  land  in  this  county,  was 
born  in  Germany,  in  1825,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  the  U.  S. 
in  1831,  They  settled  first  in  Jefferson  county,  N.  Y.  In  1847 
they  went  to  Kingston,  Canada  West,  remaining  two  years,  then 
returned  to  New  York,  for  two  years,  and  again  to  Canada,  re- 
maining eight  years,  during  which  time  he  farmed  and  worked  on 
the  lakes.  In  '59  he  went  to  Wisconsin,  and  farmed  in  Richland 
county  ten  years,  then  came  to  Iowa,  locating  where  he  now  re- 
sides. He  was  married  in  1846,  in  New  York,  to  Mary  Davis, 
their  children  are,  Sylvester  R.,  John,  Samuel,  George,  Nelson, 
Hannah,  Amyety,  Mary,  Philip,  Ethan  and  Joseph. 

Wm.  Krieger,  farmer,  section  33,  owns  160  acres  of  land;  was 
born  in  Davenport,  Scott  county,  Iowa,  in  1855.  In  '75  he  came 
to  Chickasaw  county  with  his  parents,  who  bought  320  acres  of 
land.  He  has  resided  on  his  present  farm  since  1880,  previous  to 
which  time  he  resided  with  his  parents.  Married  Mary  Popen- 
heim,  at  New  Hampton,  in  April,  1880.  They  have  two  children, 
Mary  and  Gerhard. 

John  Kleinfeihn,  farmer,  owns  160  acres  of  land;  was  born  in 
"Waterford,  Racine  county.  Wis.,  in  April,  1852.  Worked  at  lum- 
bering at  Manistee,  Mich.,  for  a  number  of  years,  but  made  his 
home  in  Wisconsin  until  January,  1876,  when  he  came  to  this 
state,  and  purchased  the  land  he  now  owns,  and  where  he  has 
since  resided  Married  in  January,  1880,  at  North  Washington, 
in  this  county,  to  Mary  Hauser;  their  children  are  Johnnie  and 
Allie. 

Hon.  J.  F.  McCallum,  farmer,  sections  9  and  10;  born  in  Mont- 
rose, Pa.,  June  20,  1813,  He  learned  the  trade  of  saddler,  and 
moved  to  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  in  the  fall  of  '34,  he  also  learned 
the  Daguereotype  business,  which  he  followed  at  Saratoga,  N.  Y. 
In  '51  he  moved  to  Dodge  county.  Wis.,  and  for  several  years  con- 
ducted an  hotel  at  Buckhorn  corners,  four  miles  from  Beaver  Dam 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  527 

He  also  owned  a  farm  in  Trenton  township,  same  county.  In  the 
fall  of  '62  he  was  elected  representative  to  the  state  legislature 
from  his  district,  which  comprised  Trenton,  Beaver  Dam  town- 
ship and  city,  and  the  townships  of  Lowell  and  Shields.  In  the 
fall  of  '63  he  was  returned  to  the  same  position.  He  is,  and  al- 
ways has  been  a  staunch  democrat.  In  April,  '73  he  came  to 
Iowa,  settling  where  he  now  resides.  He  fills  prominent  positions 
in  most  of  the  political  meetings  of  his  party,  and  is  a  strong 
party  leader.  Mr.  McCallum  was  married  in  1840  to  Barbara  A. 
Stuart,  and  they  have  one  son,  M.  S.  He  is  a  member  of  I.  0.  0. 
F.  No.  117  of  Beaver  Dam,  Wis. 

Major  W.  D.  Collins,  farmer,  and  ex-county  superintendent 
owns  eighty  acres  of  land;  born  in  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  in  1826,  his 
parents  moved  to  Bennington,  Vt.,  in  his  childhood;  he  was  from 
early  manhood  engaged  in  the  educational  and  school  work  at 
that  place,  as  principal  of  the  city  schools  of  Bennington,  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  late  rebellion,  when  he  assisted  in  the  organ- 
ization of  the  only  cavalry  regiment  sent  from  that  state,  and  w-as 
commissioned  major.  He  remained  at  the  front  until  May  24, 
'62,  when  he  received  injuries  while  in  command  of  the  rear  guard 
in  a  cavalry  charge,  during  Bank's  retreat  on  the  Shenandoah.  In 
the  following  June  he  was  compelled  to  resign,  and  received  an 
honorable  discharge  June,  '63,  on  account  of  wounds  and  debility, 
for  which  he  receives  pension.  He  returned  to  Vermont,  thence 
to  Sandwich,  111.,  where  he  held  the  position  of  principal  of  the 
city  schools,  for  three  years,  thence  west  to  Missouri,  and  had 
charge  of  the  city  schools  of  Brookfield  and  Paris,  at  different 
times,  for  between  three  and  four  years;  he  then  came  to  Iowa, 
settling  in  New  Hampton,  where  he  had  previously  bought  pro- 
perty while  on  a  visit,  and  which  he  still  owns,  he  purchased  his 
farm  property  in  the  fall  of  '82.  Mr.  Collins  has  spent  most  of 
his  life  in  the  educational  field,  in  Vermont.  Ohio,  Illinois,  Mis- 
souri and  Iowa.  He  was  principal  of  the  city  schools  of  New 
Hampton  for  a  considerable  length  of  time,  and  was  the  origina- 
tor of  the  graded  school  system  still  in  use.  In  the  fall  of  1875  he 
was  elected  to  the  office  of  county  superintendent  by  an  over- 
whelming majority,  as  an  independent  candidate.  He  was  re- 
elected in  1877  on  the  republican  ticket  by  a  large  majority.  Af- 
ter the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office  he  took  charge   of  the   city 


528  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Bchools,  at  Osage,  Mitchell  county,  Iowa,  but  was  obliged  to  give 
it  up  before  his  year  was  completed  on  account  of  ill  health,  his 
physician  forbidding  work  of  any  kind.  The  major  is  also  an  at- 
torney at  law,  having  been  admitted  in  Grundy  county,  111.,  and 
afterwards  in  this  state,  although  he  has  never  made  law  a  busi- 
ness. He  was  married  at  Joliet,  111.,  in  January,  1869,  to  Emily 
C,  daughter  of  Colonel  Erastus  Crocker,  of  Madison,  Ohio;  they 
have  one  daughter  living,  Mary  E.  C,  and  one  son,  Erastus,  (de. 
ceased).  Mr.  Collins  is  a  royal  arch  mason,  and  a  member  of  the 
blue  lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  at  New  Hampton,  also  a  member  of 
the  A.  0.  U.  W.,  charter  member  of  the  lodge  of  New  Hampton. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  congregational  church,  with  which  denomi- 
nation he  has  been  identified  since  before  the  war.  • 

J.  S.  Marr,  farmer,  owns  a  farm  of  240  acres;  born  in  Scotland 
in  1828,  and  in  the  spring  of  1848  he  came  to  the  United  States,. 
and  lived  in  New  York  between  eight  and  nine  years,  engaging  in 
business  as  cari^enter  and  joiner,  he  then  came  west,  and  after  stop- 
ping three  weeks  in  Illinois,  settled  in  this  county,  and  pre-empt- 
ed land  in  North  Washington  township,  which  he  afterwards  sold, 
and  then  bought  where  he  now  resides.  He  was  one  of  the  pio- 
neers of  this  part  of  the  county,  and  is  a  citizen  of  considerable 
prominence,  and  has  filled  many  offices  in  township  and  school 
affairs.  His  farm  is  thoroughly  improved  and  well  stocked.  He 
was  married  in  New  York  city,  in  1852  to  Marian  Smith,  by 
whom  he  had  five  children,  Agnes,  Johnnie,  Maggie,  James  and 
Charley.  Mrs.  M.  died  at  this  place  April  14, 1879,  and  he  again 
married  in  December,  1880,  Kate  Cassiday. 

J.  K.  Kroninger,  farmer,  owns  ninety-five  acres;  born  in  the 
state  of  Delaware,  in  1817;  his  parents  moved  to  Berks  county, 
Pa.,  in  1821,  where  he  grew  up  to  manhood;  he  then  moved  to 
Delaware  county,  Ohio,  and  worked  at  his  trade  as  coach  maker.. 
In  '54,  owing  to  the  severe  ravages  of  cholera  in  that  state,  he  was 
compelled  to  leave,  and  he  came  to  Iowa.  He  left  his  family  at 
North  Elkader,  (McGregor  was  not  founded  at  that  time)  and  he 
pushed  west,  and  finally  located  on  section  36,  town  95,  range  12,. 
in  this  county.  He  entered  120  acres  by  pre-emption.  There 
were  at  that  time  no  settlers  here,  except  a  few  trapping  along  the 
river.  About  seventeen  settlers  came  into  the  neighborhood  in 
same  year,  but  only  seven  remained  to  battle  with  the   hardships 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  529 

of  pioneer  life,  the  rest  returning  east.  The  seven  were  John 
Norton,  E.  Collins,  Alvin  Brown,  D.  R.  Cole, King,  Tim  Mc- 
Carthy and  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  They  met  on  one  occasion 
and  banded  themselves  as  pioneers,  with  the  intent  of  standing 
the  brunt  of  the  frontier.  Mr.  K.  built  a  log  house  and  com- 
menced breaking  and  improving,  and  after  having  been  here  one 
and  a  half  years,  he  went  to  North  Elkader  and  brought  his  fam- 
ily out.  The  first  wheat  crop  he  raised  was  very  large  in  propor- 
tion to  the  amount  sown,  but  the  second  season  not  so  good,  on 
account  of  excessive  rains  and  high  water,  which  continued  into 
July.  The- settlers  were  unable  to  get  provisions,  and  were  hard 
pressed,  and  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  great  amount  of  buckwheat 
raised,  many  would  have  starved,  but  they  ground  it  in  their 
coffee  mills,  and  subsisted  on  that  until  able  to  get  to  the  trading 
points.  The  land  Mr.  K.  now  owns  is  part  of  the  original  home- 
stead, is  well  fitted  and  devoted  to  stock  purposes.  Mr.  K.  par- 
ticipated in  the  organization  of  the  first  school  district  in  the 
county,  it  included  part  of  Dresden,  New  Hampton,  Stapleton 
and  Fredericksburg  townships,  and  was  called  district  number 
one.  The  school  building  was  of  log,  and  was  situated  at  the  cor- 
ners of  the  four  townships.  The  first  directors  were  Thomas 
Wokes,  D.  R.  Cole  and  Mr.    Kroninger.       Mr.  K.  has  also  been  a 

-  member  of  the  county  board  of  supervisors  for  three  years,  during 
the  war.  He-  was  treasurer  four  years  of  the  school  district  above 
mentioned,  and  in  February,  73,  when  they  organized  an  inde- 
pendent district  he  was  elected  treasurer,  which  position  he  has 
held  ever  since.       He    is    the    pioneer  of  this  township,  and  is  a 

^highly  esteemed  citizen,  as  the  above  facts  clearly  show.  He  was 
married  in  '42,  in  Pennsylvania,  to  Miss  Sloanacker,  by  whom  he 
has  two  children  living,  Joseph  Henry  and  Albert  Jacob,  and 
three  deceased.  Joseph  and  Albert  served  during  the  late  rebel- 
lion, and  enlisted  from  this  county. 

John  Annett  (retired  farmer)  born  in  county  Down,  Ireland,  in 
1824.  In  '31  he  came  with  his  parents  to  America,  and  settled 
first  in  Cornwall,  lower  Canada,  where  they  were  engaged  in  farm- 
ing. When  he  was  about  sixteen  years  of  age  they  sold  their 
place  and  came  to  the  United  States,  and  settled  at  Fort  Coving- 
ton, Franklin  county,  N.  Y.,  where  he    remained  with  his  parents 

ntil  their  death.  He  enlisted  at  Malone,  Franklin  county,  N.  Y., 


530  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

in  the  sixtieth  New  York  volunteer  infantry,  company  E,  and  he 
remained  in  the  service  three  years  and  four  months,  and  received 
a  severe  bullet  wound  at  the  battle  of  Antitam,  on  the  17th  of 
September,  '62,  and  still  carries  the  bullet  in  his  body,  as  a  gen- 
tle reminder  of  that  little  unpleasantness.  He  was  discharged  on 
account  of  his  wound,  and  returned  to  New  York,  but  he  became 
weary  and  wanted  to  get  back  to  the  front,  so  he  re-enlisted  in  the 
ninety-fifth  regiment,  and  served  to  the  close  of  the  war.  He  re- 
ceived his  final  discharge  in  June,  '65,  after  being  released  from 
the  southern  prisons,  where  he  had  spent  six  months  in  Libby, 
Salsburg  and  Belle  Isle.  He  was  captured  within  one-half  mile 
of  Petersburg,  October  1,  '64.  He  returned  to  New  York  after  the 
war,  and  sold  his  property  in  the  same  year,  and  moved  to  this 
county.  He  purchased  a  farm  two  and  a  half  miles  north  of  New 
Hampton,  where  he  lived  until  the  spring  of  '83,  when  he  moved 
to  New  Hampton,  where  he  owns  fine  property,  and  left  the  farm 
to  be  worked  by  his  sons.  Was  married  October  12,  '46,  in  Frank 
lin  county,  N.  Y.,  to  Miss  S.  Blodgett,  and  they  have  four  chil- 
dren living,  Margaret,  Celia,  Joseph  and  Jerome.  They  have  lost 
nine  children. 

Josephus  Straw,  farmer,  sections  21  and  22,  owns  122  acres;  was 
born  in  Wyandotte  county,  Ohio,  in  '26.  In  '55  he  went  to  Green 
county,  Wis.,  remaining  four  years,  then  in  '59  came  to  Iowa,  and 
settled  where  he  now  resides;  he  had  purchased  the  land  in  '56. 
There  were  very  few  actual  settlers  at  that  time,  there  being  only 
four  buildings  in  New  Hampton,  and  McGregor  was  the  trading 
point.  The  farm  is  thoroughly  improved  and  stocked.  Mr.  S. 
was  married  in  '48,  in  Ohio,  to  Elizabeth  Stansberry.  They  have 
nine  children,  Sarah  Ann,  Priscilla,  Elizabeth,  Liddia,  George  W. 
Orelia,  James  H.,  Amanda  and  Josephus. 

G.  P.  Drewelow,  farmer,  sections  28  and  29,  owns  160  acres  of 
land;  was  born  in  Prussia,  in  1838,  and  came  to  America,  with  his 
parents,  in  '57.  They  came  directly  west,  stopping  three  months 
in  Dubuque,  thence  to  this  county.  They  first  located  in  Staple- 
ton  township,  where  his  father,  Frederick  William  Drewelow,pur- 
chased  400  acres.  In  '63  he  removed  to  this  township,  and  pur- 
chased the  land  he  now  tills.  He  has  improved  his  land  thor- 
oughly and  fitted  it  up  for  stock  purposes.  In  May  '77  he  lost 
his  barn  and  its   contents  by  fire;  in  September,  '81,   he  also  lost 


CHICCASAW    COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  531 

his  house  by  fire.  Mr.  D.  was  married  in  '59  in  Stapleton  town- 
ship to  his  cousin,  Miss  Augusta  Drewelow,  and  their  children  are 
Herman,  Gustav,  Fred,  Albert  and  Mary. 

John  P.  Zimmerman  (retired)  was  born  in  Germany  in  1810,and 
is  by  occupation  a  farmer.  In  '36  he  came  to  the  United  States, 
and  settled  first  in  the  state  of  New  York,  and  was  engaged  on 
railroad  work  about  five  years ;  he  then  moved  to  Wisconsin,  and 
entered  the  hotel  and  butchering  business.  After  remaining 
there  three  years  he  removed  to  Fox  river,  Kane  county,  111., 
where  he  remained  twelve  years,  engaged  principally  in  butcher- 
ing. He  then  came  to  Fayette  county,  Iowa,  where  he  bought 
land,  and  farmed  for  about  thirteen  years,  and  then  moved  to  the 
town  of  New  Hampton  in  '69,  where  he  has  since  resided,  and  pur 
chased  property.  Was  married  in  '52,  in  Illinois,  to  Janie  Hien- 
wold,  and  they  have  seven  children,  Janie,  Amelia,  EUie,  Henry, 
Lizzie,  George^and  William. 

Michael  Maloney,  farmer,  section  twenty,  owns  220  acres;  was 
born  in  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  in  1847.  His  parents  moved  to  Ocono- 
mowoc.  Wis.,  in  '55,  where  he  resided  until  '70,  whsn  he  came  to 
this  county,  and  purchased  land  and  ojDened  up  the  farm  he  now 
owns.  It  is  situated  one  and  a  half  miles  south  and  one  mile 
east  of  town,  and  is  thoroughly  improved  and  fitted  for  stock.  He 
has  a  herd  of  over  one  hundred  head  of  cattle.  He  married 
Mary  Ennesy  on  the  30th  of  January,  1870,  at  Oconomowoc,  and 
they  have  three  children,  William,  Agnes  and  Francis.  Mrs.  M. 
pied  on  the  27th  of  December,  '81. 

J.U. Mixer  ,  farmer;  owns  200  acres,  Sec.  18;  New  Hampton  tp.; 
was  born  in  Ohio,  in  1821,  and  was  engaged  in  the  lumber  trade, 
saw  mills  and  farming,  until  Sep.  '49,  he  went  to  Wis;  when  he  en- 
gaged in  farming,  and  remained  until  Oct.  1867,  then  coming  to 
Iowa  settling  at  this  place,  and  purchased  the  farm,  where  he  has 
remained  ever  since.  The  land  is  thoroughly  improved  and  is 
thoroughly  fitted  as  a  stock  and  dairy  farm,  and  is  situated  within 
a  mile  of  the  center  of  town. 

Mr.  M.  has  filled  various  ofl&ces  in  the  various  localities  of  his 
residence,  having  been  dep;  treas.  of  the  co.  in  Wis.  where  he  re- 
sided, also  dep.  sheriff  in  the  same  place.  He  was  married  in  1847 
at  Madison  Ohio,  to  Miss  Eliza  M.  Cracker,  and  their  children  are, 
Minnie  M.,  Henry  E.,  Walter  C,  Eva  E.  and  J,  U.  Jr. 


532  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Marcus  M.  Utley,  farmer;  owns  135  acres  in  sec.  8;  New  Hamp- 
ton tp.  P.  0.  New  Hampton.  Mr.  Utley  was  born  in  Jefferson  Co. 
N.  Y.  in  1835.  In  1855  he  moved  to  Wisconsin,  and  engaged  in 
farming  for  four  years,  then  came  to  this  state,  and  settled  in  this 
county,  at  the  place  where  he  now  resides.  He  purchased  the  land 
for  $6.  per  acre,  and  it  is  now  worth  $50.  per.  acre,  is  within  one 
mile  of  town,  and  it  is  thoroughly  improved  and  well  stocked  with 
cattle  of  fine  breeds,  and  Mambrino  Morgan,  Grade  Norman  and 
Cleveland  bay  horses;  of  which  he  is  justly  proud.  He  was  married 
in  Feb.  1860,  at  Kenosha.  Wis.  to  Miss  Elizabeth  L.  Pierce,  and 
their  children  are,  Lyman  M.  and  Ida  Belle. 

James  B.  Hartson,  farmer;  owns  120  acres  in  sec.  33;  was  born 
in  Susquehanna  Co.  Penn.  1848,and  is  the  son  of  L.D.  &  Elizabeth 
Hartson.  His  parents  moved  to  Dodge  Co  Wis.  remaining  there 
four  years,  then  came  to  Iowa,  settling  in  this  Co.  located  first  in 
Fredericksburg  tp.  where  they  remained  three  years,  after  which 
they  moved  to  this  tp.  His  parents  removed  to  Kansas  in  '79.  Mr. 
H.  has  filled  many  offices  in  the  school  and  district  boards,  and 
has  been  road  supervisor  several  years;  is  a  member  of  Fredericks- 
burg Lodge  No.  333  AF..  A.  M.  Mr.  Hartson  was  married  in  Jan. 
1875,  in  this  township  to  Mary  Snyder,  and  has  three  children 
Ralph,  Mattie  and  Florence. 

Capt.  J.  R.  Kenyon,  farmer;  P.  0.  New  Hampton  farm  com- 
prises 300  acres  on  sections  four.  New  Hampton  tp.,  and  33  Jack- 
sonville tp.  Mr.  K.  was  born  in  Blackburn,  Lancashire,  England 
in  1840.  He  came  to  the  U.  S.  with  his  parents  in  1842,  settling 
first  at  New  Hartford,  Oneida  Co.,  N.  Y.  When  he  was  seventeen 
years  old  he  moved  west  and  settled  in  Walworth  Co., Wis.  In  1862 
he  enlisted  in  the  service  of  the  general  government  and  was  ap- 
pointed captain  of  Co.  E,  28th  Regt.  Wis.  Infantry,  where  he 
served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  participated  in  all  the  battles 
marches  and  seiges,  in  which  his  regt.  had  the  honor  to  engage, 
and  was  mustered  out  September  23rd,  1865,  at  Brownsville  Texas. 
Mr.  Kenyon  came  to  Iowa  in  1866  and  purchased  the  land  on 
which  he  now  lives.  In  the  spring  of  1878,  he  established  a  creamery 
upon  his  farm,  and  Avas  the  first  manufacturer  of  butter  under  that 
system  in  this  Co.  he  keeps  from  seventyfive  to  one  hundred  head 
of  cattle  upon  las  farm,  and  has  a  large  barn  and  fine  residence. 
He  was  married  in  the  fall  of  1865  at  La  Grange,    Walworth  Co., 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 


533 


Wis.,  to  Miss  L.  E.  Houghton,  and  they  have  five  children,  viz; 
Earle,  Maud,  Hattie,  Houghton  &  Bessie.  Mr.  Kenyon  is  an  in- 
fluential and  prominent  member  of  the  V.  A.  S. 

L.  "M.  Churchill,  farmer;  owns  80  acres  in  New  Hampton  tp.  P.  0. 
Lawler;  was  born  in  Mich,  in  1827.  In  1850  he  went  to  Kane  Co. 
111.,  remaining  one  year  then  removed  to  the  city  of  Green  Bay, 
Wis.  .,  engaging  in  various  businesses.  In  1871,  he  came  to  Iowa, 
settling  on  the  land  he  now  resides  on.  He  is  an  influential  citizen, 
and  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  township  management,  and  schools. 
Mr.  Churchill  was  married  in  Wis.,  to  Miss  R.  C.  Mapes. 


«» 


534  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 


JACKSONVILLE  TOWNSHIP. 


Mr.  H.  Johnson,  farmer;  cwns  120  acres,  sec.  11  Jacksonville  P.O. 
Born  in  Norway  in  1837,  emigrated  to  the  U.  S.  in  1860  and  lived 
one  year  in  Wisconsin  thence  to  Iowa  and  settled  where  he  now 
^resides,  and  purchased  the  farm  which  he  has  improved  and  stock- 
ed. He  was  married  in  1860  in  Norway;  to  Miss  Martha  Thompson, 
They  have  five  children;  Herman,  Louis,  Alva,  Annie,  and  Isabel. 

C.  G.  Miller,  farmer;  owns  200  acres,  sec.  34  Jacksonville  P.O.  is 
a  native  of  Germany,  and  came  to  the  U.S.  in  1854,  and  lived  in 
N.Y.  about  7  years  he  is  a  brickmaker  by  trade.  He  then  came  to 
Iowa,  and  settled  near  Ft.  Atkinson  in  Winnesheik  Co.  farmed 
there  four  years.  In  1867  he  came  to  this  county  and  purchased 
forty  acres,  where  he  now  resides;  having  since  purchased  the  rest. 
The  farm  is  arranged  as  stock  and  dairy  farm.  A  fine  residence  re- 
cently built,  and  fine  barns  adorn  this  valuable  property.  He  was 
married  in  November  1858,at  Glascow  Ulster  county  N.Y.  to  Julia 
Weiss,  they  have  six  children  ChaiiesG.  Annie  J.  William  A.  George 
H.  Alva  Lee  and  Pearly  Viola. 

C.  J.  Reilly,  farmer,  sec.  24  Saude  P.  O.  was  born  in  Canton  Mass. 
in  1846;  his  parents  moved  in  his  childhood  to  Washington  county 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  535 

Wisconsin.  In  the  fall  of  1854  they  moved  to  Iowa  and  settled  in 
Utica  township,  where  Sylvester  Reilly  his  father  still  resides.  In 
1878  C.  J.  moved  to  his  present  place  of  residence,  he  had  previous- 
ly bought  the  land;  he  owns  200  acres  mostly  improved,  and  well 
stocked.  He  was  married  in  Utica  township  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Gor- 
man in  September  1877. 

Thos.  McCarten  (a  deceased  pioneer  of  Jacksonville  township) 
was  born  in  county  Down,  Ireland,  in  1813.  He  came  to  the 
United  States  in  '43,  and  worked  on  public  works  near  Pittsburgh, 
Pa.,  then  came  to  Iowa,  settling  in  Dubuque  county,  where  he  re- 
sided eight  years,  being  engaged  for  four  years  in  the  lead  mines, 
and  then'moved  onto  his  farm  in  that  county,  remaining  four 
years.  In  1856  he  sold  out,  and  came  to  this  county,  and  pur- 
chased 420  acres  on  Crane  creek,to  which  he  added  later  360  acres. 
He  became  busily  engaged  in  farming,  and  thoroughly  improved 
his  property,  an,d  was  one  of  the  most  extensive  farmers  in  that, 
township.  He  was  a  man  of  prominence,  but  avoided  public  life, 
but  served  one  term  as  member  of  the  county  board  of  supervis- 
ors, and"  was  also  justice  of  the  peace  several  years.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  Ireland,  to  Margaret  Welch,  by  whom  he  had  six  daugh- 
ters and  five  sons,  namely,  Annie,  Patrick  (deceased),  Arthur^,. 
Elizabeth,  John  (deceased),  Thomas,  Margaret,  Mary,  Alice,  Cath- 
arine and  Joseph.  Mr.  McCarten  died  September  6th,  '79,  at  his 
home  in  Jacksonville  township,  at  the  age  of  sixty -six  years.  Mrs. 
McCarten  died  at  the  same  place  in  '69.  The  farm  is  conducted 
by  Thos.  McCarten  Jr.,  the  family  still  residing  at  the  old  home- 
stead. 

Jeremiah  Fitzpatrick,  farmer,  Jacksonville  P.  0.,  owns  300  acres 
in  section  eleven,  Jacksonville  township;  was  born  in  county 
Cork  '■reland,  in  1813.  His  father  was  a  farmer  and  blacksmith 
with  A.  lom  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  served  an  apprenticeship.  In  '35  he 
came  to  the  United  States  and  stopped  a  short  time  in  Maine,, 
thence  to  Boston,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  two  years;  from 
there  he  moved  to  Ohio,  and  located  at  Fort  Defiance.  In  1838  he 
removed  to  Illinois,  where  he  worked  on  the  canal.  In  the  fall 
of  '39  he  moved  to  Galena,  the  following  year  he  made  a  trip  to 
St.  Louis  and  New  Orleans.  Shortly  afterwards  he  returned  to^ 
Boston,  where  he  was  married;  removing  from  there  to  Ohio 
wbei'C  he  worked  on  the  Great  Western  raili'oad  two  years.     In  '55- 


536  CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES. 

he  came  to  Iowa,  and  located  at  the  above  named  place,  where  he 
bought  320  acres  at  government  price.  The  farm  is  the  original 
homestead,  and  is  under  fence  and  full  cultivation.  It  is  well  fit- 
ted for  stock  and  dairy  purposes,  having  a  fine  herd  of  high  grade 
Durhams.  Mr.  F.  served  as  township  trustee  several  years  during 
the  early  history  of  the  county.  He  married  Catherine  Collins, 
and  they  have  had  ten  children  born  to  them,  seven  of  whom  are 
living:  Jeremiah,  Daniel,  Patrick,  James,  Michael,  Ellen  and 
Mary. 

John  Davidson,  farmer,  section  10,  P.  0.  Jacksonville,  owns 
about  400  acres  of  land;  was' born  in  Union  county,  Penn.,  in  the 
year  1825,  his  parents  moving  to  Ohio  in  '35,  and  engaged  in  farm- 
ing in  Portage  Co.  In  '45  the  subject  of  this  sketch  went  to  Indi- 
ana, and  settled  in  LaPorte  county,  and  worked  at  his  trade  as 
carpenter  and  joiner.  In  January,  '56,  he  started  for  Iowa,  by 
team,  by  way  of  Fulton  City  and  Lyons,  on  the  Mississippi,  and 
he  was  on  the  road  eighteen  days.  He  first  settled  on  Crane 
creek,  on  section  3,  in  ihis  township,  where  he  bought  forty  acres 
of  land,  and  remained  two  years.  He  then  purchased  land  where 
he  now  resides.  His  farm  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  county,  and 
the  improvements  first-class;  his  large  residence  being  one  of  the 
finest  and  best  arranged  in  the  county;  his  fine  barns,  etc.,  are 
thoroughly  fitted  for  stock  purposes.  He  has  some  fine  blooded 
short-horn  cattle  on  his  farm.  Mr.  D.  was  married  in  '49  at  La- 
Porte,  Indiana,  to  Miss  Lucas,  and  they  have  five  children  living, 
whose  names  are,  James  H.,  Wm.  E.,  John,  Charles  A.  and 
Amanda  Mabel;  they  have  lost  four,  George  F.,  Ulysses  S.,  Alfred 
Jerome  and  Mary  M. 

Peleg  Sherman,  farmer,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns  240  acres  of 
land  in  sections  19  and  20,  sixteen  acres  of  timber  in  section  36, 
and  two  acres  of  timber  in  Washington  township.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  born  in  Lake  comity,  Illinois,  in  1840.  In  '56  his 
parents  came  to  Iowa,  and  settled  in  Chickasaw  county,  locating 
in  Washington  township.  Shortly  after  his  arrival  here  he  enter- 
ed a  claim  of  120  acres  from  the  government,  and  was  among  the 
earliest  settlers  of  that  township.  In  '56  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
moved  '^o  his  present  place  of  residence,  which  he  had  previously 
purchased.  The  farm  is  thoroughly  improved  and  fitted  for 
stock  purposes,  with  every  convenience  for  the  same.     Mr.  S.  was 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  537 

married  in  April  '65,  at  Waucoma,  Fayette  county,  Iowa,  to  Julia 
A.  Finch,  and  their  children  are,  Ellsworth  P.  and  Zora  E. 

Thomas  McAloon,  farmer,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns  840  acres 
in  Jacksonville  township,  and  ten  acres  in  New  Hampton  town- 
ship. He  was  born  in  county  Fermanagh,  Ireland,  in  1826,  and 
came  to  America  in  '44,  stopping  in  New  York  until  the  spring  of 
'45,  when  he  removed  to  Lowell,  Mass.,  and  worked  in  the  facto- 
ries in  that  city,  and  also  at  Lawrence,  Mass.,  for  several  years. 
In  April,  '56,  he  came  to  Iowa,  and  settled  in  this  township.  He 
now  owns  all  the  above  described  land,  and  operates  it  all  himself 
with  the  aid  of  his  sons,  he  is  about  the  most  extensive  farmer  in 
the  township,  and  pays  considerable  attention  to  the  raising  of 
pure  stock;  he  has  a  herd  of  about  100  cattle,  among  which  are 
Holsteins  and  Durhams;  about  eighteen  head  of  horses  are  kept 
on  the  farm.  He  has  erected  on  his  place  one  of  the  largest  barns, 
in  the  county,  "it  is  34x100  feet,  and  thoroughly  fitted  with  every 
convenience.  A  fine  residence  adorns  his  valuable  homestead.  He 
was  married  in  '57  at  Lawrence,  Mass.,  to  Mary  Egan,  and  their 
children  are,  Peter,  John,  Terence,  James,  Isabella  and  Mary  E.j 
they  have  lost  one  daughter,  Ellen. 

Seth  Martin,  postmaster,  Jacksonville,  also  real  estate,  insur- 
ance agent  and  notary  public.  Mr.  Martin  was  born  in  Gains- 
borough, Lancashire,  Eng.,  in  1819;  he  was  engaged  for  eleven 
years  in  the  Chatham  dock  yards,  in  the  royal  naval  service.  In 
'51  he  imigrated  to  the  United  States,  and  settled  in  Sturgis  coun- 
ty, Mich,,  and  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Michigan  Southern  and 
Northern  Indiana  railroad  company,  for  about  six  years;  in  '56  he 
migrated  to  Iowa,  and  located  in  Chickasaw  county,  and  stuck 
stakes  in  Jacksonville  township,  on  section  4,  and  purchased  160 
acres  of  the  government.  In  '61  he  enlisted  in  company  H,  fourth 
Iowa  cavalry,  and  was  among  the  first  to  volunteer;  he  was  first 
appointed  bugler  of  the  company,  and  in  '62  he  was  promoted  to 
the  position  of  quarter-master  sergeant,  which  position  he  held  un- 
til after  the  fall  of  Vicksburg,  in  '63,  when  he  was  discharged,  by 
virtue  of  a  re-enlistment  as  a  veteran,  he  was  again  appointed  to 
the  position  of  quarter-master  sergeant;  he  was  recommended  for 
promotion  in  December,  '64,  and  received  a  commission  as  first 
lieutenant  and  commissary  of  subsistance,  while  at  Gray  ville,  Ala. 
He  was  mustered  out  of  service  and  honorably    discharged  at  At- 


538  CHICKASAW   COU^fTY   BIOGRAPHIES. 

lanta,  Aa.,  and  finally  paid  oflfat  Davenport,  Iowa,  in  August  '65. 
Mr.  M.  received  injuries  during  service  for  which  he  received  a 
pension.  He  returned  to  Chickasaw  county,  and  soon  after  sold 
his  farm,  and  purchased  land  in  Utica  township,  where  he  still 
owns  180  acres  of  land,  which  is  all  improved,  and  is  conducted 
•by  his  son,  John  A.  Martin.  In  April,  '82,  he  received  a  commis- 
sion as  postmaster,  at  this  place,  and  removed  to  the  village,  where 
he  has  since  resided;  he  also  holds  a  commission  as  notary  pub- 
lic, and  has  established  a  good  real  estate  business.  Mr.  M.  is  a 
prominent  citizen,  and  well  known  throughout  the  entire  county. 
He  is  a  staunch  republican,  and  an  energetic  and  strong  worker  in 
the  conventions.  Mr.  M.  is  a'  member  of  J.  V.  Carpenter  post,  G. 
A.  R.,  No.  104,  Fredericksburg,  Iowa.  He  was  married  in  Eng- 
land in  46,  to  Miss  Annie  Everatt.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  has 
filled  the  position  of  head  turnkey  and  schoolmaster  of  the  jail  at 
Kerton  Lindsey,  Lincolnshire,  Eng.,  for  six  years.  Mrs.  M.  was 
matron  of  the  same  institution  for  several  years,  and  as  they  could- 
not  marry  and  retain  their  jDosition,  they  resigned  their  lucrative 
situations,  to  enable  them  to  marry;  their  children  are  Louisa  R., 
Mary  J.,  John  A.  and  Charles  S. 

Adolphus  Anderson,  farmer,  P.  0.  Jacksonville;  was  born  in 
1852  in  McHenry  county,  Ills.,  his  father,  Charles  Anderson,  being 
one  of  the  earliest  settleis  of  that  county,  and  who  lost  his  life  dur- 
ing the  late  war,  while  serving  in  the  ninety-fifth  Illinois  infantry, 
at  Nashville,  Tenn.  Adolphus  came  to  Iowa  in  April,  1880,  and  set- 
tled at  this  place,  where  he  operates  a  farm  of  440  acres.  He  was 
married  in  January,  1871,  in  Illinois,  to  Miss  Maria  Reid,  and  their 
children  are  Edward  A.,  Annie  E.,  DelbertC.,Cora  M.,  George  W. 
and  Robert  W. 

T.  Donavin,  farmer,  P.  0.  Jacksonville,  owns  180  acres  of  farm 
land  in  Jacksonville  township,  ten  acres  of  timber  land  in  the 
same  township.  Mr.  D.  was  born  in  county  Cork,  Ireland,  in  1822 
When  eighteen  years  old  he  came  to  the  United  States  and  was  en- 
gaged at  railroading,  in  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire,  seve- 
ral years.  In  '58  he  came  to  Iowa,  and  settled  in  this  township, 
and  purchased  twenty  acres,  since  which  time  he  has  added  the 
rest,  as  he  became  able.  He  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers,  and 
hus  grown  up  with  the  county,  and  has  accumulated   a  nice  pro- 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  539 

perty,  in  the  shape  of  a  valuable  farm  fitted  thoroughly  for  a  gene, 
ral  farming  and  stock  business.  Was  married  in  '53,  in  Massa- 
chusetts, to  Abbie  Harrington,  and  they  have  five  children — Tim- 
othy, Daniel,  Catherine,  Mary  and  Nora. 

H.  H.  Shafier  (deceased),  late  of  Jacksonville  township,  was 
born  in  Butler  county,  Penn,  1824,  and  came  to  Iowa  in  '53,  up 
to  which  time  he  had  been  engaged  in  farming  and  school  teach- 
ing. In  March  of  this  year  he  went  to  Scott  county,  and  in  the 
September  following  moved  to  Winnesheik  county,  where  he  re- 
mained one  year,  and  then  removed  to  this  county,  and  settled  on 
a  claim  that  he  had  already  located,  in  Jacksonville  township.  He 
was  the  first  settler  to  make  any  improvements,  and  open  a  farm 
in  that  vicinity.  Mr,.  S.  originally  owned  640  acres,  but  part  has 
been  sold,  and  the  farm  now  consists  of  about  320  acres.  He  has 
filled  the  office  of  county  surveyor  several  years,  and  was  also 
justice,  of  the  peace,  for  several  years;  besides  having  filled  many 
other  offices.  He  was  a  man  universally  respected,  and  one  of 
the  pioneers  of  the  county.  He  died  on  November  23,  1882,  aged 
fifty-eight  years,  leaving  his  widow  Mrs.  Sarah  Shaff'er  (nee  Albert) 
to  whom  he  was  married  just  before  leaving  Pennsylvania,  in  '53; 
their  children  are,  N.  Ellen,  Mary  C,  Sarah  J.,  William  G.  and 
Alvah  H.;  one  son,  John  Cassius,  died  in  '56.  The  farm  is  con- 
ducted by  Mrs.  Shaffer,  and  her  son  W.  G.,  and  is  one  of  the  best 
in  the  township,  being  thoroughly  adapted  for  all  purposes. 

Edson  Sewell,  farmer,  owns  210  acres  of  land  in  section  15.  P.  0, 
Jacksonville,  was  born  in  Boone  county,  Ills.,  in  1852,  his  father, 
Isaac  Sewell,  being  a  pioneer  of  that  county.  Edson  resided  with 
his  parents  until  February,1874,  when  he  came  to  Iowa,  settling  in 
this  township,  he  purchased  eighty  acres  at  that  time,  and  has  since 
added  the  rest,  which  is  all  improved,  and  constitutes  one  of  the 
finest  stock  farms  in  the  township,  being  peculiarly  well  fitted  for 
that  purpose.  He  was  married  in  the  fall  of  1874,  to  Miss  Nancy 
Ellen  Shaffer,  they  have  living  one  child,  Alice  Edna,  and  have  lost 
one  son,  Frank  Everett,  who  died  April  1 2,  1883,aged  one  year  and 
twelve  days,  Mr.  Sewell  has  filled  the  office  of  township  trustee  four 
years. 

M.  Casey,  Sr.,  farmer,  section  18,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  is  a  na- 
tive of  county  Tipperary,  Ireland,  and  came  to  the  United  States 


540  CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES. 

in  1850.  He  came  to  Iowa  in  '64,  having  lived  the  intervening 
years  in  New  York,  Vermont,  Canada  and  about  six  years  in 
Wisconsin.  Mr.  C.  had  pre-empted  eighty  acres  of  land  here  pre- 
vious to  settling,  and  has  since  purchased  162  acres  more;  the  land 
is  all  well  improved,  and  fitted  as  a  stock  farm,  and  an  average  of 
about  forty  head  of  cattle  being  kept  on  the  farm,  and  six  head  of 
horses.  M.  Casey,  Jr.  owns  160  acres  of  the  above  land,  and  man- 
ages the  whole  farm.  Mr.  Casey,  Sr.,  has  filled  many  ofiices  of 
trust,  since  his  residence  here,  and  is  an  old  settler,  greatly  re- 
spected by  all.  Was  married  to  Miss  Dee,  by  whom  he  has  five 
children,  John,  James,  Michael,  Margaret  and  Mary. 

W.  E.  Hurd,  farmer,  P.  O.  New  Hampton,  owns  173  acres  in 
section  33,  this  township;  was  born  in  Ontario  county,  N.  Y.,  in 
June,  1843,  he  was  raised  on  a  farm,  and  received  his  education 
in  the  public  schools,  and  at  the  seminary,  at  Fulton,  N.  Y., 
which  place  he  was  attending,  when  at  the  call  for  troops  he  en- 
listed, in  August,  '62,  in  111th  New  York  volunteer  infantry,  com- 
pany B.  He  was  taken  prisoner  at  Harper's  Ferry,  in  September 
'62,  paroled,  and  finally  exchanged  during  the  following  winter; 
he  was  placed  on  detailed  service  at  the  Marine  Hospital,  at  Chi- 
cago, and  finally  discharged  on  account  of  ill  health  and  physical 
disability  the  following  spring.  He  returned  to  New  York,  and  in 
'65,  after  re-cuperating,  he  came  to  Iowa,  settling  in  New  Hamp- 
ton township,  where  he  purchased  land,  and  improved  the  same. 
In  the  summer  of  '74  he  sold  out  and  moved  to  this  township,and 
purchased  the  farm  he  now  owns.  The  land  is  rolling  and  well 
watered,  and  thoroughly  adapted  for  stock  and  dairy  farm,  for 
which  he  has  fitted  it.  Mr.  H.  has  filled  the  office  of  township 
trustee  in  New  Hampton  township,  several  terms,  and  justice  of 
the  peace  three  years  in  this  township.  Was  married  in  the  win- 
ter of  '64  in  New  York,  to  Rachel  Lamb,  and  their  children  are, 
Eugene  C,  Clara  L.,  Charles  A.,  Minnie  M.,  Hattie,  Willie  and 
Clarence. 

J.  B.  Stebbins,  farmer,section  18,  P.  O.  New  Hampton,was  born 
at  Long  Meadow,  Hampton  county,  Mass.,  May  11  '40.  In  '61  he 
removed  to  Will  county.  Ills.,  where  he  purchased  land,  and 
lived  ten  years.  In  June,  1871,  he  came  to  Stapleton  township,  in 
this  county,  and  entered  eighty  acres  of  government  land,  which 
had  been  overlooked.  He  owned  this  land  until  October,  1874,  when 


CHICKCSAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  541 

he  sold  out,and  purchased  the  property  he  now  owns,which  is  fine 
prairie  land,  well  improved,  and  well  adapted  for  stock  purposes. 
James  Ure.  farmer,  section  30,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  was  born  in 
Falkirk,  Scotland  in  1826.  His  parents  came  to  the  United  States 
in  '31,  and  settled  in  New  Hartford,  Oneida  county,  N.  Y.  and  he 
was  for  several  years  engaged  in  a  cotton  manufactory.  In  the  fall 
of  '60  he  removed  to  Dane  county.  Wis.,  where  he  farmed  for  about 
eight  years,  when  he  came  to  Iowa,  settling  in  this  county  and  pur- 
chasing the  255  acres  he  now  owns.  The  land  was  partly  improved 
and  is  now  thoroughly  so,  well  stocked  with  cattle  of  high  grade, 
and  good  teams.  Mr.  Ure  was  married  in  '55,  to  Annie  Kenyon,  at 
New  Hartford,  N.  Y.  and  the  children  of  this  union  are  Charles, 
Susie,  Elmer  and  Samuel. 

Frederick  Markle,  farmer,  section  10,  P.  0.  Jacksonville,  owns 
520  acres  of  land;  was  born  on  August  25,  184 J,  in  Wurtemburg, 
Germany,  at  the  age  of  eleven  years,  he  was  left  an  orphan,  by  the 
death  of  his  mother,  his  father  having  died  five  years  before. 
When  fourteen  years  old  he  came  with  a  s  ist  er  to  the  United 
States,  a  brother  who  had  come  some  years  previous,  providing 
the  passage  money.  He  first  worked  in  Herkimer  county,  N.  Y., 
where  he  remained  five  years.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebel- 
lion, being  twenty  years  of  age,  he  enlisted  in  the  second  New 
York,  heavy  artillery;  in  '63  he  re-enlisted  in  the  same  regiment, 
and  served  with  it  until  January,  '65,  when  he  received  appoint- 
ment from  the  president,  to  the  first  lieutenancy  of  the  twelfth 
United  States  colored  heavy  artillery.  During  service  he  partici- 
pated at  the  battles  of  Cold  Harbor,  second  Bull  Run,  Petersburg, 
etc.  He  was  mustered  out  and  discharged  April,  '66,  at  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  after  service  of  four  and  a  half  years,  having  received  a 
severe  wound  during  the  service,  he  now  receives  a  pension  from 
the  government.  After  his  discharge  he  came  to  Iowa,  on  a  visit, 
and  liking  the  country,  he  bought  land  in  this  township,  and  has 
resided  here  since.  He  is  located  on  Crane  creek,  and  is  exten- 
sively engaged  in  farming  and  stock  raising;  his  farm  is  beauti- 
fully located  and  well  equipped,  using  three  work  teams,  and  em- 
ploying two  hands;  extensive  barns  and  other  necessary  buildings 
adorn  the  model  farm.  Mr.  M.  is  president  of  the  Chickasaw 
county  agricultural  society,  and  has  filled  various  offices  in  the 
township.     Was  married  in  '66,at  New  Hampton,to  AlcenaM.  Ab- 


542  .  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  * 

bott,  daughter  of  E.  C.  Abbott,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Utica  town- 
ship; they  have  four  children  living,  Izetta  A.,  Albert  F.,  Effie  A. 
and  Grant  E.,  and  Iowa  A.,  died  in  infancy. 

R,  B.  Schoonover,  farmer,  section  20,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  was 
born  in  Franklin  county,  Ohio,  in  1822.  He  came  to  Iowa  in  1849, 
settling  first  in  Dubuque  county,  where  he  farmed  for  six  years. 
He  then  removed  to  this  county  and  purchased  160  acres  of  land 
in  this  township,  of  which  the  land  he  now  owns  is  a  part.  Mr.  S. 
is  a  graduate  of  Westerville  college,  Westerville,  Ohio,  and  was  en- 
gaged in  the  field  of  education  for  several  years,  in  that  state.  He 
has  filled  the  office  of  trustee  of  this  township  several  years.  He 
was  married  in  '49,  in  Ohio,  to  Rebecca  Urie,  their  children  are 
Jennie,  Perry,  Samuel,  Emma,  Minnie,  Charley  and  Effie  and  Eva, 
twins. 

William  Johnston,  farmer,  section  28,  P.  0.  New  Hampton;  was 
born  in  Indiana  county,  Pa.,  in  1829.  In  '48  he  removed  to  Kit- 
taning,  Armstrong  county.  Pa.,  where  he  learned  the  trade  of  car- 
penter. In  '51  he  married  Hannah  Willard,  of  that  place.  In  '56 
he  immigrated  to  Dunleith,  111,,  and  in  the  same  year  he  came  to 
this  county.  In  '58  he  located  at  New  Hampton  and  worked  at 
his  trade  of  carpenter.  In  '58-9  he  built|the  New  Hampton  house. 
In  '62  he  enlisted  under  Capt.  H.  A.  Tinkham,  in  company  C, 
thirty -eight  Iowa  volunteer  infantry,  which  in  '64  was  consolidat- 
ed with  the  thirty -fourth  regiment.  He  was  mustered  out  of  the 
service  at  Houston,  Tex.,  and  discharged  at  Davenport,  Iowa;  he 
returned  to  New  Hampton  in  '66,  and  built  the  Central  house  for 
David  Pepper.  In  the  same  year  he  purchased  the  property  of  D. 
Shook,  and  opened  a  grocery  and  restaurant.  In  '71  he  purchas- 
ed the  southwest  quarter  of  section  28,  in  Jacksonville  township, 
of  Daniel  Young,  where  he  now  resides,  doing  a  farm  and  stock 
business.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  are  Sarah  A.,  Robert 
S.,  Alonzo  W.,  James  A.,  William  L.,  Purlie  L.,Mary  E.  and  Sam- 
uel Edgar. 

R.  H.  Mills,  farmer,  section  21,  P.  O.  New  Hampton,  was  born 
in  county  Fermanagh,  Ireland,  in  '34.  In  1855  he  came  to  the 
United  States,  and  settling  in  Chickasaw  county,  in  company  with 
his  brother,  entered  160  acres  of  government  land.  In  '61  he  en- 
listed in  company  B,  seventh  Iowa  volunteer  infantry,  at  New 
Hampton,  and  served  two  years  and  two  months,  being  discharged 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  543 

in  '64,  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  After  the  war  he  returned  to  Chickasaw 
■county,  and  has  continued  farming  ever  since,  and  has  interested 
himself  in  raising  fine  horses,  having  on  his  farm  nine  head,  among 
which  are  half-blood  English  draft  and  Morgans,  Mr.  Mills  was 
married  in  '67,  in  this  county,  to  Emma  E.  Davis,  their  children 
are,  J.Erwin,  Lewis  E.,  Maude,  John  D.,  May,  Hattie  and  Willie. 

Joseph  Sewell,  farmer,  section  15,  P.  O.Jacksonville,  owns  174 
acres,  was  born  in  Boone  county.  111.,  in  1840,  and  was  raised  on 
a  farm.  On  August  13,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  that  county,  in  com- 
pany K,  ninety -fifth  Illinois  volunteer  infantry,  and  serving  three 
years,  was  mustered  out  and  discharged  at  Springfield,  111.,  in  '65. 
He  returned  to  Boone  county,  where  he  remained  until  the  spring 
of  '67,  when  he  removed  to  this  state,  settling  in  this  township.  In 
the  spring  of  '74  he  purchased  the  land  he  now  owns  and  which  he 
has  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He  was  married  in  '66, 
in  Illinois,  to-  Levancha  Smith,  and  they  have  three  children  living, 
William  I.,  Fred  B.  and  Myrtie,  one  child,  Elizabeth,  died  March 
13,  '76,  aged  eleven  months. 

T.  E.  Mills,  farmer,  section  22,  P.  O.  New  Hampton;  was  born 
in  '41,  in  county  Fermanagh,  Ireland,  learned  the  trade  of  brick 
mason  and  that  also  of  ship  builder.  He  came  to  the  United 
States,  in  '57,  and  settled  first  in  Carroll  county,  111.,  where  he  re- 
sided two  years,  then  moved  to  Jackson  county,  Iowa,  where  he 
lived  two  years,  engaging  in  farming.  From  there  he  came  to 
Chickasaw  county.  In  the  fall  of  '62  he  enlisted  in  company  C, 
thirty-eighth  Iowa  infantry,  and  served  three  years;  was  discharg- 
ed August,  '65,  at  Houston,  Texas.  After  returning  he  purchased 
the  eighty  acres  of  land  that  he  now  owns.  The  raising  of  fine 
horses  he  makes  a  specialty  and  has  some  excellent  specimens  of 
the  Morgan  and  Lexington  breeds.  Mr,  M.  has  filled  the  office  of 
justice  of  the  peace  for  three  years.  He  was  married  in  '78  at 
Jacksonville,  to  Ellen  L.  McGoon,  and  they  have  six  children, 
Viola  J.,  Emma  J.,  Edna,  Guy,  Bertie  and  Clyde. 

Francis  Dane,  farmer,  section  35,  P.  0.  Jacksonville,  owns  760 
acres;  was  born  in  Derby,  Orleans,  county,  Vermont,  in  1828;  he 
received  a  common  school  education,  and  resided  there  until  twen- 
ty-seven years  of  age,  and  in  the  meanwhile  had  learned  the  car- 
penter trade.     In  the  winter  of  '53  he  was  married  to  Jane  Crane, 


644  •  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES, 

« 

of  the  same  place,  and  in  the  following  winter  he  came  to  Iowa,  to 
select  a  home,  he  selected  a  claim  where  he  now  resides,  and  en- 
tered it  at  the  land  office  in  Dubuque,  then  went  to  work  cutting 
logs,and  prepared  for  building,he  returned  to  Vermont,  and  in  the 
spring  of  '55  he  returned  with  his  young  wife,  leaving  all  the  com- 
forts of  the  east  to  battle  with  life  on  the  frontier;  there  were  only- 
two  other  settlers  on  the  east  side  of  Crane  creek,  where  he  locat- 
ed. They  moved  into  their  log  house  before  windows  "or  doors 
were  put  in,  and  they  experienced  many  hardships,  but  also  re- 
late many  amusing  incidents  of  their  experience.  Their  first  team 
were  oxen;  after  two  years  they  had  a  team  of  horses,  which  they 
kept  for  many  years,  and  were  known  all  along  the  road  to  Mc- 
Gregor as  Tom  and  Jerry.  Good  neighbors  soon  settled  near,  and 
for  many  years  they  enjoyed  the  society  of  eastern  people,  but  the 
heavy  Norwegian  immigration  set  in  and  has  taken  their  Jplace, 
and  now  Mr.  Dane  is  about  the  only  American  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  served  on  the  board  of  su- 
pervisors for  several  years,  and  has  always  taken  a  lively  interest 
in  county  affairs.  He  conducts  the  home  farm  of  400  acres,  him- 
self; and  has  it  well  stocked,  with  a  herd  of  over  100  head  of  cat- 
tle, fourteen  head  of  horses,  and  uses  four  teams.  The  other  land 
is  rented.  The  fine  residence  is  beautifully  located  on  section  35, 
in  a  pleasant  grove  which  affords  a  splendid  protectton  from  the 
winds;  fine  orchards  and  gardens,  add  to  the  pleasure  of  the 
home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dane  have  two  children,  Harry  Hinman 
and  Lydia  Elizabeth. 

Dennis  Collins,  farmer,  section  6,  Jacksonville  township,  P.  0. 
New  Hampton,  was  born  in  Franklin  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1838;  in 
his  childhood  his  parents  moved  to  Dubuque  county,  Iowa,where 
they  resided  several  years.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  moved  ,  to 
Clayton  county,  living  there  a  short  time,  and  then  moving  ,,to 
Winnesheik  county,  and  finally  came  to  this  county  and  purchas- 
ed the  134  acres  of  land  on  which  he  now  resides,  which  is  thor- 
oughly improved  and  well  fitted  for  all  farming  purposes. ,  g^Was 
married  in  December,  '66,  at  Howard  county,  Iowa,  to  ^Margaret 
Fitzgerald,  and  has  seven  children,  John,  Nellie,  Loretta,  Dionetius 
William,  Mary  and  George. 

Christian  Kirschinamu,  farmer,  section  34,  P.  0.  Jacksonville,  is 
a  native  of  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  he  came  to  the  United  States 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  545 

in  1854,  and  settled  in  Utica  township,  in  this  county,  he  purchas- 
ed eighty  acres  of  land,on  the  Little  Turkey,  in  Utica  township,  at 
government  price,  and  remained  there  about  twelve  years,  then 
sold  out  and  purchased  the  100  acres  he  now  owns.  Was  mar- 
ried in  Germany,  in  '52,  to  Charlotte  Weaver,  and  their  children 
are  Sophia,  Barbara,  Bettie,  Charlotte,  Mary,  Lizzie,  Chris.  Jr., 
John  and  William. 

Andrew  A.  Gordon,  farmer,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns  160  acres, 
was  born  in  Norway  in  1827,  and  was  a  laborer  by  occupation.  He 
came  to  America  in  1859,  and  settled  in  Dane  count}^.  Wis.,  and 
purchased  land  there  and  remained  until  about  '67,  whe  i  he  came 
to  Iowa,  and  settled  in  this  county  purchasing  the  land  now  owned 
by  him,  which  is  now  thoroughly  improved.  He  was  married  in 
'55,  to  Carrie  Jensen,  and  their  children  are  Carrie  A.  and  John  A. 

William  Barrett,  farmer,  section  34,  P.  0.  Jacksonville,  was  born 
in  1825,  in  county  Cork,  Ireland.  In  '50  he  came  to  uhe  United 
States,  and  lived  in  Maine  four  years,  and  learned  the  printer's 
trade.  In  '54  he  came  to  Iowa,  and  took  up  a  claim  of  120  acres 
where  he  now  resides,  being  one  of  the  pioneers.  He  was  married 
in  '54,  at  Old  Mission,  Winnesheik  county,  Iowa,  to  Jane  Scanlan 
and  their  children  are,  Edward,  Kate,  Mary,  John  and  Charles. 


546  CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES. 


STAPLETON  TOWNSHIP. 


E.  W.  Davis,  farmer,  owns  over  800  acres  of  land  in  this  coun- 
ty; was  born  in  Suffolk  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1828.  His  parents 
moved  in  his  early  childhood  to  Ohio,  where  he  remained  eighteen 
years,  then  went  to  Wisconsin  and  remained  five  years,  engaging 
in  teaching  school  and  farming.  In  '55  he  came  to  this  county 
and  entered  a  large  tract  of  land  (about  2,000  acres)  from  the  gov- 
ernment, and  did  good  business  in  improving,  selecting  claims 
and  locating  for  others;  was  also  county  surveyor  several  years. 
Was  a  member  of  the  county  board  of  supervisors  from  Stapleton 
township  in  '61,  which  was  the  first  board  elected  in  the  county. 
He  has  been  a  successful  farmer  and  business  man,  having  started 
with  very  limited  capital.  The  magnificent  residence  on  the  home 
is  the  finest  farm  house  in  the  county,  and  his  barns  and  other 
improvements  correspond.  The  homestead  is  fitted  up  as  a  stock 
and  dairy  farm;  using  the  milk  of  twenty-five  cows  for  the  latter. 
The  cattle  are  of  a  high  grade,  and  his  horses  about  half-blood 
Normans.  From  two  to  four  men  are  employed  on  the  farm  dur- 
ing the  year.  Was  married  in  December,  '56,  at  Lake  county, 
Ohio,  to  Caroline  Randall,  and  their  children  are  John  J.,   Carrie 


CHICCASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  547 

M.,  Jennie  G.  and  Nellie  E.;  all  born  on  this  farm.     J.  J.  is  a  cit 
zen  of  North  Washington  township ;  Carrie  M.   is   a  graduate   of 
the  Osage  Seminary,  graduating  in  '79.       The  younger  girls   also 
attend  the  same  school.     Mr.  D.  is  a  staunch  Kepublican  in  poli- 
tics. 

P.  H.  Kennedy,  blacksmith  and  dealer  in  agricultural  imple- 
ments, Lawler,  Iowa,  was  born  Roscommon  county,  Ireland,  in  '47, 
and  came  to  the  United  States,  when  but  one  year  old,  with  an  aunt, 
his  father  and  mother  having  sailed  for  this  country  some  little 
time  previous.  The  family  settled  in  the  state  of  New  Jersey,  and 
remained  there  for  about  ten  years,  when  they  emigrated  to  the 
great  west,  locating  in  Chickasaw  county,  where  they  have  since 
remained.  In  1864,  the  subject  of  this  notice,  commenced  to  learn 
the  trade  of  a  blacksmith,  at  Decorah,  with  Greer  and  Thomas, 
with  whom  he  remained  two  years  and  a  half,  leaving  them,  to  work 
for  Mr.  Marsh,  where  he  stayed  until  '72,  when  he  set  up  a  forge 
for  himself  at  Forest  City,  but  only  remained  there  about  a  year, 
when  he  moved  with  his  family  to  Lawler,  where  he  has  made  a 
residence  ever  since.  He  was  married  in  '72,  to  Mrs.  Mary  T.  Smith, 
a  native  of  Penny Ivania,  who  had  a  daughter  by  a  former  .  marri- 
age, but  who  has  since  been  adopted  by  Mr.  Kennedy,  her  name 
is  Anna  May.  Mr.  K,  has  considerable  political  importance,  hav- 
ing been  a  member  of  the  council  of  the  town  of  Lawler. 

William  Lawrence,  harness  maker,  Lawler,  was  born  in  the  state 
of  Maryland,  in  the  year  1845,  and  is  the  second  son  of  Alexander 
and  Mary  Lawrence.  When  he  was  but  one  year  old  his  parents 
emigrated  to  the  west,  stopping  on  their  way,  for  one  year,  in  the 
state  of  Ohio,  and  then  moving  on  with  all  their  belongings,  to  the 
state  of  Iowa.  Locating,  temporaily,  in  Clayton  county,  they  after 
a  short  stay  of  one  year,  removed  from  thence  to  Old  Mission,  Winne- 
sheik  county,  but  after  a  residence  of  three  years  in  that  place,  re- 
moved to  Fayette  county.  After  three  years  spent  in  that  local- 
ity, they  moved  to  Jackson  township,  Winnesheik  county,  where 
they  still  reside.  When  Mr  Lawrence  was  twenty  years  of  age,  he 
commenced  to  learn  his  trade  of  harness  making,  at  Decorah,  and 
after  thoroughly  mastering  it,  opened  a  place  of  business  for  him- 
self, at  Waucoma.  In  1869,  seeing  a  fine  opening  in  the  new  town 
of  Lawler,  he  availed  himself  of  it,  and  has  since  prospered  as  he 
deserved.  He  was,  in  '68,  united  in  marriage  to  Pauline  Woodruff, 


548  CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  • 

a  native  of  Michigan,  and  they  have  three  children,  M.  L.,  Ellen 
and  Cory.  Mr.  L.  has  been  largely  identified  with  the  interests 
of  Lawler,  having  been  elected  Mayor  twice,  and  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  town  council  several  times,  and  treasurer  of  the  school 
board. 

R.  F.  Hedrick,  station  agent  C.  M.  and  St.  P.  R.R.,  Lawler,  was 
born  in  Ogle  county,  111.,  May  12,  1845,  and  was  the  second  son  of 
Alexander  and  Anna  Hedrick.  In  1863,  he  enlisted,  as  a  private 
in  the  fourth  Illinois  Cavalry  regiment.  The  greater  portion  of 
his  time  while  identified  with  the  army  of  the  Mississippi,  he  was 
on  detached  service,  at  Natchez,  Miss.,  but  accompanied  Genl.  Grier- 
son  on  his  raid  from  Memphis  to  Vicksburg,  receiving  a  wound  in 
the  right  leg,  while  making  a  charge  at  the  battle  of  Egypt,  Miss., 
and  was  mustered  out  of  the  service,  at  Memphis,  Tenn,  February, 

1865.  Returning  to  Illinois,  he  made  that  state   his   home  until 

1866,  when  he  removed  to  Mason  City,  this  state,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged in  the  express  and  transfer  business.  In  1875,  commenced 
working  for  the  railroad  company,  as  baggage-master  and  clerk  at 
Mason  City.  Took  the  agency  of  the  railroad  and  U.  S.  Express, 
at  Lawler,  December  4,  1876,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  was 
married  in  1868,  to  Jennie  D.  Lawson,  of  Ogle  county,  111.,  and 
they  have  four  children,  Frank  R.,  Amy  J.  Hugh  D.  and  has  been 
a  member  of  the  town  council  and  president  of  the  school  board. 

Anthony  A.  Bollinger,  P.  0.  and  residence  Lawler,  was  born  in 
1844,  in  the  state  of  Indiana,  and  is  the  eldest  son  of  Henry  and 
Elizabeth  Bollinger,  When  he  was  about  five  years  of  age  he  left 
Indiana,  with  his  parents,  going  to  Cincinnatti,  Ohio,  where  they 
remained  two  years.  From  thence  they  all  removed  West,  settling 
at  Twin  Springs,  Winnesheik  county,  in  this  state.  Here  he  re- 
mained until  he  was  about  nineteen  years  old,  when  he  spent  two 
years  traveling  through  the  eastern  states,  coming  back,  however, 
to  this  western  world,  locating  at  Ossian,  Iowa,  where  he  remained 
some  three  years,  removing  from  thence  to  Lawler,  where  he  has 
continuod  to  reside  since.  In  1866,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Mary  J.  Hanlon,  a  native  of  Penna.  They  have  six  children, 
Mary  E.,  Henry  J.,  William  D.,  John  A.  and  Anna  M.  Mr.  Boll- 
inger is  interested  in  real  estate,  and  has,  at  different  times,  been 
extensively  engaged  in  the  patent  right  business. 

E.  H.  Blackett,  merchant,  Lawler,  one  of  the  rising  young  men 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIP:S.  549 

of  northeastern  Iowa;  was  born  in  the  city  of  New  York,  Decem- 
ber 28,  1854,  being  the  eldest  son  of  H.  S.  and  Mary  J.  Blackett. 
His  parents  moved  west  in  '59,  and  located  at  Baraboo,  Sauk  coun- 
ty, Wis.,  residing  there  some  six  years.  The  subject  of  our 
sketch  received  excellent  advantages  in  early  schooling,  at  the 
then  well  known  and  popular  Baraboo  collegiate  institute.  Early 
in  '66  Mr.  H.  S.  Blackett  moved  his  family  to  Iowa,  locating  at 
Clermont,  in  Fayette  county.  Young  E.  H.  being  placed  at  once 
in  a  private  academy,  under  Prof.  T.  S.  Wood.  There  he  lived 
until  '70,  when  his  father  removed  to  Lawler.  It  was  in  this 
f'lace  E.  H.  Blackett  commenced  that  practical  training  so  marked 
at  the  present  time,  his  father  taking  him  in  as  clerk  in  his  gene- 
ral merchandise  store.  For  twelve  years  he  remained  with  his 
— being  a  mere  lad  of  fifteen  at  the  commencement — with  but  a 
crude  knowledge  of  business.  But  terminating  the  connection 
with  his  father  during  the  winter  of  1881-2,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
seven,  with  an  experience  and  capacity  that  might  be  fitting  to  a 
much  older  head,  as  buyer,  salesman  and  general  business  mana- 
ger. Mr.  Blackett 's  intentions  were  to  go  west;  to  enter  into  trade 
in  one  of  the  thousand  new  homes;  but  after  some  sensible  thought 
in  that  direction,  wisely  concluded  that  Lawler  was  as  good,  if  not 
a  better  place,  for  him  to  continue  business,  so  early  in  February, 
'82,  he  founded  the  Lawler  cash  house.  His  trade  has  grown  with 
wonderful  rapidity,  and  although  still  in  its  infancy,  his  store  is 
regarded  as  headquarters  for  his  four  grand  si^ecialties:  clothing, 
foot-gear,  head-wear  and  staple  and  fancy  groceries.  Mr.  B.  was 
married  in  his  twenty -sixth  year,  to  Lena  Drebelow,  and  has  two 
children,  Wilhe  H.  and  Mary  Estelle. 

Michael  Martin,  dealer  in  groceries  and  provisions;  Lawler,  lowa^ 
was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1829,  and  is  the  eldest  son  of  Edward  and 
Catherine  Martin.  When  he  was  twenty -two  years  of  age,  in  '51 
he  emigrated  to  America,  locating  for  three  or  four  years  at  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio,  removing  from  thence  he  came  to  this  state,  settling  in 
Clayton  county,  in  1855.  Here  he  remained  until  1873,  when  he 
removed  to  Lawl-^r,  engaging  in  the  grocery  and  prowsion  trade 
and  has  remained  there  ever  since.  Notwithstanding  his  loss  by  the 
firas,  that  have  devastated  the  town,  he  is  considered,  by  all,  to  be 
financially  sound.  He  was  married  in  1858,  to  Bridget  Boughana, 
a  native  also  of  the  "Emerald  isle"  and   they    have  six   children, 


« 


550  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Katie,  Edward,  Lizzie,  Mary  A.,  Joseph  and  John.  Mr.  Martin 
has  been  identified  with  the  educational  system  of  his  adopted 
home,  having  been  a  member  of  the  school  board,  and  is  one  of 
Lawler's  most  influential  citizens. 

James  Curran,  merchant,  Lawler,  was  born  in  Jackson  county, 
Iowa,  in  the  year  1856,  and  is  the  only  son  of  Patrick  and  Cather- 
ine Curran.  When  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  removed  to  In- 
dependence and  remaining  there  but  eighteen  months,  came  to 
Lawler,  in  1877,  and  engaged  in  the  mercantile  trade.  Mr.  C.  has 
been  one  of  the  sufferers  by  the  conflagration  that  desolated  that 
charming  town,  in  '81,  but  has  since  recovered  his  losses,  and  is 
one  of  the  most  respected  citizens  of  Lawler. 

John  McNevin,  residence  and  P.  0.  Lawler,  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1844,  and  is  the  third  son  of  James  and  Ann  McNevin, 
who  came  to  America  from  Ireland,  in  '34;  when  John  was  four 
years  of  age  his  parents  came  west  and  settled  in  Burlington,  this 
state,  and  remained  there  five  years,  and  from  that  place  moved 
to  Houston  county,  Minn.,  where  they  resided  until  '64,  when  his 
father  died.  Mr.  McNevin  then  moved  to  Louisiana,  then  to  Ar- 
kansas, and  spent  the  winter  of  '65,  at  Red  Forks.  The  following 
spring  he  started  for  the  mines  of  of  Montana,  where  he  stayed 
two  years.  He  crossed  the  Rocky  mountains  into  Utah,  and  re- 
mained seven  months,  and  removed  from  thence  to  Chicago,  111., 
and  thence  went  to  Decorah,  and  engaged  in  buying  grain.  Also 
spent  one  year  in  Fayette,  Fayette  county,  where  he  kept  a  gene- 
ral stock  of  merchandise.  In  '78  he  came  to  Lawler  and  has  been 
■  a  resident  of  this  place  since.  Was  married  in  '70  to  Mary  A. 
Lannon,  a  native  of  Dubuque.  He  was  elected  mayor  of  Lawler 
in  March,  '83. 

A.  iS.  Frink  was  born  in  Washington  county,  Vt.,  in  1858  and  is 
the  eldest  son  of  S.  G.  and  H.  A.  Frink.  Coming  to  Iowa  in  '64, 
and  settled  at  McGregor,  and  in  '67  removed  to  a  farm  in  Allama- 
kee county,  where  he  remained  until  '70,  when  he  removed  to  Kos- 
suth county.  At  the  end  of  one  year  he  returned  to  McGregor, 
attended  school  there  and  graduated  from  the  high  school  at  that 
place  in  the  class  of  '76.  He  at  once  entered  the  employ  of  W.  and 
J.  Flemming,  lumber  dealers.  After  filling  with  credit  several 
subordinate  positions  he  was,   in  '78,   placed  in  charge  of  their 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  551 

branch  yard  at  Lawler.  Was  married  in  '81  to  Miss  M.  A.  Taylor 
a  resident  of  Stapleton  township,  and  has  one  son,  Arthur  H., 
born  April  7,  '82.  Mr.  F.  was  elected  recorder  in  March,  '82,  and 
re-elected  in  March,  '83. 

A.  P.  Johnson,  manufacturer  and  dealer  in  boots  and  shoes,  was 
born  in  Sweden  in  1849,  and  came  to  America  at  the  age  of  twenty 
one,  and  stopped  temporarily  in  Will  county,  111.,  from  there  he 
removed  to  Lansing,  this  state.  After  a  brief  stay  he  moved  to 
Fort  Dodge,  where  he  remained  two  years;  from  there  he  went  to 
Dubuque  and  remained  four  years.  Then  removed  to  Lawler,  and 
has  since  resided  there.  Was  married  in  '75,  to  Wilhelmina  E. 
Bechtel,  a  native  of  Iowa,  and  they  have  two  children,  Henry 
Oscar  Adolph  and  Leander  August. 

W.  E.  Wisner,  proprietor  of  the  American  hotel,  Lawler,  was 
born  in  the  state  of  Illinois,  in  the  year  1841,  and  is  the  third  son 
of  Stephen  D.  and  Anna  S.  Wisner.  He  lived  with  his  parents  in 
Lake  county,  111.,  until  '61,  although  not  born  in  that  county, 
having  been  taKen  there  when  but  one  year  old.  He  enlisted  in 
'61,  in  the  fifty-second  Illinois  infantry  regiment  of  volunteers, 
commanded  by  Lieut.  Col.  Wilcox,  and  §pent  the  winter  of  '61-2 
in  Missouri.  Col.  T.  W.  Sweeny  then  and  there  taking  command 
of  the  regiment,  holding  the  same  for  some  eight  months.  Mr. 
W.  participated  with  his  regiment  in  that  "baptism  of  tire,"  at  Ft. 
Donelson,  and  after  the  engagement  was  detailed  to  guard  prison- 
ers, until,  he  rejoined  his  regiment  for  the  expedition  up  the  Ten- 
nessee river,and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh;  and  the  advance 
to  the  seige  of  Corinth,  spending  some  time  in  Tennessee.  In  the 
spring  of  '64  he  was  at  the  seige  of  Atlanta,  and  after  the  fall  of 
that  place,  was  among  those  heroes  ordered  to  Rome,  Ga.,  and 
after  Hood  had  concentrated  his  forces,  helped  repell  the  invader, 
at  Allatona  pass.  Was  with  Sherman  on  his  memorable  march  to 
the  sea  and  was  honorably  discharged  at  Chicago  in  '65,  with  the 
rank  of  sergent.  After  his  mustering  out  of  the  United  States 
service,  he  went  to  Ohio,  and  remained  there   seven   years,   going 

from  thence  to  Crawford  county,  1.1,  where  he  made   another  stay 

often  years.     Removing  from  thence  to  St.  Louis  he   remained  in 

that  city  but  about  one  year,  when  he  visited  the  old   homestead, 

and  other  parts  of  Illinois.     In  '82,  he  came  to  Iowa,  and   on   the 


552  CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES. 

20th  day  of  August,  of  that  year,  took  possession  of  the  American 
hotel,  where  he  remains,  the  ever  genial  host,  ready  to  attend  to 
the  wants  of  his  numerous  patrons.  Mr.  W.  has  two  children 
Anna  May  and  Roy  E.,  the  latter  one  of  the  brightest  boys  in  the 
vicinity. 

H.  J.  Ditmars,  proprietor  of  the  Lawler  livery  and  feed  stable, 
was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York  in  1848,  and  is  the  only  son  of 
J.  V,  and  C.  R.  Ditmars.  When  he  was  nine  years  of  age,  he  with 
his  parents  removed  to  Ft.  Atkinson,  Winnesheik  county,  and 
lived  there  till  '78,  when  he  removed  to  Lawler,  and  has  been  a 
resident  of  that  place  ever  since.  Mr.  D.  commenced  farming 
when  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age  and  farmed  for  six  years,  but 
in  72  want  into  the  livery  business  at  Ft.  Atkinson,  and  has  con- 
tinued in  that  business  ever  since.  Was  married  in  '70  to  Mary 
J.  Lawrence,  a  native  of  New  York  state,  and  had  two  children, 
Ada  M.  and  H.  J.  Jr.,  both  of  which  have  died.  Mr.  D.  lost  his 
wife  in  '74,  but  was  married  the  second  time  in  '77,  to  M.  A.  Neas, 
a  native  of  Michigan,  they  have  one  child,  a  daughter,  Mary.  Mr. 
D.  has  held  the  offices  of  constable  and  school  director  several 
terms.  • 

Christopher  Springer,  boot  and  shoe  maker,  Ijawler.  The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Germany  in  1835,  and  is  the  sec- 
ond son  of  George  and  Anna  Springer.  When  he  was  eighteen 
years  old  he  immigrated  to  America  and  located  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  where  he  remained  about  two  years  and  a  half,  re- 
moving from  thence  to  Bellville,  111.  Here  he  remained  but  a 
short  time,  about  nine  months,  movin  •  to  this  state.  He  spent 
about  seven  years  here  working  at  his  trade.  About  half  of  this 
time  was  spent  at  Adaville  and  Sheridan.  Still  feeling  dissatis- 
fied he  returned  to  the  state  of  Illinois,  where  he  stayed  for  five 
years.  He  then  removed  to  Prairie  du  Chien  where  he  remained 
until  '71,  when  he  immigrated  to  Lawler,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided, being  identified  with  the  town  in  a    mercantile  and  official 

capacity,  having  been  a  member  of  the  town  council  some  four 
years,  and  of  the  school  board  three  years.  He  was  married  in  '59 
to  Rosan  Konance,  a  native  of  Germany,  and  they  have  eight  chil- 
dren, Amanda,  Kate,  Anthony,  Mary,  George,  William,  Christo- 
pher and  Joseph. 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  553 

John  Fitzsimmons,  Lawler,  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  the  year 
1834,  and  is  the  eldest  son  of  James  and  Bridget  Fitzsimmons.  In 
company  with  his  parents  he  immigrated  to  the  United  States  in 
'47,  and  settled  in  Jo  Daviess  county.  111.,  where  he  stayed  but  two 
years,  removing  from  thence  to  Clermont,  Fayette  county.  Here 
he  remained  until  '71,  being  engaged  in  farming,  a  business  in 
which  he  merited  and  met  with  great  success.  In  the  latter  year 
he  removed  to  Lawler  and  engaged,  along  with  his  partner,  Mr.  M. 
Martin,  in  the  grocery  and  provision  business.  Here  he  has  re- 
t  mained  ever  since,  and  is  at  present  carrying  a  full  line  of  drugs, 
medicine,  etc.  Was  married  to  Eliza  Boughen,  a  native  of  Ireland 
in  the  year  '60,  and  has,  as  the  fruits  of  the  union,  six  children, 
Melda  A.,Estella,  Edward  A.,  Ida,Georgena  T.  and^John  W.  While 
residing  in  Fayette  county  Mr.  F.  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the 
peace  for  several  years. 

P.  T.  Kennedy,  farmer,  owns  155  acres  of  land  in  Stapleton 
township,  which  is  valued  at  S40  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  Ire- 
land in  1840,  and  is  the  eldest  son  of  Stephen  and  Margaret  Ken- 
nedy, who  immigrated  to  America  when  the  subject  of  this  feketch 
was  but  two  years  old.  They  first  settled  in  the  state  of  New 
Jersey,  where  they  remained  some  eight  years.  In  '56  he  remov- 
ed with  his  parents  to  Chickasaw  county,  where  he  has  since  con- 
tinued to  reside.  In  '67  he  was  united  in  the  holy  bonds  of  mat- 
rimony to  Lettie  Streeter,  a  native  of  the  state  of  New  York,  and 
they  have  a  family  of  four  children,  Matilda,  Mary  E.,  Patrick 
and  Martha  A.  Mr.  K.  is  at  presant  a  member  of  the  school 
board. 

D.  S.  Lovejoy,  druggist,  Lawler,  Chickasaw  county,  Iowa,  was 
born  in  1842. 

J.  Z.  Gardiner,  farmer,  P.  0.  Lawler,  owns  eighty  acres  of  land 
which  is  valued  at  $25  per  acre.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
born  in  the  dominion  of  Canada,  in  the  year  1849,  and  is  the  third 
son  of  John  and  Jane  Gardiner.  Leaving  his  native  place  when 
but  sixteen  yearS'^^f  age  he  located  in  Delaware  county,  this  state, 
where  he  remained  until  '75,  when  he  removed  to  Chickasaw 
county,  where  he  has  resided  ever  since      In  '70  he  was  united  in 


554 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES. 


marriage  to  Mary  J.  Ede,  also  a  native  of  Canada,  and  they  have 
been  blessed  with  two  children.  Albertie  M.  and  Pearl  S.  Mrs.  G. 
has  been  since  childhood,  a  prominent  member  of  the  Methodist, 
Episcopal  church,  and  is  a  consistent  follower  of  that  faith.  Mr. 
G.  has  quite  a  local  reputation  as  a  teacher  of  the  art  or  science  of 
singing,  and  has  been  very  successful  in  the  culture  of  the  voices 
of  his  many  pupils. 

John  L.  Shepherd,  M.  D.,  P.  0.  and  residence  Lawler,  Chicka- 
saw county,  Iowa. 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  655 


CHICKASAW    TOWNSHIP. 


Earl  G.  Miller,  farmer,  section  18,  owns  eighty  acres  of  land, 
about  forty  acres  of  which  are  under  cultivation.  Mr.  Miller  was 
born  Delaware  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1816,  and  in  '55  he  came  west 
and  located  On  his  present  place,  in  Chickasaw  county,  where  he 
has  since  been  engaged  in  farming.  He  has  served  as  school  di- 
rector ten  years  or  more,  and  is  a  promoter  of  education  in  every 
way,  and  has  given  his  family  the  best  of  educational  advantages, 
and  the  result  is  that  five  members  of  the  household  are  now  en- 
gaged in  "teaching  the  young  idea  how  to  shoot;"  something 
which  perhaps  could  not  be  said  of  another  citizen  in  the  county. 
In  politics  Mr.  Miller  figures  with  the  democratic  party.  He  was 
united  in  matrimony  to  Jane  Hawley,  a  native  of  New  Ydrk  state, 
and  the  result  of  that  union  is  a  family  of  eleven  children,  Mary 
E.,  E.  G.  Jr.,  Isaac  L.,  Martha,  Theda  A.,  Emma,  Putnam  G.,  Pol- 
ly, Edith,  Seth  H.,  Elsie  (deceased)  and  Burton.  E.  G.  Jr.,  serv- 
ed in  the  army  in  the  thirty-eighth  Iowa  infantry,  aad  was  hon- 
orably discharged  at  the  expiration  of  his  term. 

Andrew  J.  Bray,  farmer,  section  20,  owns  forty  acres ;  was  born 
in  Jefferson  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1844,    and  in  '56  he  came  west  with 


556  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

his  parents  to  the  "land  of  the  free,"  and  located  in  Deerfield 
township,  in  Chickasaw  county,  where  he  remained  some  time 
when  he  moved  to  the  above  place  in  Chickasaw  township.  He 
served  his  country  during  the  great  rebellion  for  four  long  years, 
two  years  as  a  veteran,  and  the  remainder  of  the  time  in  company 
H,  4th  Iowa  cavalry,  and  was  honorably  discharged  at  Atlanta,  Ga., 
and  mustered  out  at  Davenport,  Iowa.  He  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Hannah  Miller,  a  native  of  this  county,  and  they  have 
five  children,  Mary,  Clarence,  Guy,  Charley  and  Dee. 

J.  L.  Frazee,  farmer,  section  5,  owns  250  acres  valued  at  $25  per 
acre;  was  born  in  Westmoreland  county,  Penn., September  13,1808. 
He  removed  to  Perry  county,  Ohio,  where  he  resided  for  a  term  of 
years,  thence  moved  to  Clinton  county,  Ind.  In  '51  he  removed 
to  the  "Hawkeye  state"  and  ou  the  27th  of  October,  '52  he  located 
in  Chickasaw  county  on  his  present  place  of  residence,  which  is  a 
finely  cultivated  and  improved  farm,  situated  about  three-quarters 
of  a  mile  north  of  the  village  of  Bassett.  He  is  one  of  the  pio- 
neers of  this  section,  and  at  the  time  of  his  settlement  in  this  coun- 
ty, his  nearest  grain  market  was  McGregor,  where  a  trip  with  his 
oxen  would  occupy  from  six  to  fourteen  days  time.  Tn  politics  he 
takes  no  active  part,  and,  although  having  been  honored  several 
times  by  the  election  to  different  offices,  he  always  failed  to  quali- 
fy for  the  positions.  On  the  26th  of  March,  '82  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Susanna  Harris,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  they  have  four 
children,  two  sons  and  two  daughters — Benjamin,  John,  Nancy 
J.  and  Elizabeth. 

J.  H.  Van  Tassel,  farmer,  owns  140  acres  of  improved  land  in 
sections  21  and  16,  in  Chickasaw  township.  He  was  born  in  the 
state  of  New  York  in  1833,  where  he  received  his  early  education. 
In  '55  he  came  to  the  boundless  prairies  of  the  west  to  build  him 
a  home,  and  settled  in  North  Washington  township,  where  he  re- 
mained until  '68,  when  he  removed  to  Chickasaw  township,  and 
engaged  in  the  lumber  traffic,  for  four  years,  when  he  entered  the 
mercantile  business  for  a  period  of  five  years,  after  which  he  en- 
gaged in  farming.  His  farm  is  under  a  fine  state  of  cultivation 
and  Mr.  V.  is  one  of  the  exemplary  farmers  of  this  section.  He  has 
served  as  county  supervisor  two  terms,  and  also  as  justice  of  the 
peace  and  town  clerk,  and  is  now  (1883)  present  incumbent  of  the 
latter  office.     He  married  Mary  Clark,  a  native  of  New  York,  and 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  557 

they  have  two  children  living,  Sidney  C.  and  Leon  Ray.  They 
also  have  an  adopted  daughter  named  Ettie  Dickinson,  and  have 
buried  one  son — Rollin. 

Forbes  Brothers,  managers  Chickasaw  flouring  mill.  The  mill 
is  one  of  the  best  in  the  northwest,  having  five  run  of  buhrs  and 
three  sets  of  rollers,  with  a  capacity  of  one  hundred  barrels  every 
twenty-four  hours.  William  Forbes  was  born  in  Canada,  in  1855. 
He  came  to  Chickasaw  county,  with  his  parents,  in  '56,  and  has 
lived  here  continuously  since  that  time.  He  learned  the  milling 
trade  with  his  father,  who  is  owner  of  the  mill  and  is  a  practical 
miller.  In  1881,  he,  in  company  with  his  brother,  J<  C,  took  en- 
tire charge  and  they  have  run  it  since  that  time  under  the  above 
name  and  style.  Mr.  Forbes  has  held  the  office  of  town  clerk  and 
executed  the  duties  of  the  same  creditably  to  himself  and  friends. 
He  married  Ruany  C.  Butler,  of  the  Empire  state,  and  they  have 
three  children,  namely:  Helen  M.,  Meda  and  Archie. 

J.  F.  Cunningham,  postmaster  and  notary  public,  Ionia.  Also 
carries  a  full  and  complete  line  of  groceries,  canned  goods,  flour, 
drugs,  etc.,  and  also  a  well  established  collection  agency.  Mr.  Cun- 
ningham was  born  near  Galena,  111.,  in  1845.  In  '53,  he  moved  to 
the  Hawkeye  state  with  his  parents,  and  located  in  Chickasaw 
county,  where  he  followed  farming  until  embarked  in  the  mercan- 
tile trade.  In  '73  he  was  appointed  deputy  postmaster,  and  dur- 
ing Hayes'  administration  he  was  appointed  postmaster  and  is  the 
present  incumbent.  He  has  served  his  town  in  the  capacity  of 
school  director  and  justice  of  the  peace,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
masonic  fraternity.  He  was  united  in  marriage  with  Lottie  L. 
Walker,  a  native  of  New  York  state.  They  have  two  children, 
Maud  and  Madge. 

J.  M.  Kruger,  manufacturer  of  carriages,  wagons,  buggies,  etc., 
established  business  in  1870.  Was  born  in  Prussia  in  1845,  and 
came  to  America  in  '64,  and  located  in  Princeton,  Wis.,  he  then  re 
moved  to  Minnesota  where  he  resided  one  and  one-half  years,  and 
then  removed  to  (Chickasaw  county,  and  engaged  in  the  above 
business.  Mr.  K.  is  a  thorough  mechanic,  having  served  his  time 
at  the  business  in  the  old  country.  In  politics  he  is  independent 
in  his  views,  always  desirous  of  voting  for  the  best  men,  regard- 
less of  party  lines.       He   is  a  member  of  the   Lutheran    church. 


558  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Was  married  to  Wilhelmina  Manthey,  a  native  of  Germany.  They 
have  four  children,  Walter,  Raenhard,  Anna  and  Dora. 

James  Cunningham,  farmer,  Ionia  owns  eighty  acres  in  section 
15,  valued  at  $22  per  acre.  Mr.  Cunningham  was  born  Delaware 
county,  Ohio,  in  1820,  In  '40  he  removed  to  Illinois  and  located 
near  Galena,  where  he  remained  many  years,  when  he  removed  to 
Chickasaw  county,  where  he  engaged  in  farming,  and  has  followed 
that  line  of  business  ever  since.  He  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the 
county,  and  it  is  owing  to  the  unceasing  endeavors  of  such  men  as 
Mr.  Cunningham  that  Chickasaw  township  stands  in  its  present 
prosperous  condition.  In  politics  he  holds  with  the  Republican 
party,  and  has  filled  the  office  of  township  trustee  for  the  past  ten 
years,  and  performed  the  functions  of  the  same  in  a  highly  credit- 
able manner.  Was  united  in  marriage  to  Jane  Locker,  a  native  of 
Ohio,  and  they  have  three  children,  J.  F.,  Olive  F.  and  Maurice  F. 

Loren  C.  Hance,  proprietor,  restaurant  and  billiard  hall,  Ionia, 
established  business  September.  1882.  He  was  born  in  Illinois  in 
1848.  Came  we^st  with  his  parents,  in  '57,  and  located  in  Chicka- 
saw county.  He  has  been  elected  to  the  office  of  constable,  for  the. 
last  ten  years.  He  was  married  to  Cynthja  C.  Lowe,  of  Illinois, 
and  they  have  five  children,  Emma  J.,  Josie,  Lillian  M.,  Willie  E. 
and  Stella  F.  .  . 

M.  F.  Lighthall,  farmer,  section  9,  P.  O.  Bassett,  owns  248  acres. 
The  subject  ot  this  sketch  is  a  native  of  Wisconsin,  wnere  he  was 
born,  in  1847.  In  '54  he  came  west  with  his  parents  and  located 
in  Chickasaw  county.  His  farm  is  well  improved  and  under  a  fine 
state  of  cultivation.  Mr.  L.  has  held  different  town  offices  and  is, 
at  present,  postmaster  at  Bassett,  although  he  takes  no  active  part 
in  politics  yet  he  is  always  desirous  of  seeing  the  cause  of  repub- 
licanism promoted.  He  was  married  to  M.  J.  Short,  a  native  of 
Indiana,  and  they  h,ave  a  family  of  three  children,  Frances,  Meda 
and  Howard. 

G.  D.  Warren,  dealer  in  general  merchandise,  Bassett,  carries  a 
fine  and  well  assorted  stock  of  goods.  Business  established  by 
himself  and  father  in  October,  '71,  which  was  the  first  store  build- 
ing in  the  place.  Mr.  Warren  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  '47. 
In  March,  '57  he  came  west  with  his  parents,  and  located  in  Chick- 
asaw county,  where  he  was  engaged  in  farming  some  years.  When 
the  great  civil  war  broke  out  Mr.  Warren  went  forth  to   battle  for 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  559 

his  country,  and  served  nearly  three  years  in  company  H,  fourth 
Iowa  cavah-y,  and  company  L,  second  Iowa  cavalry,  and  was 
twice  honorably  discharged.  The  first  time  at  Memphis,  Tenn., 
and  the  second  time  at  Davenport,  Iowa.  Was  united  in  marriage 
to  Henrietta  Farr,  a  native  of  New  York  state,  and  they  have  one 
child — Marion. 

G.  A.  J.  Burch,  farmer,  section  20.  owns  fifty  acres  of  land;  was 
born  in  Indiana,  in  '36,  and  came  west  in  '49  and  located  in  Mar 
shall  county,  Illinoia,  thence  removed  to  Cedar  county,  Iowa,  and 
after  a  few  years  to  Fayette  county,  and  in  '65  to  Chickasaw  coun- 
ty, and  located  on  the  above  place  in  '69.  In  politics  he  figures 
with  the  democratic  party.  He  is  a  member  of  the  masonic  fra- 
ternity, and  was  married  to  Eliza  Garrett,  a  native  of  Illinois,  and 
they  have  five  children,  Austin,  Davis,  Amanda,  Frank  and  Cora, 
and  have  lost  one  child. 

Martin-  Winter,  farmer,  section  1,  owns  110  acres;  was  born  in 
Bavaria,  November  3,  '36.  In  '55  he  came  to  America,  and  locat- 
ed in  Rock  county.  Wis..  In '60  he  moved  to  Iowa,  and  located 
in  Chickasaw  county.  He  has  served  as  road  supervisor,  and  is  at 
present  (1883)  school  director.  He  married  Mary  J.  Witzel,  who 
is  of  French  descent,  but  was  born  in  Iowa.  Thev  have  four  chil- 
dren,  Edwin,  Alvin,  Andrew  and  Minnie.  Mr.  W.  •  is  a  democrat 
in  politics. 

N.  B.  Pike,  proprietor,  of  the  Ionia  house,  Ionia,  Iowa,  was  born 
in  the  east  in  '58,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  Wisconsin  where 
he  remained  some  time,  then  moved  to  Iowa,and  located  in  Chick- 
asaw county.  He  married  May  Cooley,  a  native  of  this  state,  and 
they  have  one  daughter.  Belle. 

George  Patrick,  was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York,  1818,  and  in 
'56  he  came  west  and  located  in  Howard  county,  shortly  after- 
ward he  removed  to  Chickasaw  county,  where  he  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  blacksmithing  in  Deerfield  township.  He  opened  a  farm 
in  Afton  township  after  assisting  in  organizing  that  town,  also  as- 
sisted in  forming  school  districts,  laying  out  roads,  etc.,  and  built 
the  first  bridge  ever  erected  in  the  township.  Mr.  T.  has  serve  1 
«  as  township  trustee  and  school  director.  He  served  in  the  army 
as  farrier  and  blacksmith  in  company  H,  fourth  Iowa  cavalry. 
Was  married  to  Louisa  Shaw,  a  native   of  New    York  state,  and 


560  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

they  have  eight  children  living,  six  daughters  and  two  sons,  Geo. 
H.,  Almeron,  Sarah,  Mary  E.,  Persis  E.,  Louisa  0.,  Arabelle 
M.  and  Lillian  B.  They  have  lost  four  by  death,  two  sons  and 
two  daughters.  One  son  died  while  in  the  army.  A  notice  of  the 
same  clipped  from  the  New  Hampton  Courier  says:  "Died  in  the 
military  hospital  at  Strasburg,  Va.,  on  the  25th  of  May,  '62,  of  ty- 
phoid fever,  Marcellus  Patrick,  eldest  son  of  George  and  Louisa 
Patrick,  of  Deerfield  township,  in  this  county,  aged  twenty  years, 
seven  months  and  seven  days."  A  second  son  also  served  in  the 
army  and  was  honorably  discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war  at  Dav- 
enport. 

Daniel  Kepple,  merchant  and  postmaster  of  Chickasaw,  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  in  182L  After  reaching  a  suitable  age  he 
learned  the  trade  of  tinsmith,  which  he  followed  for  some  time, 
but  as  "westward  the  course  of  the  empire  takes  its  way,"  Mr.  K., 
in  the  fall  of  '55  took  up  the  march  and  came  west  and  located 
in  Chickasaw  county,  where  he  followed  his  previous  occupation. 
The  following  year  he  engaged  in  farming, which  he  carried  on  suc- 
cessfully for  some  time.  In  1879  he  embarked  in  the  mercantile 
business,  in  his  present  quarters,  and  carries  a  complete  stock  of 
dry  goods,  groceries,  boots,  shoes,  etc.  Mr.  Keppler  was  the  first 
postmaster  in  Washington  township,  also  the  first  constable  in 
that  town.  He  has  also  been  a  member  of  the  county  board  of 
supervisors,  and  officer  on  the  school  board  for  many  years.  He 
married  Miss  Elizabeth  Byers,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  They 
have  five  children,  Albert  H.,  .John  W.,  Presley  L.,  Clarence  F. 
and  Walter  E.  They  have  lost  two  children  by  death,  Austin  L. 
and  Dock. 

R.  VanKleck,  is  a  native  of  the  state  of  New  York,  where  he  was 
born  in  1831,  and  received  his  education  and  learned  his  trade  of 
millwright.  Inl855,  he  took  Horace  Greeley's  advice  and  came 
west,  locating  in  Chickasaw  county,  where,  since  that  time,  he  has. 
been  employed  as  a  mechanic.  Mr.  V.  is  one  of  the  early  settlers 
of  this  township,  and  has  always  lent  a  willing  hand  to  further  or 
promote  the  general  welfare  of  his  town.  In  1853,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Mary  E.  Davis,  a  native  of  New  York  state:  They 
have  a  family  of  six  children,   three   sons  and   three   daughters,, 

named,  Agnes,  Emma  C,  G.  R.,  Oliver,  Charles  and  Minnie. 


CHlCf  ASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  561 

L.  E.  Fritcher,  farmer,  section  36,  was  born  in  the  state  of  New- 
York,  in  1848.  He  came  west  in  June  '57,  and  located  in  Brad- 
ford township,  this  county.  In  1870  he  moved  into  Chickasaw 
township,  and  located  as  above.  Mr.  Fritcher  is  one  of  the  many- 
successful  farmers,  in  this  township,  and  has  his  farm  under  fine 
cultivation.  He  has  been  twice  elected  school  director,  and  has 
also  served  as  road  supervisor.  He  was  married  to  Helen  Smith, 
a  native  of  Wisconsin,  who  died  April  9,  1883.  He  has  a  family 
of  four  children,  whose  names  are,  David  W.,  Norman  L.,LydiaE. 
and  Lottie  A. 

C.  E.  Tyler,  owner  of  dray  line,  Ionia,  Iowa,  was  born  in  Rens- 
selaer county,  N.  Y.,  in  1829,  and  came  west  in  '41,  and  located  in 
Porter  county,  Ind.  He  next  removed  to  California,  where  he  re- 
mained some  time,  and  in  '59  he  located  in  Chickasaw  county, 
where  he  has  up  to  this  time  been  a  resident.  In  '62  he  went 
forth  to  do  battle  for  his  country,  in  company  C,  thirty-eighth 
Iowa  infantry,  which  was  afterwards  consolidated  with  company 
G,  thirty-fourth  Iowa  infantry.  He  received  the  appointment  of 
corporal,  and  served  in  that  capacity  one  year,  when  he  was  ap- 
pointed sergeant,  which  position  he  occupied  two  years.  He  was 
honorably  discharged  at  Houston,  Texas,  and  mustered  out  at 
Davenport,  Iowa.  He  is  a  republican  in  politics  and  has  held  the 
position  of  town  clerk.  In  1860  he  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Orisa  E.  Bard  well,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  their  children 
are  Lydia  E.,  Charles  E.  and  Lenora  M. 

Eldrett  &  Bishop,  dealers  in  hardware,  Ionia,  Iowa;  established 
business  in  '76.  W.  G.  Eldrett  was  born  in  London,  England,  in 
the  year  1816,  and  came  to  America  in  '36,  and  located  in  Sche- 
nectady county,  N.  Y.,  thence  to  Fulton  county  of  that  state,where 
he  remained  some  time,  when  he  removed  to  Montgomery  county, 
Florida;  from  there  he  removed  to  Milwaukee  county,  Wis., where 
he  engaged  in  farming  for  some  years,  and  in  '64  he  removed  to 
the  great  commonwealth  of  Iowa,  and  located  at  Fredricksburg, 
where  he  followed  farming  until  be  engaged  in  business  as  above. 
In  politics  he  figures  with  the  republican  party,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  Baptist  church.  Was  married  to  Charlotte  McMasters,  a 
native  of  New  York,  and  has  a  family  of  two  daughters,  Sophia 
and  Emma  J. 


562  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Andrew  Troutner,  farmer,  section  35,  owns  200  acres  of  land; 
was  born  in  Germany  in  1811,  and  in  '33  he  embarked  for  Amer- 
ica, and  on  his  arrival  located  in  Pennsylvania,  from  there  he  re- 
moved to  Indiana,  and  in  '53  he  again  moved  toward  the  setting 
sun,  and  established  himself  in  Chickasaw  county,  and  now  has  as 
fine  a  farm  as  is  to  be  found  in  that  section  of  the  country.  Was 
married  to  Elizabeth  Smith,  a  native  of  Germany,  and  they  have 
a  tamily  of  eight  children,  John  F.,  Andrew  P.,  Henr}-,  Peter, 
Martin  L.,  Nancy  J.,  Emmeline  and  Melinda.  They  have  lost 
two  children  by  death,  one  in  Pennsylvania  and  one  in  Indiana. 
Their  eldest  son,  John  F.,  setved  in  the  army  in  company  B,  third 
Iowa  Infantry. 

Albert  Kistow,  farmer,  section  25,  owns  80  acres  of  land,  valued 
at  §20  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  Germany,  in  1835.  In  1868  he 
came  to  America,  locating  at  Ionia,  Chickasaw  county,  where  he 
was  engaged  on  the  railroad  for  six  yeai-s.  In  77,  he  located  on 
his  present  farm,  which  is  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  In 
Politics,  Mr.  Ristow,  figures  with  the  democratic  ]iarty,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Lutheran  church.  He  married  Matilda  Knyer,  a 
native  of  Germany,  but  they  have  no  family.  Mr.  Ristow  served 
in  the  military  service  in  his  fatherland,  for  two  yeare. 

Ira  Warren,  P.  0.  Bassett,  dealer  in  hardware,  was  born  in  New 
York  state  in  1817.  He  was  brought  up  at  the  lumber  business. 
He  came  west  in  '57  and  located  in  Chickasaw  county.  In  1863 
he  engaged  in  the  hotel  business  at  Chickasaw,  but  in  '69  he  went 
into  the  mercantile  trade,  at  that  point,  and  was  also  postmaster 
some  tive  years.  In  '71,  he  moved  to  Bassett  and  entered  into  trade 
in  connection  with  his  son,  G.  D.  Warren.  He  married  Esther 
Roff,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  They  have  one  son;  George  D. 
and  had  a  daughter,  Elizabeth,  who  died  in  the  month  of  October, 
1882 

C.  H.  Dillenbeck,  merchant,  Bassett,  Chickasaw  county;  estab- 
lished business  in  75.  He  is  a  native  of  the  old  empire  state, 
where  he  was  born  in  1838,  and  in  '56  he  came  west  and  located 
in  Barry  county,  Michigan,  and  in  '63  he  moved  to  Iowa  and  lo- 
cated in  Chickasaw  county,  where  he  was  engaged  in  farming  un- 
til he  embarked  in  business  as  above.  Mr.  D.  served  as  postmas- 
ter at  Bassett  for  eight  years,  and  is  a  member  of  the  masonic  fra- 
ternity.    He  served  in  the  army  in  company    D,   third   Michigan 


chi<;kahaw  county  uiooitAi-HiEB.  563 

infantry  and  waH  honorably  discharged  at  the  ex[ii ration  of  his 
time  of  cnliHtrnent.  Ho  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  wife's 
maiden  name  was  Mary  A.  Beach,  by  whom  he  has  three  children 
■Owen  Iv.,  Inn  and  Lier.  The  second  time  he  was  united  in  mar- 
aiage  to  1.  i^elight  Warner,  of  Wisconsin. 

William  M.  T'atterson,  merchant,  Ionia,  cairies  a  well  assorted 
and  coniplete  stock  of  gener.'j]  merchandise,  which  business  he  es- 
tablished in  the  fall  of  1873.  He  was  born  in  1844,at  Salem,  Penn- 
sylvania. In  18o7,  he  removed  to  Ohio,  where  he  remained  several 
years,  and  in  '67  moved  to  this  state,  locating  in  Howard  county, 
where  he  remained  until  187'^,  when  he  moved  to  Chickasaw 
county  and  embarked  in  the  mercantile  trade,  as  above.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Lavinia  Cowan,  a  native  of  Pennsylvrnia, 
and  tlicy  hav(;  loui-  children,  Louis,  Grace,  May  and  Harry. 

G.  K.  Smith,  dealer  in  general  merchandise,  iiassett,  where  he 
established  business  in  November,  '77.  He  is  a  son  of  the  late 
Judge  Smith  of  Milwaukee  county,  Wis.,  and  was  born  in  iVew 
York  state;  in  'H^l  In  '48  he  came  west  with  his  parents  and  lo- 
cated in  Milwaukee  county,  Wis.  He  learned  the  printing  busi- 
ness in  the  Courier  oflice  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  Wis.,  and  is  a  prac- 
tical workman  in  that  art.  He  served  in  the  army  two  years  in 
company  C,  sixth  Wisconsin  volunteer  infantry,  and  received  the 
apj)ointment  to  the  second  lieutenancy  in  the  forty -.eighth  Wis- 
consin volunteer  infantry.  He  was  honorably  discharged  and 
mustered  out  at  Fort  [..eavenwortb,  Kas. 

Julius  Feuling,  dealer  in  harness,  saddles,  whips,  bridles,  col- 
lars, and  in  fact  all  horse  para]>hernalia  kcjjt  in  a  first-class  shop. 
Mr.  F.  was  born  in  Germany  in  1840,  and  came  to  America  and 
located  in  Walworth  county.  Wis.,  in  '68.  From  there  he  went  to 
Missouri,  where  he  w  is  engaged  for  some  time,  thence  to  Kansas, 
and  from  the  latter  place  he  came  to  Chickasaw  county,  and  es- 
tablished the  above  business  in  '71.  Was  married  to  Jjcne  Zim- 
merman, a  native  of  Germany,  and  they  have  six  children,  Liz- 
zie, Frank,  John,  Herman,  Johanna  and  p]ugene.  They  are  of  the 
Catholic  faith. 

Catherine  Graves,  widow  of  the  late  Albert  Jane,  who  was  born 
in  the  state  of  New  York,  and  removed  to  Iowa,  and  located  in 
Chickasaw  county,  near  Bassett,    was    one  of  the  pioneers  of  that 


564 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 


section  of  the  country.  He  died  in  August,  '69,  and  his  b  ody  was 
interred  in  Chickasaw  ceilietery.  He  left  a  family  of  four  children 
Emma,  Fred,  Bennie  and  Richard.  Mrs.  Jane  was  united  in  mar- 
riage a  second  time  to  Mr.  Thaddeus  Graves,  a  native  of  New  York 
state,  and  they  have  one  child,  Chettie. 

Louis  Schonfield,  tarmer,  section  36,  was  born  in  Germany  in 
1830.  He  served  in  the  military  service  in  the  fatherland,  and 
came  to  this  country  in  '69,  locating  in  Dodge  county,  Wis.  where 
he  remained  two  years,  when  he  removed  to  Chickasaw  county, 
and  locating  in  Dover,  was  engaged  on  the  railroad  for  a  time. 
After  this  he  purchased  his  present  farm.  Mr.  Schonfield  has 
served  as  road  supervisor  but  takes  no  great  interest  in  politics.  He 
has  been  married  twice,  the  first  time  to  Wilhelmina  Schaedler, 
of  Germany,  and  the  fruits  of  that  marriage  are  six  children,  living, 
William,  Gustave,  August,  Caroline,  Amy  and  Theodore;  they  also 
have  lost  six  children  by  death.  His  second  marriage  was  t*  Mrs. 
Johanna  Globke. 


^^iif'-^- 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  565. 


UTICA  TOWNSHIP. 


Rev.  John  Moses,  P.  0.  Lawler,  pastor  of  the  Norwegian  Evan- 
gelical Lutheran  churches  at  Little  Turke}'",  in  Utica  township, 
and  Crane  Creek,  in  Jacksonville  township;  was  born  in  Fiedrick- 
stad,  Norway,  in  1814,  and  received  his  education  there  and  at 
Christiana.  He  followed  a  seafaring  life  for  some  time,  and  came 
to  America  in  1865,  and  entered  the  German  Lutheran  Seminary, 
at  St.  Louis  Mo.,  where  he  remained  three  years  and  graduating 
entered  the  ministry.  His  first  charge  was  at  Norway  Lake,  Minn, 
having  under  his  charge,  seven  counties  adjacent.  Here  he  re- 
mained fifteen  months  and  in  December,  1869,  came  to  thi.s  place 
to  take  charge  of  the  churches  here,  Crane  Creek,  Cresco,  Orleans 
and  six  other  points,  in  Kossuth  and  Emmet  counties.  Since 
1879,  he  has  only  had  charge  of  this  and  Crane  Creek  churches. 
He  resides  on  section  20,  near  the  church,  on  20  acres  of  land  be- 
longing to  the  church  and  on  which  the  parsonage  is  erected.  The 
church  was  built  in  1876,  and  is  a  frame  structure  4()xC)0  feet,  with 
a  chancel  16x18  feet,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  370.  It  is  well  and 
comfortably  furnished,  and  cost  $4,000.  Services  every  second 
Sunday.     Mr.  M.  was  married  December  15, 1879,  at  Paint  Creek, 


566  CHfOKASAW    COUNTY    HrOGRAPHIES. 

Allamakee  county  Iowa,  to  Christine   Storla,  and   they    have  two 
children,  Annie  M.  and  Olaf  Storla. 

William  Everinghatu,  farmer,  section  21.  P.  O.  Lawler,  owns  175 
acres  of  land.  Was  i)i)rn  in  1823,  at  Chipj)ewa,  Canada,.  When 
he  was  sixteen  years,  of  age,  his  parents  moved  to  Stephenson 
county,  111.  where  he  was  engaged  in  farming  for  seven  years,  and 
in  184G,  he  came  to  Iowa,  then  a  territory,  settling  in  Dubuque 
county.  In  the  s|)ring  t)f  1854,  he  came  to  Chickasaw  county  and 
located  in  this  township  entering  his  land  from  the  government, 
the  farm  he  now  resides  upon  being  the  identical  land.  On  Aug. 
12,  1861,  he  enlisted  i\t  this  place,  in  company  I,  Ninth  Iowa  in- 
fantry, under  Captain  J.  H.  Po\yers,  serving  onl}'  fourteen  months, 
l)articipating  in  the  engagements  at  Nubbin  Ridge  and  Pea  Ridge, 
.and  being  ilisable  I  by  exposure,  at  the  latter  place,  he  was  dis- 
'Charged,  Octoixn-  12,  1862,  and  is  now  a' pensioner  of  the  govern- 
ment. He  returned  to  his  home,  and  has  since  been  engaged  in 
agricultural  jHirsuits.  He  was  married  at  Freeport,  111.,  October 
1844,  to  Elizabeth  Sprouls,  by  whom  he  has  nine  children,  living, 
Janies,  Mary  Jane,  John,  Sarah  E.,  Jacob,  William,  Margaret  E. 
Martha  C,  Andrew  L.,  Martin  A.,  Clara  Amanda,  Minnie  Caroline, 
and  Doc  Tiiey  have,  also,  had  rive  children  who  have  died,  three 
dnughters  and  two  sons.  Mr.  E.  is  one  of  the  rirst  pioneers  of  this 
township  and  a  man  of  mark  in  the  community  in  which  he  re- 
sides. 

'v5"'homas  Murray,  farmer,  section  o4,  P.  O.  Lawler,  owns  200 
acres  of  land;  was  born  in  1834,  in  county  Rosscommon,  Ireland, 
and  came  to  the  United  States  in  '51,  and  liveil  two  years  in  New 
Jersey,  thence  to  Pennsylvania,  and  thence  to  Jt)  Daviess  county 
111.,  where  he  farmed  until  the  spring  of '6V>,  when  he  came  to 
Iowa,  and  settleil  where  he  now  resides.  He  purchased  the  land 
in  June,  '68,  and  it  is  now  all  improved  and  fenced,  and  fitted  for 
stock.  Was  i\iarrieil  in  '53,  in  New  Jersey,  to  Mary  Byrne,  and 
has  ten  children,  Andrew,  Mary,  Thomas,  Patrick,  Katie,  Ellen, 
Annie,  Margaret,  John  and  Celia. 

James  Goss,  farmer,  section  34,  P.  0.  Lawler,  owns  170  acree  of 

land;  was  born  in  1819,  in  county  Queens,Ireland,  and  in  '46  went 

to  Canada,  where  he  remained  two  days,  and  then  crossed  the  line 

into  the  state  of  Vermont,  remaining  there  a  short  time  he  went  to 

.Albany,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remained  three    years,    working    at    the 


CHICKASAW    <'()UNTY     HKK^KAI'HIEK.  o6T 

ruovilding  business.  He  moved  to  (^hio  in  '49,  and  '56  he  came  to 
Iowa  and  purchased  the  land  he  now  owns  of  a  settler;  the  land  is 
all  improved  and  well  stocked.  He  has  filled  various  offices,  serv- 
ed one  term  on  board  of  county  supervisors,  five  terms  as  town- 
ship assessor,  and  over  twelve  years  as  township  trustee.  Was 
married  in  '53,  at  Sandusky,  Ohio,  to  Mary  Plunkett,  l)y  whom  he 
has  ten  children  living — Mary,  Sarah,  James,  William,  Ellen, 
Katie,  Eliza,  Rose,  John  and  Maggie.  Death  has  carried  oft' two 
children. 

Charles  Cummerford,  farmer,  section  5,  P.  0.  Lawler,  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  county  board  of  supervisors.  He  was  born  in  1853,  in 
Wisconsin,  from  which  place  his  parents  moved  to  iowa  ,  in  18-50. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  this  county. 
In  1880,  he  received  the  nomination  in  the  democratic  convention, 
and  was  elected  by  a  rousing  majarity  to  the  position  he  now  fills 
on  the  county  board.  He  has  also  filled  many  offices  in  this  town- 
ship. 

Thomas  Cochran,  farmer,  section  35,  P.  0.  Lawler,  owns  240 
acres  of  land  in  this  county  and  a  farm  in  F'ayette  county.  Was 
born  in  Ireland,  in  1835,  and  came  to  America  in  1854,  and  lived 
oiie  year  in  Albany,  N.  Y.  then  moved  to  West  Union,  Fayette 
county,  Iowa,  and  in  about  1859  came  to  this  count}'^,  and  pur- 
chased land  on  Crane  creek,  which  he  sold  in  1870,  and  moved  to 
where  he  now  lives.  The  farm  is  all  improved,  fenced  and  fitted 
for  stock  purposes,  to  which  it  is  devoted,  and  an  elegant  residence 
and  large  barns  adorn  this  model  farm,  which  is  finely  located. 
Was  married  in  1854,  in  Ireland,  to  Mrs.  Susan  Vaughan,  by 
whom  he  has  seven  children.  Mar  aret  Ann,  Mary  A.,  Lizzie  E., 
Addie  M.,  P^nnna  C,  William  G.  and  Charles  H. 

,  Melke  Monsen,  farmer,  section  5,  P.  0.  Lawler,  owns  160  acres 
of  land;  was  born  in  Norway,  in  1812,  and  in  '59  he  came  to  the 
United  States,  and  lived  three  years  in  Dane  county,  Wis.,  then 
went  to  southern  Dakota,  remaining  three  years,  and  removing  to 
this  county  he  purchased  the  land  he  now  owns,  which  is  all  im- 
proved and  fitted  for  stock  raising.  Was  married  in  Norway  to 
Mattie  Halverson,  and  they  have  seven  children,  Mary  Ann, Albert 
Ellen,  Emma,  Isabella,  Muns  and  Anna. 

Thomas  Johnson,  farmer,  section  35,  P.    0.    Saude,    owns    200 


568  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

acres  of  land,  of  which  forty  acres  are  in  timber;  was  born  in  Ra- 
cine, Wis.,  in  1853,  and  is  a  son  of  John  Johnson,  who  came  to 
this  county  the  same  year  and  purchased  land  from  the  govern- 
ment. Thomas  received  his  preparatory  education  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  the  county,  and  in  the  fall  of  71,  entered  the  Lu- 
theran college  at  Decorah,  where  he  remained  three  years;  he  then 
entered  the  Academy  at  Bradford,  remaining  two  terms,  and  after- 
wards taught  school.  In  76  he  commenced  farming.  He  has  fill- 
ed various  offices  in  the  township,  and  is  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent citizens. 

Allen  Wheeler,  farmer,  section  24,  P.  0.  Tjawler,  owns  200  acres 
nf  land;  was  born  in  Tioga  county,  Pa.,  in  1825,  and  in  '48  he  mov- 
ed to  Winnebago  county.  111.,  and  in  '55  returned  to  Pennsylva- 
nia, having  spent  most  of  his  time  in  farming  and  school  teaching. 
In  '58  he  came  to  Iowa,  and  purchased  the  farm  where  he  now  re- 
sides. In  the  fall  of '62  he  enlisted  at  Jacksonville,  in  company  C, 
thirty -eighth  Iowa  volunteer  infantry,  serving  three  years;  he  was 
with  his  regiment  in  all  the  engagements  in  which  they  participa- 
ted, and  was  discharged  at  Davenport,  in  '65.  He  then  returned 
to  the  farm,  which  he  has  thoroughly  improved.  Was  married  in 
Alpha,  Fayette  county,  lown  to  Mrs.  Tabor  (nee  Thorp)  of  that 
place. 

Owen  Reilly,  farmer,  section  31,  P.O.  Lawler,  owns  206  acres  of 
land.  He  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1849,  and  after  coming  to  this 
country,  he  settled  in  Massachusetts,  but,  in  1861,  came  to  Iowa, 
and  located  at  this  ylace,  where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  farm- 
ing. He  was  married  in  1871,  to  Agnes  Kearney,  of  Jacksonville 
township,  by  whom  he  has  five  children,  Agnes,  Owen,  Thomaa, 
Michael  and  James. 

A.  A.  Boylan,  farmer,  section  23,  P.  O.  Lawler,  owns  160  acres 
of  land;  was  born  in  1827,  in  Mercer  county,  Pa.  In  1857,  he 
moved  to  Greene  county,  Wis.,  where  he  farmed  until  1866,  when 
he  came  to  this  cou  ity,  and  purchased  a  farm.  He  served  during 
the  late  war,  in  company  A,  Forty -sixth  Wisconsin  infantry.  He 
was  married  in  1852,  in  Pennsylvania,  to  Eliza  McFaiiand,  and 
they  have  one  son,  A.  C.  Boylan,  a  prominent  attorney  of  New 
Hampton. 

S.  B.  Vikdal,  farmer,  section  29,  P.  O.  Saude,  owns  200  acres  of 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  569 

land;  was  born  in  Norway  in  1837,  and  came  to  the  United  States 
in  July,  '64,  and  settling  in  Winnesheik  county,  Iowa,  l;e  taught 
school  among  the  children  of  the  people  of  his  nativity, on  Washing- 
ton Prairie  for  four  years.  In  '68  he  came  to  this  place  and  pur- 
chasad  the  eighty  acres  that  he  resides  on,  and  purchased  the  bal- 
ance later.  The  land  is  all  improved,  and  stocked  with  a  herd  of 
about  thirty  head  of  cattle,  among  which  are  graded  durhams; 
He  has  filled  the  office  of  township  assessor  two  terms.  Was  mar- 
ried in  Norway  in  '62,  to  Gertrude  Dybevick,  and  their  children 
are  Baard,  Annie,  Synneve,  Bottolf,  Johan,  Thorbijorn  and  Sigurd 
Karl  Gustav. 

E.  Slindee,  farmer,  section  19,  P.  O.  Jacksonville,  owns  160  acres 
of  land;  was  born  in  Norway,  in  1849,  and  came  to  the  United 
States  in  '69,  coming  directly  west,  and  was  engaged  three  years  in 
railroading  and  farm  work  in  this  state,  and  in  Minnesota.  He 
then  came  to  this  county  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  in 
this  township^  which  he  afterwards  sold,  and  came  where  he  now 
resides  in  '75,  and  purchased  the  above  land,  which  is  all  improv- 
ed, and  well  fitted  for  stock.  He  has  a  herd  of  about  thirty  head 
of  cattle,  and  six  head  of  horses;  using  two  teams  on  the  farm. 
Was  married  in  the  fall  of  '72,  to  Jane  Michelson,  and  they  have 
five  children  as  the  fruits  of  this  union,  Addie,  Unni,  Michael, 
Mary  and  Carrie. 

Owen  Galligan,  farmer,  section  6,  owns  285  acres;  was  born  in 
county  Cavanjreland,  and  came  to  the  United  States  in  the  spring 
of  1850.  He  resided  seven  years  at  Rock  Prairie,  Wis.,  farming, 
and  then  removed  to  Iowa,  settling  where  he  now  lives,  purchas- 
ing his  land  of  the  government.  His  farm  is  improved  and  stocked 
with  a  herd  of  about  thirty  head  of  cattle,  and  nine  horses.  Mr.  G 
was  married  in  Massachusetts,  in  1857,  to  Mary  Brady,  and  they 
have  seven  children,  Mary,  Patrick,  Bridget,  Annie,  Julia,  John 
and  Rose. 

0.  H.  Clause,  farmer,  section  23,  P.  0.  Lawler,  owns  120  acres  of 
land;  was  born  in  1832,in  Fulton  county,  N.  Y.;  his  parents  mov- 
ing in  his  infancy  to  Tioga  county,  Pa.,  where  he  was  raised  on  a 
farm.  He  came  to  Iowa  in  '54,  and  purchased  land  in  Cerro 
Gordo  county,  which  he  traded  for  the  land  he  now  owns,  in  '58. 
August  20,  '62,  he  enlisted  at  Jacksonville,  in  company   C,  thirty- 


570  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

eighth  Iowa  volunteer  infantry,  and  served  until  September,  '65^ 
during  which  time  he  was  promoted  to  the  position  of  orderly- 
sergeant;  he  particir)ated  with  his  regiment  at  the  seige  of  Vicks- 
burg  and  the  battles  of  Port  Hudson,  Brownsville,  Texas,  Fort 
Morgan,  and  at  the  taking  of  Fort  Blakeley,  which  was  the  last 
charge  of  the  war,  April  9,  '65.  Was  married  in  '58,  in  Dodge 
county,  Wis.,  Miss  Eunice  Allen,  and  they  have  four  children 
living — Flora,  Eugenia,  Mabel  and  Minnie;  one  child,  Freddie, 
died. 

Ludwig  Leusing,  farmer,  section  25,  P.  0.  I^awler,  owns  120, 
acres  of  land;  was  born  in  1825,  in  Germany,  and  came  to  America 
in  1846,  living  in  Milwaukee  until  1852,  when  he  came  to  Iowa, 
and  settled  at  Fort  Atkinson,  Winnesheik  county,  where  he  owned 
land  and  farmed,  for  several  years.  In  1864,  he  sold  out  and  re- 
moved to  this  place  and  purchased  the  farm  he  now  owns,  and 
which  is  thoroughly  Improved,  fenced  and  well  stocked  and  pleas- 
antly located  on  Little  Turkey  river. 

Terence  Reilly,  fanner,  section  31,  P.  O.  Lawler,  owns  156  acres 
of  land,  of  which  28  are  in  timber.  He  was  born  in  county  Cavan 
Ireland,  October  2,  1834,  and  immigated  to  to  the  United  States, 
in  1846,  with  his  parents,  who  settled  in  Massachusetts.  He  came 
to  Iowa  in  '56,  where  he  purchased  200  acres  of  land  and  then  went 
to  Michigan,  where  he  worked  in  the  mills.  About  1861,  he  re- 
turned to  Iowa,  and  sold  his  land  on  the  Little  Turkey  river  and 
bought  his  present  farm.  This  place  he  has  thoroughly  improved 
and  fitted  up  for  stock  and  dairy  purposes.  Mr.  R.  was  married, 
October  27,  1868,  in  this  county,  to  Rosa  Mullen,  and  they  have 
four  children,  John,  William,  Charles  and  Frank, 

N.  R.  Johnston,  farmer,  section  28,  P.  0.  Lawler,  owns  170 acres 
of  land;  was  born  in  Venango  county,  Pa.,  in  1833;  his  parents 
came  to  this  state  in  '51,  living  during  the  summer,  at  Ft.  Atkin- 
son, Winnesheik  county,  and  in  the  following  fall  came  to  Chicka- 
saw county,  and  settled  in  this  township,  where  his  father,  Hugh 
Johnson,  entered  the  northeast  (quarter  of  section  22.  August  13> 
'61,  N.  R.  enlisted  at  this  place,  in  company  I,  ninth  Iowa  volun- 
teer infantry.  He  was  discharged  January  7,  '62,  on  account  of 
disability  arising  from  spinal  trouble.  He  then  returned  to  this 
place  where  he  has  since  resided,  and  is  actively  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  stock  raising.     Was  married  in  '60  to   Miss  Sprouls,  and 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  571 

their  children  are  William  P.,  George  B.,  Martha,  Ellen  J.,  Sarah 
E.,  Nancy  M.  and  Gertrude.  Mr.  Johnston  is  a  member-  of  Law- 
ler  lodge,  I.  O.  0.  F. 

John  J.  Swennumson,  farmer,  section  84,  P.O.  Saude,  owns  320 
acres  of  land;  was  born  in  1836,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  the 
United  States  in  '49,  and  settled  in  Racine  county,  Wis.,  where 
they  resided  seven  years,  then  came  to  Iowa  and  settled  where 
they  now  reside.  The  land  is  all  improved.  Was  married  in  75, 
in  this  county,  to  Caroline  Johnson,  and  their  children  are,  Anne, 
Johanna  and  Henrietta  L. 

Peter  Johnson,  farmer,  section  2,  P.  0.  Lawler,  owns  220  acres 
of  land;  was  born  in  Norway  in  1840,  and  came  with  his  parents 
to  the  United  States  in  '42,  his  parents  settling  in  Racine  county, 
Wis.  They  came  to  Iowa  in  '54,  locating  in  this  township.  The 
land  on  which  he  now  resides  is  part  of  his  father's  original  pur- 
chase from  the  government,  and  is  nearly  all  improved,  and  well 
fitted  for  stock  and  general  purposes.  Was  married  in  '70,  in  this 
county,  to  Julia  Anderson,  and  their  children  are,  John,  Aniia, 
Isabel,  Caroline,  Olena,  Johanna  and  Maria. 

Ole  Swennumsom,  farmer,  section  34,  P.  0.  Lawler,  owns  200 
acres  of  land;  was  born  in  Norway  in  1837,  and  came  to  the  Unit- 
ed States  with  his  parents  in  '48, and  settled  in  Iowa,  at  this  place, 
in  '54.  The  land  he  now  owns  is  part  of  the  original  land  pur- 
chased by  his  father  from  the  government,  and  well  improved.  He 
was  married  at  Calmar,  Iowa,  in  '62,  to  Hilga  Nelson,  and  their 
children  are,  John  Sunde,  Swenum,  Nels,  Ole,  Emma,  Caroline 
and  Esther. 

Patrick  Gorman,  farmer,  section  8,  P.  0.  Lawler;  owns  280 
acres  of  land;  was  born  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  1824;  he  came  to  Iowa 
in  '54,  and  settled  where  he  now  lives;  he  purchased  eighty  acres 
■of  the  government,  and  has  purchased  the  rest  since.  Mr.  Gor- 
man served  three  years  in  the  United  States  navy,  most  of  which 
time  he  was  under  Admiral  Farragut.  Was  married  in  '51,  at 
Baltimore,  to  Miss  McDaniel,  by  whom  he  has  four  children,  John 
William,  James  and  Mary. 

J.  C.  Cronin,  farmer,  section  33,  owns  250  acres;  was  born  at 
Springfield  Castle,  county  Limerick,  Ire.and,  in  1829,  and  was  ed- 
ucated there.     In  '50  he  came  to  America,  and  lived  in  Cook  coun- 


672 


CHfCKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGUAPHIES. 


ty,  Illinois  for  three  years,  engaging  in  stock  raising.  In  'o4  he 
came  to  Iowa  and  purchased  land  of  the  government,  which  is 
about  all  improved  and  fitted  for  stock  raising.  Mr.  C.  has  filled 
the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  twenty  years.  Was  married 
in  '49,  in  Ireland,  to  Mary  Gany,  and  their  children  living  are, 
Ellen,  Margaret,  David,  John,  George  and  Michael  F.  They  have 
four  deceased. 

James  Kelly,  farmer,  section  21,  P.  O.  Lawler,  owns  385  [acres;, 
was  born  in  the  county  of  Tyrone,  Ireland,  in  1825,  and  came  to 
the  United  States  in  '45,  and  spent  a  few  years  in  Rhode  Island 
at  farm  labor;  was  then  employed  about  ten  years  railroading  in 
Ohio,  principally  in  Ashtabula  county,  and  in  '58  he  came  to  this 
state,  and  settled  where  he  now  resides.  His  land  is  mostly  im- 
proved and  fitted  for  stock  raising.  The  land  is  valued  at  $25  per 
acre.  Was  married  in  '50,  in  Ohio,  to  Rosa  Molloy,  by  whom  he 
has  three  children,  James,  Bridget  and  John. 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  57S 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


Patrick;  Lynch,  farmer,  section  36,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns 
500  acres  of  land  which  is  valued  at  $35  per  acre;  was  born  in 
1826,  in  county  Tipperary,  Ireland,  where  he  received  his  educa- 
tion. He  came  to  the  United  States  in  '48,  and  located  for  some 
time  in  New  York  city.  Mr.  Lynch  has  for  nearly  thirty-eight 
years  been  a  successful  constructor  of  railroads,  and  has  held  con- 
tracts on  quite  a  number  of  them.  He  was  the  first  man  to  start 
on  the  survey  of  the  Troy  and  Boston  railroad  in  '48.  In  '49  Mr^ 
L.  was  at  work  on  the  Albany  and  Northern  railroad,  where  he  re- 
mained until  '53,  when  he  came  west  to  Illinois  and  took  a  con- 
tract to  build  a  portion  of  what  was  then  known  as  the  Chicago 
and  St.  Charles  air  line  railroad.  The  next  year  he  built  some 
twenty-four  miles  of  the  Chicago  and  Milwaukee  road,  the  first 
section  from  C^hicago  north.  In  '55  we  find  him  with  a  contract 
on  his  hands  to  construct  eighteen  miles  of  the  Detroit  and  Mil- 
waukee railroad,  which  having  finished  he  removed  to  Dubuque 
in '56  and  built  part  of  what  was  called  the  Dubuque  and  Pa- 
cific railroad,  now  a  branch  of  the  great  Illinois  Central.       In    '57 


574  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

he  had  a  contract  on  the  Iowa  Central  air-line,  and  in  '59  he  built 
a  portion  (about  seventeen  miles)  of  the  Albany  and  Mendota 
railroad.  In  '60  and  '61  he  was  at  work  on  the  Cedar  Rapids  and 
Missouri  river  road,  and  in  '62  and  '63,  leaving  his  railroad  busi- 
ness, he  was  engaged  in  the  grain  and  produce  trade  at  Marshall- 
town,  Iowa,  and  he,  during  the  course  of  his  business,  shipped  the 
first  car  load  of  produce  from  that  point  to  Chicago.  In  '64  he 
took  a  large  contract  for  grading,  and  making  the  heavy  cuttings 
on  the  McGregor  and  Western  railroad,  and  at  the  same  time  was 
engaged  in  buying  produce  of  all  kinds  and  again  shipped  the 
first  car  load  of  produce  from  Monona  to  Chicago — this  was  in  '66. 
In  '68-9  he  was  engaged  in  the  ponstruction  of  the  Cedar  Rapids 
and  Missouri  river  road  again,  having  quite  a  large  contract. 
Thirty  miles  of  the  I.  and  D.  division  of  the  C,  M.  and  St.  Paul 
road  was  built  by  him  in  '70-71.  He  was  also  a  contractor  on  the 
Northern  Pacific  railroad  in  '72,  and  built  twenty-five  miles  of  the. 
St.  Vincent  branch  of  the  St.  Paul  and  Pacific  railroad  in  '73.  Mr. 
Lynch  located  on  his  present  farm  in  this  township  in  the  latter 
year,  and  has  since  made  it  his  home.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Elizabeth  Phelan,  a  native  of  county  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  and 
the  fruits  of  their  marriage  are  six  children,  William,  Mary,  Ed- 
ward, Elizabeth,  Margaret  and  John.  Mr.  Lynch  is  a  successful 
breeder  of  graded  short-horn  cattle,  Norman  horses,  and  Poland- 
China  hogs.  He  has  sold  out  of  his  herd,  which  is  a  fine  large 
one,  some  thirteen  head  of  two  and  three  year  cattle,  at  an  average 
of  $80  per  head,  in  the  spring  of  '83.  Mr.  Lynch  is  quite  a  parti- 
san of  the  democratic  party,  and  he  and  his  family  are  attached  to 
the  Roman  Catholic  communion. 

Johannes  Hauser,  farmer,  section  32,  P.  0.  North  Washington 
owns  197  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25.  He  was  born  in  Hesse 
Darmstadt,  Germany,  June  9,  1821.  Came  to  America,  in  1848, 
and  first  located  in  Winnebago  county.  111.,  but,  in  '54,  came  to 
Chickasaw  county,  and  permanently  located  in  this  township.  He 
married  Elizabeth  Harig,  who  is  also  a  native  of  Hesse  Darmstadt, 
and  who  was  born  March  2,  1828.  They  have  eleven  children 
John,  Anna,  Elizabeth,  Maria,  Philip,  Theresia,  Barbara,  Ettie, 
George,  Helena  and  Anton.  Mr.  Haiser  (n'ered  his  land  from  the, 
government,  and  was  the  first  settler  in  Washington  township  and 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  675 

erected,  on  his  homestead,  the  first  residence  in  the  same.    He  and 
his  family  are  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church. 

Ernest  Friedman,  youngest  son  of  Jacob  Friedman,  was  born  in 
Dubuque  county,  Iowa,  in  1858.  He  came  to  Chickasaw  county, 
with  his  parents,  in  1868,  and  has  since  been  a  resident  of  this  town- 
ship; has  traveled  extensively  through  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Dakota, 
Minnesota,  and  Missouri,  and  now  resides  on  his  father's  farm  in 
section  22. 

Michael  Karn,  North  Washington,  manufacturer  of  wagons, 
buggies  aud  sleighs.  He  was  born  in  Detroit,  Michigan  in  1833. 
In  '40  he  came  west  with  his  parents  to  Worth  county,  Wisconsin, 
In  1870  he  moved  to  Forest  City,  Minnesota,  thence  in  '73  to  Man- 
nah,  Minn.,  and  in  '76  to  North  Washington,  Chickasaw  county 
and  permanently  located  here.  Was  married  to  Caroline  Hils- 
man,  a  natiye  of  Hanover.  By  this  marriage  he  had  three  chil- 
dren, Rosa,  Frances  and  Augustin.  Mrs.  Karn  died  in  1871.  He 
then  married  Emma  Heishop,  a  native  of  Prussia,  and  they  have 
five  children,  Michael,  Louis,  Mary,  Hannah  and  Elizabeth.  Mr. 
K.  served  in  the  army  during  the  rebellion,  enlisting  in  thirty - 
fifth  Wisconsin,  but  was  transferred  to  the  twenty -third  Wiscon- 
sin, and  was  promoted  sergeant.  He  remained  with  that  regi- 
ment until  the  close  of  the  war,  and  was  honorably  discharged  in 
Milwaukee,  Wis.,  on  November  28,  '65. 

Casper  Rohe,  farmer,  section  19,  P.  0.  North  Washington,  owns 
200  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  the 
Wenniglohe  District  of  Arnsberg,  state  of  Westphalia,  in  the 
Kingdom  of  Prussia,  June  2,  1829.  He  married  Catharine  Denne, 
Feb.  9,  '58,  she  was  born  in  Cambridge  county,  Pa.,  on  October  25, 
'38,  and  they  have  six  children,  Julia,  Martha,  Henry,  Mina,  Su- 
sanna and  Michael.  Mr.  R,  and  his  family  are  members  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  church. 

Alpheus  F.  Wheeler,  farmer,  section  1 4,  P.  0.  New  Hampton, 
owns  160  acres  of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Boone 
county.  III,  May  16,  1849,  and  came  to  Chickasaw  county  in  '73, 
locating  permanently  in  this  township.  On  the  3d  of  September, 
'72,  he  was  married  to  Marian  Taylor,  who  was  born  in  Rockford, 
111.,  March  9,  '53.  They  have  five  children,  Nellie  J.,  George  A., 
James  E.,  William  D.  and  Ira  Q.      Mr.  Wheeler  and  his  wife  are 


576  ceicsasaw 

jntMnioeQt  members  of  tlte  Me:  ^pal  chmch,  and  be 

basalsolieldanambtt-of  towr^  s. 

Daniel  RoutT,  £umw,  »(4k>B  ^  P.  O.   y~    K 
305  acres  of  Imd,  vadiied  at  $S3  r<ef  acre.       r. 
^  ooontT,  Iieland.  Mar  10.  IS:^  and  came  to    A  -7. 

fir^  loeactii^  in  Bnx^dhrn.  X.  Y^  bot  in  the  same  y 
the  ooal  prions  ctf  ]^Bns7l\ania,  and  from  tiier  4'>  lo  New 

J«s^T,  wheie  hemHked  <m  a  &nn  until  '^l.      He 
to  New  Yoik  dty,  where  he  Bred  nalil  "M.      In 
vest  and  s^tkd  in  Rock  ooantr.  \Vis^,  where  be  o: 
side  nntil  '^  wben  be  came  to  Cbiekssaw  conniy  .: 
ly  localted  in  this  township.    Was  manied  to  Mary  Day,  . 
<rircoantT  Dublin,  tr^and.  and  ther  bare  :  -^, 

James.  Danid  and  EliaL    Tbe  &mihr  are  n:  >  v^'  ibe  Rocaan 

Ostbolic  cbnich. 


Ibomas  Ze»aL,  taim»,  section  2d.  P.  O.  X<»th  Washix^loiU) vns 
614  acres  c!^  land.  Tahied  at  $25  per  acre;  was  bom  in  ProEaa  in 
1821.  and  came  to  Ammcjt  in  ^52.  locatii^  in  Dnboqne  oooufcr, 
and  in  "W  be  lonot^  to  bis  {H«sent  fiom.  Was  maroed  to  Anna 
Ottberine  Gilbeits  vbo  was  also  bom  in  Pktissia,  and  vbo  died  in 
T7.  Tbev  bjid  tw«diildmi.F^»-J.  and  Tboma&  I&  seomd 
mania^  w:»s  to  Mis.  Anna  Scblntter.  in  TS^  and  they  bare  by 
this  mairiage  two  diildren.  Maria  £.  axkd  Sxsaua  E.  His  stMXwd 
-wife  bas  thre<e  cbildrai  by  a  fenner  btsband,  Anna  K^  WiUidm 
K.  and  Anna  M..  ore?  whom  Mr.  Ze%n  ^  gqaidian  Tbe  fioaity 
are  membas  of  tbe  Roman  Oubolic  cboicb. 

Jcsef^  Smith.  &rm^.  section  ^  P.  O.  New  Hampton,  ovbs 
o30  aops  of  land,  v&l-;ied  at  $25  per  acre.  He  was  bom  in  Ba- 
Taiia.  Geimany.  in  1S±1  and  wboi  ten  y^«rs  of  age  came  with  bis 
parents  to  Am^ica.  and  tbe^.^  ~~^-  loostion  was  in  Maiyland.  One 

year  later  tbey  removed  to  ^:r j.  IkiH  eonnty,  ftu  wbere  tbey  re 

mained  s>ev^n  yt^sirs.  and  th«»  returned  to  Manrfaokd.  Mr.  S-  5»lx>ii 
mox^i  back  to  Pwia^yivaaisu  in  whicb  state  be  made  bis  boaie 
until  ^55.  when  he  caiue  to  lowx,  and  sietded  upon  the  &rai  on 
wbicb  be  now  ivsides.  He  w^  inamed  to  Louisa  HulbnKC^DHi, 
who  was  Kmh  in  Haao>vex.  O^eroiany.  Tliey  bax^  seven  cbiUbraEu 
Mary  K..  Fiank  S.,  Batbua,  Joseph,  John,  M^anda  and  Geoiige.. 
Mr.  Suiitb  bas  beid  quite  a  numb»  of  tbe  towi^ip  offioes;.  bav- 


Bag  Wttt  IfriwdMy  ti»^>!  ail:  yaess  a»i  in  BriHgwi  ag  a 


aKB«&  -vaOae^  ic  $^  fior  aioc^:  was  Ikoam  tt  fViesoi  m  IS^  aid 
quB»l»'  -%BTifflwa  m  '5t>.  ami  HaffiirTit  aa  Cteaft:  qwarinr,  lE^  QteBxaoft- 

9B«atei£w^~~  ^^  ~  --^r^Sfs^    Was  aaeskd  to  Ssf&a  S^viBIk. 
al^  a  ffift.'..   ,  -  -  .  -lusffii.  iad  i;fi8?«^  '^^*'^-^  toa  «feE&ii»flu.  Fie(fcMk:^Ki&- 

«■»  «if  tibi'   lieai&Bg:  iaeaibeesm:  ulst'  to4inii>ci:^^    iiavi   k&$:   %eea 

ifefiflKt  Fsril^sataaar.  .  . .        <V  Afiw-YKtsa^  w  was  (SSQt 

acc«*':c  ^iJiNitf  «aita»i  aC  $"i~  p«r  acre;:  irje  been,  cm  I^ei%t  ©WBBtyv 
"W&v^  ta  I>44.  ami  cante  :  iataiw  ctjTiatT  tit  "'^^  ami  Ikncated 

□ttt&i;^  •■  -   ■  Was    mazrrKtilfc* 

Ljn^  j-i.  -  TiujT  ha^nj  tifiie^ 

«at-_;  ~'    " -"-- -■  -  -~  ■ I-~ 

«aBi^  Gi?  .irnls.  "   -■        :  "-:  .  •,<5.. 

Kan.'-  .  to  Wietwnsiu.  ruLo\c«*i  tosjcLcy   ia  l^ft  Ws*   ^I 

^eaaagr^  1  .h?^  adikti  ssoat  tiEnaa?  ti&ac  fe^  i-  iHie«4 

""-V  :^caf  jQtiir.  ianittir..  ^>ei:T  P^  Ol  X<tw  IfemtgrtRjav  ©was 

3^»                                         c.  ■•^.     H«  wt»*  feefiia  la  Baft> 

*fv   •  ^acstffage  oms'  urSiia  &i& 

puiTL-  -  "~  ■■-!:  vas  to.  S*£^  Y^ck^amd 

^  rr- - -  ~  ''ir&ja^  But  Beeafei  UBi- 

^   ^  I.-?w<  'Off  i?fe.e-  auEiE.  wfeecc 

sj  been.  ixL  iTtirtuiurT-     flisi-v  ha\re^  n  -'^  L^  I'^> 

FctttiJSL  Aanisf .  If  .    H»fany,   >:*_  ~&.    life. 

Ss-.       -  -  '  -         ~       ^ 

uBCC    -V  ..  '-   ^.  •  -  ■  '  - 


678  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

owns  eighty  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in 
Prussia,  in  1831,  and  when  twenty-six  years  of  age  he  came  to 
America,  and  first  located  in  Illinois  and  made  it  his  home  until 
'70,  when  he  came  to  Iowa  and  settled  upon  the  farm  on  which 
he  now  resides.  Was  married  to  Dora  Ther  Gruenewald,  who 
was  born  in  Lij^pe,  Germany.  They  have  nine  children,  Mary  C. 
Lidia  E.,  John  F.,  George  B.,  Herman  W.,  Wilhelm  Bismark 
Moltke,  Henry  A.  C,  Johanna  W.  and  Frederick  Charles.  Mr. 
C.  has  held  the  office  of  school  director  for  a  number  of  years.  In 
religion  he  is  a  congregationalist. 

Jacob  Friedman,  farmer,  section  22,  P.  0.  North  Washington 
owns  120  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Baden, 
Germany,  in  1826,  and  came  to  America  in  '32,  and  settled  in  New 
York  with  his  parents.  Two  years  later  they  removed  to  Ohio, 
where  they  remained  until  '57,  at  which  time  he  came  to  Iowa, 
and  after  making  several  changes,  he  located  in  this  township  in 
'68,  Was  nnited  in  marriage  to  Barbara  Heinrich,  of  Bavona, 
Germany,  and  they  have  nine  children,  John,  Louis,  George, 
Jacob,  Joseph,  Ernest,  Mary.  Susanna,  Elizabeth  and  Lena.  Mr. 
Freidman,  and  his  entire  family,  are  members  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  church. 

Elisha  W.  Sorter,  farmer,  section  23,  P.  O.  New  Hampton,  owns 
160  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25  per  acre ;  was  born  in  New  York, 
in  1822,  where  he  lived  until  he  was  twelve  years  of  age,  when  he 
removed  with  his  parents  to  Ohio,  remaining  there  until  he  was 
sixteen  years  of  age.  Removing  to  Michigan  they  resided  there 
until  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age.  He  then  moved  to  Illinois, 
where  he  remained  until  '55,  and  in  that  year  he  came  to  Chicka- 
saw county,  and  entered  government  land  in  this  township.  Was 
married  to  Sally  Ann  Barnes,  who  was  born  in  New  York  in  1828, 
and  they  have  three  children,  Winfield  Scott,  Horace  B.  and  Hi- 
ram. Death  entered  the  family  of  Mr.  S.  and  took  away  his  only 
daughter,  on  May  2,  '83. 

John  J.  Snj'der,  farmer,  section  23,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns 
320  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Perry  coun- 
ty, Ohio,  in  1850,  whence  he  removed  in  1870  to  Chickasaw  coun- 
ty, permanently  locating  in  this  township.  Mr.  S.  has  been  a  prom- 
inent politician  in  this  township,  and  has  held  the  office  of  justice 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  579 

of  the  peace  six  years.  Was  iiiarried  to  Anna  Gossinan,  a  native 
of  Perry  county,  Ohio,  and  they  have  three  children,  Mary  Endora, 
Nellie  Grace  and  Robert  Francis.  Mr.  S.  and  family  are  ineni- 
bers  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church. 

J.  H.  Hewitt,  farmer,  section  25,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns  320 
acres  of  land,  valued  at  !$25  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  Rochester, 
N.  Y.,  in  1834.  When  five  years  of  age  his  parents  removed  to 
Whiteside  county,  111.,  where  young  J.  H.  grew  to  manhood.  In 
1855  he  came  to  this  county  and  he  and  his  wife  were  the  first  to 
keep  house  in  the  town  of  New  Hampton.  In  '58  he  settled  on 
his  present  farm,  and  was  the  first  school  treasurer  of  the  town- 
ship, and  has  since  held  nearly  all  the  offices  in  this  township. 
His  wife  was  a  Calista  A.  Taylor,  also  a  native  of  New  York,  and 
they  have  seven  chfldren,  W.  B.,  J.  F.,  J.  C,  J.  H.,  Emma  J.,  Eu- 
nice A.  and  Bertha  C. 

Heinrich  Gilbert,  farmer,  section  28,  P.  O.  North  Washington; 
owns  640  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Crich- 
ten,Kreisbitburg  county,  Frier,  Prussia,  on  the  14th  of  May,  1827, 
and  came. to  America  in  September,  '54,  and  settled  in  Dubuque 
county  remaining  four  years,  from  there  he  removed  to  this  county 
enteririg  a  part  of  his  present  farm.  He  married  Barbara  Rieswho 
was  born  in  Ferschweiler,Kreisbitburg  county,Frier  Prussia.  They 
have  seven  children,  John  P.,  Michael.,  Nicholas.,  Peter.,  Susanna, 
Anna.,  Catherine,  Mr.  G.  and  his  family  are  in  religion  Roman 
Catholics. 

Micharl  Ries,  farmer,  section  thirty. P.O.  North  Washington, 
owns  560  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Prussia, 
in  1883,  and  came  to  America  in  52,  locating  in  Cook  county  111. 
when  he  remained  3  years,  when  he  moved  to  Clayton  County 
Iowa  and  in  58  came  to  Chickasaw  County  and  purchased  a  por- 
tion of  the  land  on  which  he  now  resides.  He  married  Margaret 
Eleuz,  also  a  native  of  Prussia,  and  they  have  six  children  Anna, 
Jacob,  Michael,  Mathias,  Catherine,  and  Maria.  Mr.Ries  has  been 
Justice  of  the  peace  18  years.  Tlie  family  are  members  of  the 
Romans  Catholic  church. 

I.O.Eggleston,  farmer,  sec.  35  P.O.  New  Hampton,  own8,385  acres 
of  land  valued  at  $20  per  acre,  was  born  in  Oneida  county  New 
York,  in  1831.  When  he  was  16  years  of  age  he  went  to   Whiteside 


580  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

county  Ills,  where  he  remained  until  1855  when  he  came  to  this 
county  and  settled  on  his  present  farm.  He  married  Laura  Ann 
Hewitt,  who  was  also  born  in  New  York  and  they  have  six  children 
living,  Lewis,  Orison, William,  Joseph,  Lovina,  and  Libbie 

John  J.  Davis,  fanner,  section  2  P.O. New  Hampton  Iowa  owns 
160  acres  of  laud  valued  at  $25  per  acre.  Mr. Davis  was  born  in 
Stapleton  township,  Chickasaw  county  in  1858,he  located  in  \Va  s 
ington  township  in  1880  during  the  mean  time  he  was  absent  from 
the  county  for  two  years,  having  removed  to  Dakota,  he  however 
returned  to  Chickasaw  county,  well  satistied  with  his  old  home. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  Anna  L.Rice  who  is  also  a  native  of  this 
county. 

John  Reich,  farmer,  section  34,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns  470 
acres  of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  Bavaria 
Germany,  in  1882,  and  came  to  America  in  1856,  first  locatmg  in 
Illinois,  whc'fo  he  remained  until  1860,  at  which  time  he  came  to 
this  county,  locating  on  his  present  farm.  He  married  Catherine 
H.  Hauser,  who  was  born  in  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  and  who 
came  to  America,  with  her  parents,  and  settled  in  Illinois.  They 
have  nine  children,  Franklin  E.,  Theresa  A.,  Elizabeth,  George 
Henry,  Dora  M.,  Henrietta  C,  Henry  N.,  Louis  Philip  and'john  A. 

Tilden  S.Rice,  section  23,  P.  0.  New  Hampton  owns  80  acres  of 
land  valued  at  $25  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  Vermont  in  1833 
December  31.  In  1843  he  removed  to  Masschusetts  and  from  there 
to  Illinois,  in  1854,  remainino  there  until  '56,  and  in  that  year  he 
came  to  Chickasaw  county  and  entered  his  land  from  the  govern- 
ment, and  has  made  it  his  permanent  home  since.  Was  married 
to  Mary  R.  Weo<l,  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  and  they  have 
three  children,  Ami  L.,  Harriett  W.  and  Esther  A.  Mr.  Rice  has 
held  some  of  the  public  offices  in  the  township,  among  others, 
trustee. 

Peter  Blankenheim,  farmer,  section  28,  P.  0.  Noith  Washing- 
ton, owns  280  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in 
Prussia,  in  1833,  and  come  to  America  in  1850,  first  locating  in 
Wisconsin.  In  '53  he  removed  to  Clayton  county,  this  state,  and 
remained  there  four  years.  In  '65  he  came  to  Chickasaw  county, 
and  permanently  located  in  this  township.  Was  married  to  Lou- 
isa Schlick,  a  native  of  Prussia,  and  they  have  ten  children,  Chris- 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  581 

lina,  Heinrich,  Joseph,  Magdelena,  Catharina,  Anna,  Clotilda,  Jo- 
sephine, Theresia  and  Maria.  Mr.  B.  holds  the  office  of  justice  of 
the  peace,  in  this  township  and  other  minor  offices.  He  and 
his  family  are  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church. 

Albert  W.  Milness,  farmer,  section  22,  P.  O.New  Hampton  owns 
160of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  England  in  1841, 
first  settling  in  Wisconsin  from  which  place,  he  went  to  Cal- 
ifornia where  he  remained  until  1863  and  in  that  year  he  removed 
to  Montana  from  thence  in  1875,he  returned  to  Wisconsin  and  came 
to  Chickasaw  county  and  permanently  located  in  this  township  in 
1877.  Was  united  in  marriage  with  Sarah  Hunter,  who  was  born 
in  the  state  of  Wisconsin. 

Michael  Cavanaugh,farmer,section  24  P.  O.New  Hampton  owns 
240  acres  of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acres.  He  was  born  ill  Canada 
October  13.1843and  came  to  the  United  States  with  parents  in  1847 
they  first  settled  in  Wisconsin  where  he  remained  until  1876, 
when  he  came  to  Chickasaw  county  and  permanently  located  in 
this  township.  He  married  Catharine  Smith  a  native  of  Lafayette 
county.  Wis. They  have  four  children,  John,  Leroy,Mary,  Francis, 
Bridget,  Anna,  and  Michael.  Mr.  Cavanaugh  and  his  family  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  church. 


682  CHICKASAW    COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES. 


DEERFIELD  TOWNSHIP. 


Friederich  Blase,  farmer,  section  24,  P.O.,  Alta  Vista,  owns  160 
acres  of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  Westphalia 
Germany  December  1  1841  and  came  to  America  in  1869  coming 
to  Chickasaw  county  Iowa  and  permanently  locating  in  this  town 
ship.  He  was  married  to  Louisa  Frieselmeier,  a  native  of  West- 
phalia Germany,  and  they  have  4  children,  Anna  M.  C,  born  March 
51867;  Maria  Louisa,  born  Febuary  4,  1871;  Frederich  Wilhelm, 
born  February   4,  1874;  and  Charlotte,  born   November  24,  1876. 

Flavins  J.  George,  farmer,  section  20,  P.O.  Bassett,  owns  80  acres 
of  land  valued  at  $30  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  Livingston  county 
New  York,  in  1817,  came  west  with  his  parents  in  1818  and  first 
located  in  Ohio  from  there  in  1838  he  moved  to  Michigan  and 
from  thence  in  1845  to  Whitewater  Wisconsin.  In  1847  he  removed 
to  Oshkosh  Wis,  and  in  1870  emigrated  to  Charles  City  in  this  state. 
And  in  1872  come  to  Chickasaw  county  and  located  in  this  town- 
ship. He  married  Clarisa  Dewey,  who  was  born  in  1818  in  Madison 
county,  New  York.  They  have  one  child  Dewey  H. 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  583 

George  Goddard,  farmer,  section  34,  owns  eighty  acres  of  land; 
was  born  in  Frinley,  in  Surrey,  twenty-nine  miles  from  London, 
England,  and  as  "westward  the  course  of  Empire  takes  its  way," 
accordingly  Mr.  Goddard  came  to  America,  to  try  his  fortune  in 
ths  ''new  world,"  and  first  located  at  Waterville,  in  the  state  of 
Connecticut,  where  he  resided  until  '53,  when  he  again  turned  his 
face  toward  the  west, 

"To  the  land  of  the  free, 

Where  the  great  Missouri  rolls  down  to  the  sea." 

His  objective  point  being  Chickasaw  county,  where  he  located  per- 
manently, and  has  since  been  engaged  in  farming.  His  farm  is 
under  a  good  state  of  cultivation  and  well  improved.  He  is  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  the  county  and  has  seen  the  hand  of  progress 
held  aloft  over  domain,  since  its  sparsly  settled  condition  on  his 
arrival  to  its  present  prosperous  condition.  Mr.  Goddard,  al- 
though still  retaining  a  deep  love,  and  high  regard  for  his  "native 
heath,"  yet,  with  all,  is  a  truly  loyal  American  citizen,  and  is  al- 
ways desirous  of  promoting  the  public  welfare.  Was  united  in  . 
marriage  to  Ann  Wright,  of  Yorkshire,  England,  and  they  have 
three  children,  named  Eliza  W.,  George  J.  and  Mary  N. 

Andrew  Michael,  farmer,  section  31,  P.  0.  Bassett,  owns  140 
acres  ol  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  Augusta 
county,  Virginia,  February  12,  1820,  and  came  west  with  his  pa- 
rents, first  locating  in  Indiana.  From  there,  in  1835,  he  moved 
to  Cass  county,  Iowa,  and  from  thence,  in  1857,  to  Winnesheik 
county,  and  in  1864,  came  to  Chickasaw  county,  locating  in  this 
township.  He  married  Martha  Ann  Beard,  who  was  born  March 
23d,  1832,  and  they  have  six  children,  Jonathan  T.,  born  November 
6,  1849;  Mary  Ellen,  born  April  9,  1853;  Catherine  Alice,  born 
August  22,  1855;  George  A'.,  born  April  27,  1864;  Lucy  Eveline, 
born  April  30,  1867;  Martha  Etta,  born  May  27,  1862.  Mr.  Michael 
has  held  some  of  the  township  offices,  and  is  a  breeder  of  Durham 
graded  cattle,  and  Berkshire  and  Poland  China  swine. 

Levi  Stephens,  section  34,  P.  0.  Deerfield,  owns  220  acres  of 
land  valued  at  $30  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  Lower  Canada,  May 
12, 1844,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  the  United  States  in  1853, 
first  locating  at  Aurora,  111.  In  1855,  he  removed  to  Chickasaw 
county  and  permanently  located  in  this  township.  He  married 
Mrs.  Catherine  Palmer,born  Cain,  a  native   of  Limerick  county, 


584  CHICKASAW    COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  , 

Ireland,  March  1,  1S41.  They  have  two  children,  Mary  Ann  and 
Gordon  L.  Mr.  Stephens,  his  wife  and  daughter,  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Martin  Stephens,  father  of  Levi,  was  born  in  Rutland,  Vermont, 
in  1S20.  His  parents  lived  in  Canada,  but  while  on  a  visit  to  that 
state  the  child  was  born.  He  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in 
1S53.  first  locating  at  Aurora,  111.,  but,  in  1S55.  removed  to  this 
township  and  county.  He  married  Mary  Ann  Lea^'itt,  also  a  na- 
tive of  Canada,  and  they  are  blessed  with  four  children,  Levi,  Elsie 
O.,  Henry  A.  and  Martin  E. 

Sanford  E.  Allen,  farmer,  section  29,  P.  0.  Bassett,  owns  S'it) 
acres  of  land,  valued  at  82-5  per  acre;  was  born  in  upper  Canada, 
in  1838,  came  to  the  United  States  in  '54,  and  they  tirst  located  in 
Chickasaw  county,  in  '59  he  went  to  California,  returning  to  this 
county  in  '63,  and  permanantly  locating  here.  During  his  resi- 
dence in  this  county  he  owned  a  third  interest  in  the  Chickasaw 
flouring  mills,  and  was  also  proprietor  of  the  saw  mill.  In  To  he 
located  on  on  his  present  farm,  in  this  township,  where  he  has  es- 
tablished a  creamery  with  a  capacity  of  1,200  pounds  of  butter 
per  day.  He  is  now  (June  1SS3)  making  about  1,000  per  day,  he 
also  raises  a  a  tine  stock  of  cattle  which  includes  many  tine  grade 
Durhams.  He  has  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  several 
years,  and  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  M.  E.  church.  Mr.  A.'s 
first  wife  was  Sarah  Jane  Channer.  who  died  in  in  1S70,  leaving 
three  children,  Eva  L.,  Burr  and  Elwin.  He  afterwards  married 
married  Lura  Clark,  who  died  in  77,  leaving  one  child.  Ernest. 
He  then  married  Hattie  Channer,  who  died  the  following  year. 
His  present  wife  was  Libbie  Channer,  a  sister  of  the  former,  and 
they  have  one  child,  Iva. 

Josiah  A.  Stuart,  farmer,  section  17,  P.  0.  Bassett,  owns  forty 
acres  of  land,  valued  at  S30  per  acre;  was  born  in  Maine,  March 
1835,  and  moved  with  his  parents  to  Massachusetts  in  '45,  and  in 
'56  moved  to  Michigan,  and  in  the  same  year  came  to  Chickasaw 
county  and  located  in  this  township.  Was  married  to  Mrs.  Es- 
ther M.  Rathman,  who  was  born  in  Canada.  May  25,  '45.  They 
have  two  children.  Maria,  born  May  5,  71,  and  Giant,  born  Sept. 
4,  '73.  Mr.  Stuart  has  been  quite  prominent  in  county  politics, 
and  has  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  fourteen  years, 
he  has  also  held  other  township  offices. 


•  'HICKAS^AW    roiNTY     lUOGKAPHlF.B.  585 

Artluir  H.  Shiros,  tanner,  section  32,  T.  O.  Hasseti,  owns  eiglity 
acres  of  land  valued  at  S25  per  acre;  was  born  in  England  on  the 
third  day  of  April,  183G,  and  came  to  America  in  '54,  and  first  lo- 
cated in  Luierne  county.  Pa.,  and  from  there,  in '50,  he  removed  to 
Richland  county,  Wis.,  and  in  '65  he  came  to  Chickasaw  county, 
and  permanantly  located  in  this  township.  He  married  Frances 
Maria  Calder,  who  was  hovn  in  Erie  county,  Pa.,  May  8,  '38.  They 
have  three  children,  Edward  Lincoln,  Ettie  and  Myrtle  Eiina. 
Mi"s.  Shires  is  a  nuMuber  of  the  M.  E.  church.  iMr.  S.  is  promi- 
nent as  a  politician,  and  has  filled  a  number  of  the  township  of- 
fices during  his  residence  in  the  county.  He  is  a  breeder  in  fine 
Durham  cattle. 

John  Rapp,  was  born  in  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  Jyne  11th 
1819,  and  came  to  America  in  1851,  first  locating  in  Winnebago 
county,  111.,  and  in  1866  he  came  toChiekasaw  county,  settling  in 
this  township.  He  married  Apollonia  Ilauser,  a  native  also  of 
Hesse  Darmstadt,  born  July  18,  1826.  Mr.  Rap])  died  January 
23,  1882. 

George  Rapp,  farmer,  section  26,  P.  O.  North  Wjisliington,  owns 
85  acres  of  land  valued  at  §25  per  acre.  He  wjis  born  in  Winne- 
bago count}',  111.,  February  26,  J  855.  From  thence,  in  1866,  he 
moved  with  his  parents  to  Chickasaw  county  and  located  in  this 
township  where  he  has  continued  to  reside.  He  was  married,  on 
the  22d  of  October,  1878,  to  Anna  Koch,  who  was  born  in  Chicka- 
saw county,  October  22,  1861.  and  they  have  two  children,  Juhn 
and  Wilhelni.  Mr.  Rapp  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  Church. 

Edwin'C.  Pelton,  farmer.,  section  4.  P.  O.  Deerfielil,  owns  190 
acres  of  land,  valued  at  $30  per  acre;  was  born  in  Rensselaer 
count}',  N.  Y.,  March  25,  1833,  ami  moved  with  his  parents  in  '39 
to  Erie  count)',  Pa.  In  '55  he  went  to  Winnebago  county,  111.^ 
and  in  '57  removed  toChiekasaw  county, and  permanently  located 
in  this  township.  He  married  Ruth  A.  Palmer,  who  was  born  in 
Onondaga  county,  N.  Y.,  November  9, '39.  Tiiey  had  two  chil- 
dren, Albert  \'l.  and  Alma,  the  latter,  however,  died  in  Ikm- infancy. 
Jennie  V.,  was  adopted  by  Mr.  Pelton,  and  takes  liis  name.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Pelton  are  members  of  the  M.  K.  church.  He  has  held 
the  office  of  postmaster  for  fifteen  years,  and  is  the  present  incum- 
bent. 


586  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Michael  Adains,  farmer,  section  25,  P.  O.  North  Washington, 
owns  200  acres  of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre.  He  was  born  in 
Luxemburg,  on  the  27th  day  of  May,  1832,  and  came  to  America 
in  ^55,  and  first  located  in  Dubuque  county,'  this  state,  thence,  in 
'65  he  came  to  Chickasaw  county,  and  permanantly  located  in 
this  township.  He  married  Catharine  Kalen,  a  native  of  Prussia, 
she  was  born  in  '34,  and  they  have  eleven  children,  Elizabeth, 
born  February  5,  '59,  Michiel  B.,  born  March  7,  '60,  John  C.,.born 
December  27,  '63,  John  Peter,  born  March  11,  65,  Heinrich,  born 
iVovember  8,  66,  Anna  C,  born  May  28,  '68,  Maria  M.,  born  De- 
cember 3,  '69,  Susanna,  born  June  12,  '71,  Maria  E.,  born  April 
22d, '73,  John  M.,  born  March  11, '75  and  Joseph  I.,  born  July 
31,  '76.  Mr.  Adams  and  his  i'amily  are  members  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  church. 

Joseph  Marion,  farmer,  section  35,  P.  0.  North  Washington; 
owns  480  acres  of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre.  He  was  born  in 
Alsace,  Germany,  January  "29,  1824,  and  came  to  this  country  in 
1844,  locating  for  a  time  in  Lee  county,  Iowa,  from  whence  he  re-' 
moved,  in  1857,  to  Chickasaw  county,  and  settled  in  this  township. 
He  married  Margaretha  Roethler,  who  was  born  in  Baden,  Ger- 
many, in  1839.  They  have  nine  children,  Joseph,  Elizabeth,  Cath- 
rina,  George,  Anna,  Wilhelm,  Henry,  Margaretha  and  Alois.  Mr. 
Marion  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church. 

Maxamilian  Marion,  farmer,  section  19,  P.  O.  North  Washing-  • 
ton.  owns  260  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in 
Alsace,  Germany,  on  the  18th  day  of  July,  1830,  and  came  to  this 
country  in  '44,  and  first  located  in  Lee  county,  Iowa,  thence,  in  '63, 
he  came  to  Chickasaw  county,  and  permanently  located  in  this 
township.  He  married  Maria  Magdelina  Feldeisen,  who  was  born 
in  Alsace,  Germany,  in  1840,  and  they  have  six  children,  Mary, 
Rosalia,  Odelia,  Helena  Xavier  and  Clara.  He  and  his  family  are 
members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  he  has  held  various 
township  offices. 

George  Hof,  farmer,  section  23,  P.  O.  Bassett,  owns  400  acres 
of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  VV^urtemburg, 
Germany,  October  30,  1825,  and  came  to  America  in  1857  and  lo- 
cated in  Chickasaw  county    which  he   has  made  his   home   ever 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  687 

since.  He  was  married  to  Anna  Margaretha  Heinrich,  who  waa 
born  in  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  in  1833.  They  have  six  children, 
Catharina,  Wilhelm,  George,  Sophia,  Sarah  and  Maria.  Mr.  Hof 
and  his  family  are  members  of  the  German  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion. 

Oren  Hammon,  section  18,  P.  O.  Bassett;  own  80  acres  of  land 
valued  at  $25  per  acre.  He  was  born  May  25,  1850,  in  Indiana. 
He  came  west  Avith  his  parents,  in  1854,  to  Chickasaw  county,  first 
locating  in  Chickasaw  township,  but  in  1877,  removed  to  this  toAvn- 
ship  where  he  has  since  remained.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Eunice  Bates,  who  was  born  in  Illinois,  January  21, 1855,  and 
they  have  one  child,  Emma,  born  December  13, 1877. 

Joshua  C.  Ashley,  farmer,  section  29,  P.  0.  Bassett;  was  born 
at  Deerfield,  Mass.,  March  18,  1818,  and  came  west  in  1854,  settling 
in  Chickasaw  county  and  has  made  it  his  residence  ever  since.  He 
married  Eliza  Smith,  who  was  born  in  Brookfield,  Vermont,  Jan. 
12,  1814,  and  they  have  five  children,  Delia  Eliza,  Franklin  Kend- 
rick,  Austin  Crosby,  Ellen  Maria  and  John  George. 

Samuel  Rose,  farmer,  section  34,  P,  0.  Ionia;  owns  85  acres  of 
land  valued  at  $25  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  Chenango,  Broome 
csunty,  N.  Y.,  in  1823,  and  came  west,  to  Wisconsin,  in  1841.  In 
1867,  he  removed  to  Chickasaw  county,  locating  in  this  township, 
where  he  has  continued  to  reside.  He  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Eliza  Cunningham,  who  was  born  in  New  York,  and  they  have 
three  children,  Wilbur  W.,  Mary  Jane  and  Adelia. 


688  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 


DRESDEN  TOWNSHIP. 


George  Hillson,  farmer,  section  13,  owns  ninety  acres  in  section 
30,  was  born  in  1813,  in  Cornwood,  Devonshire,  Eng.,  and  was 
with  his  father  on  an  estate  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age, 
then  was  in  the  navy  for  a  short  time,  and  then  served  an  appren- 
ticeship as  wheelwright  for  about  five  years,  and  then  went  to 
north  of  England,  and  worked  at  his  trade  in  Cheshire,  where  he 
was  married  in  '48  to  Sarah  Elford,  of  Devonshire.  In  April  '49 
he  came  to  America,  and  landed  in  Boston,  and  lived  in  Andover, 
Mass.,  four  years,  and  then  moved  to  Rockford,  111.,  where  he  re- 
mained two  years,  and  in  May,  '55  he  came  to  Iowa,  and  located 
in  Fredricksburg ,  where  he  still  resides,  on  land  purchased*  of 
Wm.  Linderman,  who  had  entered  it.  The  comfortable  residence 
in  which  they  reside  is  the  standing  monument  of  pioneer  labor; 
it  is  large  and  comfortable,  and  was  built  when  he  first  came  here, 
entirely  by  himself,  with  natural  material.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  did  the  first  job  of  wagon  work  ever  accomplished  in  this 
neighborhood,  and  was  the  first  class  leader  in  the  M.  E.  churchy 
which  was  organized  in  '55,  and  he  still  occupies  that  position.  la 
always  actively  engaged  in  the  educational  work,  and   was  about 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  589' 

the  earliest  medical  practitioner  in  the  neighborhood,  and  in  the 
early  days  ministered  to  the  wants  of  the  afflicted  for  many  miles 
around.  Their  children  are  Charles  R.,  Horace  H.  and  Francis  L., 
the  latter  is  conducting  a  blacksmith  and  wagon  shop  in  the  vil- 
lage in  partnership  with  Horace. 

John  Kolthoff,  farmer,  section  7,  owns  107  acres  of  land  and  Is- 
proprietor  of  the  "Kolthofi  cheese  and  butter  factory,"  which  was 
established  in  the  spring  of  1878;  the  main  building  is  24x40,  two 
stories,  and  an  addition  12x20.  The  manufacturing  room  con- 
tains two  tanks  and  fourteen  presses,  with  a  capacity  for  7000 
pounds  of  milk,  which  is  equal  to  700  pounds  of  cheese  per  day, 
the  average  amo  mt  n.ade  per  day  during  the  season,  which  is 
from  the  middle  of  May  to  the  first  of  December,  is  500  pounda 
per  day.  Between  December  and  May  the  butter  business  is  con- 
ducted, making  about  200  pounds,  of  that  article,  per  day.  The 
necessary  power  for  running  the  machinery  is  obtained  from  an 
engine  and  boiler.  The  shipments  during  six  months,  season  of 
1882,  was  70,000  pounds  of  cheese.  Mr.  Kolthoff,  is  a  native  of 
Prussia,  and  came  to  the  United  States  in  1888;  spent  four  years  in 
McHenry  county  111.,  where  he  learned  his  business.  He  also 
operates  an  extensive  ftirm,  which  is  all  improved  and  under  fence, 
and  well  stocked.  Was  married  in  1878,  in  Illinois,  to  Lena  Elfera, 
and  their  children  are,  George,  Willie,  and  twins,  unnauied. 

R.  B.  Gardner,  farmer,  section  24,  owns  200  acres  of  land;  waa 
born  in  1836  in  Steuben  county,  Pa.,  and  moved  in  his  boyhood 
to  Manchester,  Boone  county.  111.,  where  he  remained  until  he 
was  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  then  went  to  Wisconsin,  and 
about  '56  came  to  Iowa,  and  purchased  land  in  '58,  but  afterwards 
Bold  it.  On  August  15,  '62,  he  enlisted  in  the  thirty-eighth  Iowa. 
volunteer  infantr}'-,  but  was  transferred  at  Dubuque  to  company 
E,  ninth  Iowa  volunteer  infantry,  then  stationed  at  Helena,  Ark.;, 
he  served  with  that  regiment  until  July  28,  '64,  and  he  re-enlisted 
in  the  same  regiment  at  Woodville,  Ala.,  and  remained  till  the 
close  of  the  war,  and  was  mustered  out  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  dis- 
charged at  Davenport,  Iowa,  in  the  fall  of  '65,  having  participated 
in  all  the  battles  in  which  his  regiment  took  part,  and  received  a- 
Bhot  wound  at  Bentonville,  N.  C.  Alter  his  discharge  he  returned 
to  this  place,  and  in  the  fall  of  '76  purchased   his   present   farm^ 


590  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Tvhich  is  thoroughly  improved  with  a  handsome  residence-  and  ele- 
gant groves.  He  keeps  from  forty  to  fifty  head  of  cattle  on  the 
farm,  among  which  are  fine  graded  Durhams.  Was  married  in '57 
in  this  county  to  Elizabeth  Frisdall,  and  they  have  eight  children, 
Ida.  Austin,  Emeline,  Nettie,  Riley,  May,  Katie  and  Clifton.  Is  a 
member  of  J.  V.  Carpenter  post,  G.  A.  R. 

B.  G.  Crofts,  farmer,  section  16,  owns  379  af  land,  also  proprie- 
tor of  Spring  Creek  creamery.  Was  born  in  1831  in  Vermont, 
and  with  his  parents  moved  to  Geauga  county,  Ohio,  where  they 
remained  eight  years,  then  moved  to  Boone  county.  III.  In  '60 
B.  G.  came  to  Iowa,  and  lived  four  years  in  Fayette  county,  and 
then  came  to  where  he  now  resides,  where  he  carries  on  an  exten- 
sive stock  business,  having  about  ninety  head  of  cattle,  and  about 
twelve  horses  and  colts,  besides  other  stock.  The  farm  ia  operat- 
ed by  his  son-in-law,  Wm.  Hackett.  In  March,  '82,  Mr.  C.  estab- 
lished the  creamery,  which  has  proved  itself  a  paying  institution; 
it  is  16x26  feet,  two  stories,  fitted  with  wind  mill  and  horse  pow- 
er, one  churn,  one  vat  and  worker,  and  has  a  capacity  of  making 
500  pounds  of  butter  per  day,  shipping  on  an  averuge  1,800  poundj 
of  butter  per  week.  Mr.  C.  has  served  two  terms  on  the  board  of 
county  supervisors.  Was  married  in  February,  '52,  in  Boone  coun- 
ty, 111.,  to  Susannah  .Stone,  and  their  children  are,  Clara  E.,  El- 
ner  G.,  Mattie,  William  G.  and  Warren.  Is  a  member  of  Fred- 
ricksburg  lodge,  A.  F.  A.  M. 

C.  M.  Stone,  farmer,  P.  O.  Fredericksburg,  owns  320  acres  of 
land;  was  born  at  Sherman.  Cbatauqua  county,  N.  Y.,in'37.  With 
his  father,  he  moved  to  Illinois  in  '43,  and  later  to  Green  county, 
Wis.  In  '54,  after  the  death  of  his  father,  he  came  to  Iowa,  and 
entered  eighty  acres  of  government  land,  which  he  afterwards  sold. 
Was  afterwords  engaged  in  conducting  a  meat  market,  in  Lawlcr, 
for  three  years;  he  then  sold  out,  purchasing  land  in  this  town- 
ship.    This  land  is  all  improved  and  fitted  for  stock  purpoees.  On 

an  average,  he  keeps  eighteen  head  of  horses  and  fifty  head  of  cat- 

le.     Mr.  Stone,  operates  all  the  land   himself,  and   has   filled  the 

office  of  justice  of  the  peace,  for  several  yaars,   and  also,   that  of 

township  trustee.     Was  married  in  'GO,  in  this  township,   to  Elsio 

J.  Fisk,  and  they  have  six  children,  David.!.,  Charles  H.,  Mary  A., 

Willie  B.  and  Ebenezer  I.     Mrs.  Stone  is  also  a   native  of  Nevr 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  591 

York,  and  is  a  daughter  of  J.   G.   Fisk,  of  Utica  township,   this 
county. 

W.  H.  Linderman,  farmer,  section  23,  owns  360  acres  of  land; 
born  in  1824  in  Tompkins  county,  N.  Y.,  and  in  '42  moved  to 
Boone  county,  111.,  and  engaged  in  farming  until  June,  '54,  when 
he  came  to  this  county,  and  purchased  160  acres  of  government 
land.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  this  township  ever  since,  except 
one  year  which  he  spent  in  California,  and  has  resided  seven  years 
in  the  village  of  Fredericksburg.  The  land  is  all  improved  and 
well  fitted  for  stock  purposes,  and  has  a  good  grade  of  Durham 
cattle,  from  forty  to  fifty  head,  and  from  twelve  to  twenty  horses. 
Mr.  L.  has  sers'ed  two  terms  on  the  county  board  of  &upervisoi"S. 
Was  married  in  '47,  in  Illinois,  to  Mrs.  P.  Adams,  and  their  chil- 
dren are,  Merritt,  Fanny,  Frank  and  Edward. 

A.  Knight,  farmer,  owns  340  acres  of  land;  was  born  in  1827,  at 
Rushford,  N.  Y.  In  1862,  he  left  that  state,  and  located  in  Free- 
port,  111.,  where  he  was  engaged  in  farming,  two  years  and  then 
came  to  Iowa  and  purchased  the  home  faim,  at  this  placa,  having 
bought  the  balance  since.  Keeps  from  sixty  to  eighty  head  of 
cattle,  some  of  which  are  full-blood  Durham,  and  nearly  all  high 
grade.  Mr.  K.  was  married,  '65,  in  this  state,  to  Louisa  M.  Wil- 
cox, by  whom  he  has  one  child,  Lydia  May;  he  has  also  three 
coildren,  by  a  former  marriage,  Carrie  C,  Adeline  S.  and  Annie. 

George  Barker,  farmer,  section  36,  owns  600  acres  of  land  ;  was 
born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  in  '20  and  came  to  America  in  '53, 
farming  for  five  years  in  Cook  county.  111.,  then  came  to  this  state 
and  commenced  improving  160  acres  which  he  had  purchased  at 
government  price  some  years  previous,  and  has  purchased  the 
rest  of  land  since,  now  all  improved,  and  constitutes  one  of  the 
finest  tarms  in  the  county,  keeping  from  seventy  to  one  hundred 
bead  of  cattle,  of  good  grade.  Fine  residence  and  barns  ornament 
the  model  farm.  Was  married  in  England  in  '50,  to  Isabella 
Swale,  by  whom  he  has  four  children,  Samuel,  James,  Edward 
and  Isabella. 

E.  W.  Proctor,  farmer,  section  7,  owns  215  acres  of  land;  was 
born  in  '26,  in  Erie  county,  Ohio,  and  in  '56  he  came  to  Iowa  and 
locating  where  he  now  resides,  and  purchased  120  acres,  having 
bought  the  rest  since.  The  land  is  all  well  improved,  and  a  fine 
residence  and  building  adorn  the  place.      Was  married  in  '53,  in 


I 

-592  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Ohio,  to  Sarah  Hamer,  by  whom  he^had  three  children,  only  one, 
Fva,  living.  Mrs.  P.  died  in  71,  and  he  afterwards  married  in  74 
Minerva  Cornell,  of  Fredricksburg  township,  by  whom  he  has 
three  children. 

Jonathan  Jones,  farmer,  section  16,  owns  160  acres;  was  born 
in  '12,  in  Benson,  Vt.,  and  his  parents  moved  in  the  following  year 
to  Pennsylvania,  and  five  year  later  to  Cayuga  county,  N.  Y., 
where  he  remained  until  '36,  then  moved  to  Kendall  county,  111., 
later  moved  to  Lake  county.  111.,  where  he  remained  until  '55, 
when  he  came  to  Iowa  and  settled  where  he  now  resides.  His 
land  is  all  improved,  and  well  fitted  and  stocked,  with  cattle, 
•eheep,  horses,  etc.  Was  married  in  '33,  in  New  York  to  Miss 
Reed;  five  daughters  and  three  sons  now  living.  Mrs.  J.  died  in 
'62,  annd  he  was  again  married  in  this  ceunty  to  Mrs.  Brown 
(nee  Campbell)  by  whom  he  has  one  daughter. 

E.  A.  Churchill,  farmer,  section  26,  owns  80  acres  of  land;  was 
born  in  Westerford,  Chittenden  county,  Vt.  When  about  twenty 
years  of  age,  he  moved  to  Sandusky  county,  Ohio,  where  he  re- 
mained five  years,  railroading,  and  then  moved  to  Belvidere,  111., 
Boone  county,  remaining  two  years,  when  he  came  to  Iowa,  set- 
tling in  Bremer  county,  in  '55,  taking  up  government  land.  In  Au- 
gust, '62,  he  enlisted  in  companj'-  B,  Fourteenth  Iowa  regiment, 
at  Waverly,  served  two  and  a  half  years,  and  was  discharged  at 
Davenport,  in  November,  '64.  Removed  to  this  county  in  '68, 
and  bought  the  land  he  now  owns  but  did  not  move  on  it  for  two 
years,  renting  land  near  Fredericksburg.  Was  married  in  Bremer 
county,  in  '57,  to  Lucy  Watkins,  and  they  have  four  children, 
Albert,  Henry,  Henrietta  and  Mary.  Mr.  C.  is  a  member  of  the 
G.  A.  R.  post  at  Fredericksburg. 

O.  Burnham,  farmer,  section  25,  owns  260  acres  of  land;  was 
born  in  '32,  in  Orleans  county,  N.  Y.,  and  in  the  spring  of  '55  he 
came  to  Iowa,  locating  where  he  now  resides,  and  obtained  eighty 
acres  from  the  government,  the  rest  he  has  since  purchased.  The 
land  is  well  improved  and  thoroughly  fitted  as  a  stock  and  dairy 
farm.  A  fine  residence,  barns,  groves  and  gardens  beautify  this 
model  home.  Was  married  in  '54,  in  New  York,  to  Nancy  Ann 
Day,  by  whom  he  has  two  children,  Alida  and  Alma.  He  is  a 
member  of  A.  F,  A.  M. 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  593 

John  Howard  Sr.,  farmer,  section  30,  owns  280  acres  of  land; 
was  born  in  Devonshire,  England,  in  '12,  and  was  engaged  there 
at  farm  labor  until  '50,  when  he  came  to  the  United  States,  and 
settled  in  Huron  county,  Ohio.  Came  to  Iowa  in  February,  '55, 
settling  in  Fayette  county,  and  in  November,  '56,  moved  to  this 
county,  where  he  entered  120  acres  of  land  from  the  government. 
He  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  as  well  as  most  thorough  farmers 
in  the  township,  and  his  farm  is  truly  a  model  one,  being  fitted  in 
the  best  manner  for  stock  and  dairy  purposes,  and  is  stocked  with 
about  forty  head  of  cattle  and  six  horses,  Was  married  in  Eng- 
land, July  12,  '40,  to  Sarah  Heal,  and  they  have  four  children, 
John,   George,  Ellen  and  James. 

John  Ward,  farmer  and  blacksmith,  section  21;  was  born  in 
Huntingdonshire,  England,  in  '45,  and  his  parents  brought  him  to 
the  United  States  in  his  childhood,  and  settled  in  Linn,  Wis., 
where  he  resided  five  years,  and  then  went  to  McHenry  county, 
111.,  whei'e  he  learned  his  trade,  and  in  the  fall  of  '72  he  came  to 
Iowa  and  commenced  farming,  and  established  business.  Was 
married  in  '72  in  Wisconsin,  to  Miss  Warren,  and  have  two  chil- 
dren. 

F.  Burmaster,  farmer,  section  30,  owns  440  acres  of  land;  was 
born  in  Mecklenburg,  Swerene,  Germany,  April  23,  '22,  he  was  en- 
gaged in  driving  stage  in  the  old  country  for  eleven  years,  and 
came  to  the  United  States  in  June,  '51,  first  locating  in  Milwaukee, 
where  he  remained  about  four  years,  then  went  to  Freeport,  Stev- 
ens county,  111.,  where  he  remained  two  years.  In  '57  he  came  to 
Iowa  and  pre-empted  land,  and  in  May  of  the  same  year  he  pur- 
chased 160  acres  in  section  30,  eighty  acres  of  which  he  has  since 
sold.  The  land  is  now  all  improved  and  under  fence,  and  well 
fitted  as  a  stock  farm,  He  keeps  about  eighty  head  of  cattle  on 
the  farm,  and  uses  four  teams.  Was  married  in  '50  in  Germany 
to  Dora  Chabl,  and  they  have  three  children,  Charley,  Albert  and 
Willie. 

James  Stephens,  farmer,  section  10,  owns  160  acres  of  land;  was 
born  in  '26  in  Scotland,  and  was  raised  a  farmer.  In  '50  he  came 
to  the  Unitei  States,  stopping  in  Winnebago  county,  ten  years, 
and  then  came  to  Iowa,  and  purchased  land  of  the  government. 
In  '60  he  permanently  located;  the  land  is  now  all  improved  and 


694  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

fenced,an(l  fitted  in  a  first-class  manner  as  a  stock  and  dairy  farm; 
keeping  about  thirty  head  of  cattle.*  He  has  filled  the  office  of 
Bchool  treasurer  about  eight  year3,  since  the  organization  of  the  in- 
dependent school  district.  Was  married  in  '56,  in  Illinois,  to  El- 
len Radford,  and  they  have  three  children,  Mary,  Willie  and 
George. 

J.  E.  Hagerty,  farmer,  section  9,  owns  120  acres  of  land;  was 
born  in  Miami  county,  Ohio,  in  1829.  In  his  infancy  his  parents 
moved  to  Pennsylvania,  where  he  lived  with  his  grandparents  un- 
til he  was  about  twelve  years  old,  when  he  moved  to  Ohio,  and 
later  to  Indiana.  In  -62,  he  enlisted,  in  Grant  county,  Wisconsin, 
in  company  D,  Thirtj'^-third  Wis.  infantry,  and  served  three  years, 
and  was  discharged  at  Madison,  Wis.,  in  '65,  having  participated 
with  his  regiment  in  the  battles  at  Nashville,  Spanish  Fort,  Fort 
Blakeley  and  Red  river;  he  was  slightly  wounded  by  a  minie  ball, 
at  Vicksburg.  In  '66  he  came  to  Iowa,  and  purchasing  land,  has 
eince  lived  here  and  improved  his  farm,  which  is  fitted  io"v  stock 
purposes,  with  a  herd  of  twenty  head  of  cattle  and  three  horses. 
Was  married  in  April,  '68,  in  this  county,  to  Miss  Holcomb,  and 
their  children  are.  May,  Jane  and  Nellie.  Mr.  H.  is  a  member  of 
the  G.  A.  R.  post,  at  Fredericksburg. 

Allen  Simons,  farmer,  section  30,  owns  160  acres  of  land;  was 
born  in  Berkshire  count}',  Mass.,  in  '26,  and  was  raised  on  a  farm. 
In  '48,  he  moved  to  Connecticut,  and  engaged  in  blacksmithing. 
But,  in  '55,  he  came  to  Iowa,  and  purchased  160  acres  of  land,  of 
the  government,  about  seventy  acres  of  which  is  under  plough, 
and  all  is  well  fenced  and  fitted  for  stock  and  dairy  purposes,  he 
having,  on  an  average,  thirty -five  head  of  cattle  and  five  horses. 
Was  married  in  January,  '53,  in  Connecticut,  to  Jane  Struble,  and 
their  five  children  are  named,  Hattie,  Edwin,  Vinnal  Wilbur  and 
Mar3\ 

Charles  Lathrop,  farmer,  section  18,  owns  eighty  acres  of  land,' 
was  born  in  July,  1818,  at  Granby,  Mass.,  Avhere  he  worked  in  a 
factory  and  paper  mill.  In  the  spring  of  '62  he  moved  to  La- 
Salle  county,  111.,  and  in  '66  came  to  Iowa,  and  purchased  the 
land  he  now  owns.  It  is  thoroughly  improved,  and  fitted  for  a 
stock  and  dairy  farm.  Was  married  in  August,  '54,  at  West 
Springfield,  Mass.,  to  Susan  Hutchinson,  and  their  children  are, 
Lucinda,  Charles  M.  and  Henry. 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    B10GKAPH1E8.  695 

» 

John  Kerssen,  fanner,  section  17,  owns  eeventy  ucres  of  land; 
was  born  in  '52  in  Germany,  where  he  was  raised  on  a  farm,  ;ind 
engaged  also  at  brick  making.  In  the  Bpring  of  '68  became  totlie 
United  States,  settling  at  Kenosha,  Wis.,  and  engaged  at  farm  la- 
bor. In  March,  77,  he  came  to  Iowa  and  settleil  on  land  that  he 
had  pvirchased  three  years  previous.  Was  married  in  '77  toEliza- 
betli  Toynton,  and  they  have  three  children,  Herman,  Henrj'  and 
Katie. 

W,  W.  Pike,  farmer,  section  7,  P.  O.  W'illiamstown.  owns  125 
acres  of  land;  was  born  at  North  Adams,  Mass.,  in  '25.  Came  to 
loAva  in  '55,  locating  where  he  now  resides;  he  ]jurcbasing  part  of 
hie  land  of  the  government.  The  land  is  all  thoroughly  improv- 
and  fitted  for  stock  and  dairy  purposes.  Was  married  in  Massa- 
chusetts, in  '53,  to  Emily  Hutchinson,  and  their  two  children  are 
Ella  and  Nettie. 

J.  B.  Lihderman,  farmer,  section  2,  owns  ninety  acres  of  land; 
was  born  in  '30,  in  Tom})kins  county,  N.  Y.,  and  he  came  to  Iowa 
in  '62,  and  located  where  he  now  resides;  his  land  is  well  improv- 
ed, and  under  cultivation.  Was  iiiarried  in '51,  in  Illinois,  to 
Mrs.  Mary  Large,  and  their  three  children  are  Herbert,  Nellie  and 
Minnie. 


-596  CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BTOGRAPHIES. 


FREDERICKSBURG  TOWNSHIP. 


John  Waggoner,  farmer,  section,  14,  P.  0.  Fredericksburg,  owns 
eighty  acres  of  land,  valued  at  S20  perac^e;  was  born  in  Germany 
in  '45,  and  is  the  eldest  son  of  Thomas  ;md  Mary  Waggoner.  At 
the  age  of  three  his  parents  immigrated  to  America,  and  engaged 
in  farming  in  Wisconsin.  Mr.  W.  remained  in  that  state  until  '70, 
when  he  removed  to  Chickasaw  county,  and  with  the  exception  of 
two  years  spent  in  Bremer  county,  has  made  it  his  home.  Was 
married  to  Euphelia  Ifallett,  in  '6o,  by  whom  he  had  one  child, 
William  E.  His  wife  died  in  the  spring  of '67.  and  in  '70  he  was 
married  to  Almira  .Mower,  a  native  of  Wisconsin.  She  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  mem- 
•ber  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  of  the  G.  A.  R.  Enlisted  in  '62 
in  the  twenty-third,  Wisconsin,  volunteer  infantry,  under  Colon?l 
Guppy.  Participated  in  the  seige  of  Vicksburg,  Arkahsns  Post 
and  Kangaroo  Bayou,  at  the  latter  of  which  he  was  taken  i)rison- 
er,  and  remained  in  durance  vile  four    weary    months,   before   he 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  597 

was  exchanged.  Afterwards  he  went  through  Texas,  accompany- 
ing the  expedition  up  Red  River,  and  was  at  the  battle  of  Pleasant 
Hill  and  Kane  River,  and  was  finally  discharged  at  Mobile,  Ala., 
in  '65,  after  participating  in  the  battles  of  Ft.  Morgan,  Ft.  Blakely 
and  Spanish  Fort. 

Peter  Case,  postmaster,  Fredericksburg;  was  born  in  Somerset 
county,  N.  J.,  in  '26.  While  he  was  yet  an  infant,  his  parents 
moved  to  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  where  he  grew  to  manhood.  In  '51, 
he  immigrated  to  the  state  of  Wisconsin,  and  locating  in  Dodge 
county,  resided  there  for  four  years.  From  thence,  in  '55.  he  re- 
moved to  this  count}'^,  and  settled  in  this  township  until  '61,  when 
he  moved  into  the  village,  and  was  appointed  postmaster  the  same 
year,  a  position  which  he  still  retains.  He  was  raised  a  farmer, 
which  occupation  he  followed  until  his  1-emoval  to  the  village. 
Mr.  C.  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  lose  a  limb,  in  his  early  manhood 
by  a  white  swelling.  He.  has  been  town  clerk  for  twenty-four 
years,  and  is  a  stanch  republican  in  politics.  Was  married  in  '61, 
to  Amy  Jeannette  Eager,  a  native  of  Oneida  county,  N.  Y.,  and 
the  have  two  children,  named,  Helena  Josephine  and  Florence 
Ijibbie. 

J.  K.  Cornell,  farmer,  section  14,  P..  0.  Fredericksburg,  owns  165 
acrco  of  land,  valued  at  $35  per  acre;  was  born  in  Canada  West  in 
'22,  and  is  the  second  son  of  Moses  and  Mary  Cornell.  When  he 
was  twenty-nine  j^ears  old  he  left  Canada,  and  settled  in  Boone 
€0urt3%  111.,  and  lived  there  until  '61,  when  he  moved  to  Delaware 
county,  Iowa,  where  he  remained  until    '59,    when    he    came    to 

Chickasaw  county,  and  since  been  a  resident  here.      Was   married 

in  '42  to  Sallie  Paj'^son,  a  native  of   New    York,    and    they    have 

eleven  children,  Minerva  H.,  Mary  E.,  James  B.,  Martha  A.,   Har- 

riette  T.,  Melissa  A.,  Sarah,  Eva  and  Efiie   E.,  twins,   Bertha  and 

William.     They  have  lost  four  children,  Moses,  Emma,  Orran  and 

Orion,  twins. 

Charles  Mabie,  farmer,  section  21,  P.  0.  Fredericksburg,  owns 
200  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  '28  in  New 
York  state,  and  is  the  oldest  son  of  Aaron  and  Amy  Mabie.  When 
he  was  ten  years  old  his  parents  removed   to   Pennsylvania,  and 


598  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

after  a  stay  of  four  years  came  west  to  Boone  county,  111.,  where 
they  lived  twenty-one  years.  From  there  they  went  to  Bremer 
county,  Iowa,  then  to  Chickasaw  county,  where  he  remained  eight 
years.  In  71  he  made  his  permanent  settlement  where  he  now 
resides.  Was  married  in  '53  to  Elmira.  Cangdon,  a  native  of  New 
York  state,  and  they  have  two  children,  Ida  L.  and  J.  L.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  has  been  justice  of  the  peace  for  Fredericks- 
burg township  four  years.  He  and  his  family  are  members  of  the 
Baptist  church. 

R.  W.  Kidder,  farmer,  section  17,  P.  0.  Fredericksburg,,  owns 
240  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Vermont  in 
'33,  and  is  the  second  son  of  George  F.  and  Clarissa  Kidder.  When 
he  was  five  years  old  his  parents  moved  west  to  Cook  county,  111.^ 
where  he  lived  until  he  was  twenty-five  year;  of  age,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Chickasaw  county,  Iowa,  and  has  been  a  resident  of  the 
county  since.  Was  married  in  '60  to  Hannah  Marsh,  a  native  of 
of  Ohio,  lind  they  have  five  children,  Edwin  G.,  Alice  M.,  Samuel 
M.,  Kitty  J.  and  Ralph  W.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  held 
the  office  of  township  assessor  lor  five  years.  In  '62  he  enlisted  in 
the  thirty-eighth  Iowa  volunteer  infantry,  Col.  Hughes  command- 
ing, and  participated  in  the  seige  of  Vicksburg,  and  was  finally 
discharged  at  Houston,  Texas,  in  '65. 

John  S.  Buck,  farmer,  section  7,  P.  O.  and  residence  Fredericks- 
burg, owns  1482  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $30  per  acre;  was  born  in 
Washington  county,  N.  Y.,  in  '28,  and  is  the  eldest  son  of  Anson 
and  Maria  Buck.  When  he  was  eight  years  old  his  parents  re- 
moved  to  Oswego  county,  N.  Y.,  and  remained  until  he  was  nine 
years  of  age,  when  they  moved  to  Kane,  county,  111.,  where  he 
lived  until '75,  when  he  removed  to  Chickasaw  county,  where  he 
has  resided  ever  since.  Was  married  in  '74  to'  Frances  Benthuy- 
een,  a  native  of  Illinois,  and  they  have  two  children,  Anson  H. 
and  Sarah  M.  Mr.  B.  also  has  a  married  daughter  residing  in 
Illinois. 

J.  H.  Benedict,  farmer,  section  12,  Fredericksburg,  owns  240 
acres  of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  '40,  in  the  state 
of  New  York,  and  is  the  fourth  son  of  Hiram  and  Sallie  Benedict. 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  599 

When  fifteen  years  old  he  came  west  with  his  parents  and  settled 
in  Fredericksburg,  Chickasaw  county,  Iowa,  and  has  been  a  resi- 
dent since.  Was  married  in  '68  to  Elinor  Lyman,  a  native  of  Ne\r 
York,  and  they  have  two  children,  Winnie  J,  and  William  H. 
Mr.  Benedict  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  has  served  a3 
township  collector  one  term. 

J.  H.  Herrick,  farmer,  section  2,  P.  0.  Fredericksburg,  owns  245 
acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25,  per  acre;  was  born  in  the  state  of  New 
York,  in  '27,  and  is  the  second  son  of  Leonard  and  Sarah  Herrick. 
In  '65  he  left  New  York,  and  settled  on  the  place  where  he  now 
resides.  He  was  married  in  '48  to  Elizabeth  Eldrett,  a  native  of 
England,  and  they  have  four  children,  John  D.,  Anna  A.,  William 
G.  and  George  B.  They  have  also  an  adopted  daughter,  Anna  B. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Bap- 
tist churgh. 

John  B.  Clark,  farmer,  section  4,  P.  O.  Fredericksburg,  owns  160 
acres  of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Scotland,  in  1837, 
and  is  the  only  son  of  Robert  and  Susan  Clark.  When  he  was  19 
years  old  he  left  Scotland  and  came  to  America  and  settled  in 
Illinois,  near  Chicago,  living  there  five  years,  and  in  1861  removed 
to  Missouri  where  he  remained  until  1864,  when  he  returned  to 
Illinois  and  stayed  till  1869;  and  in  that  year  removed  to  Iowa 
and  has  been  a  resident  since.  He  was  married  in  1858  to  Jane 
Harrington,  a  native  of  England,  and  has  nine  children:  Robert 
L.,  David  B.,  John  H.,  Horace  G.,  Susan  J.,  Anna,  Alfred  T., 
Ernest  and  Jennie.  Mr.  Clark  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, and  his  wife  and  himself  are  both  members  of  the  M.  E. 
Church.  Mr.  Clark  served  one  year  in  the  home  guard  in  Missouri 
and  two  years  in  the  9th  Missouri  Cavalry,  participating  in  the 
battles  of  Hartsville  and  Grand  River,  and  was  finally  discharged 
at  St.  Louis,  in  1864. 

Milo  L.  Sherman,  dealer  in  general  merchandise,  business  es- 
tablished in  1868;  was  born  in  Kane  county.  111.,  in  1839,  Sept.  2d, 
where  he  lived  on  a  farm  with  his  parents  until  1861,  when  he  en- 
listed as  a  private  in  company  'I,'  52d  Illinois  Infantry.  He  was 
severely  wounded  in  October,  1862,  and  promoted  to  a  non-com- 
missioned office  and  was   discharged  in  1864.     Re-enlisted  as  a 


600  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

veteran  and  was  again  discharged,  at  Chicago,  March  23,  1865,  and 
returned  to  his  home,  near  Elgin,  where  he  taught  school  one  term 
and  then  came  to  Fredericksburg,  in  October  '65,  engaging  as  a 
clerk  with  Haskett  and  Sherman.  Continued  with  them,  until 
February,  '68,  when  he  engaged  in  business  for  himself,  on  a  small 
scale,  from  which  he  has  continually  increased  to  its  present  di- 
mension. In  October,  '61,  he  was  married  to  Maria  Buck,  also  a 
native  of  Kane  county.  111.,  and  has  one  child  whose  name  is 
Clarence  H. 

L.  F.  Howe,  proprietor  of  the  hotel  and  farmer,  was  born  in 
Lorraine  county,  Ohio,  in  1824,- where  he  resided  until  '53,  when 
he  removed  to  Boone  county  111. ;  from  thence  in  '57,  went  to 
Owatonna,  Minnesota,  which  place  he  made  his  home  for  eleven 
years.  In  '68,  he  came  to  this  town;  and  in  '79  he  took  charge  of 
the  present  hotel.  Enlisted  in  March,  '65,  i  i  company  'E'  First 
Minnesota  Infantry  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  In  '49 
he  married  Mary  Tisdale,  who  was  born  in  Cattaraugus  county,  N. 
Y»  and  has  six  children:*  Agnes,  Ella,  Lillian,  Frank,  Minnie  and 
Hattie,  He  has  been  a  carpenter  and  builder  as  well  as  a  farmer, 
and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  Owatonna,  and  was  engaged  in 
building  most  of  the  time  while  there. 

L.  Padden,  farmer  and  proprietor  of  the  Creamery,  owns  500 
acres  of  land,  wliich  is  valued  at  S25  per  acre.  He  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  in  '46.  In  his  infancy,  he  removed,  with  his  par- 
ents, to  Astabula  county,  Ohio,  and  when  he  was  nine  years  of  age, 
came  to  this  county  with  liis  mother,  locating  in  this  township^ 
where  he  has  since  remained,  engaged  in  faiming,  general  merchan- 
dise and  various  other  businesses.  In  February,  '64,  he  enlisted 
in  company  'F,'  9th  Iowa  Infantry  and  served  some  eighteen 
months,  participating  in  several  battles,  and  marched  with  Sher- 
man, in  his  march  to  the  sea,  which  was  a  continual  skirmish. 
He  married  Clara  Tisdale,  a  native  of  Iowa,  and  they  have  four 
children:  Johnnie,  Nellie,  Harry  and  an  infant.  Mr.  Padden  is  a 
staunch  Republican  in  politics. 

G.  W.  Bolton,  dealer  in  hardware,  stoves  and  tinware,  which 
business  he  established  in  '78;  was  born  in  Troy,  Rensselaer 
county,  N.  Y.,  in  '51,  where  he  remained  until'  61,  when  he  came 


<:hioka8aw  county    bioguaphiks.  601 

west  with  his  parents,  and  settled  in  this  county.  He  came  to  the 
vilhige  of  Fredericksburg  in  76.  His  early  life  was  spent  on  a 
farm  and  in  learning  the  trade  of  tinner,  which  latter  business  he 
followed  until  he  engaged  in  his  present  business.  In  75  he  was 
married  to  Alice  L.  Hale,  a  native  of  Bremer  county,  this  state, 
and  they  have  two  children,  Lida  May  and  Hale. 

John  Morf,.  farmer,  section  24,  P.  O.  Kidgefield,  owns  160  acres 
of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Switzerland,  in  '48, 
and  is  the  fourth  son  of  Henry  and  Margeretta  Morf.  When  he 
was  twenty-five  years  old  he  left  the  old  country  and  came  to 
America,  settling  in  Stapleton  township,  this  county,  where  he 
lived  four  years,  and  then  removed  to  this  township,  and  has  been 
a  resident  ever  since.  He  was  married,  in  74,  to  Lena  Weber 
also  a  native  of  Switzerland,  and  they  have  four  children,  J,  H., 
George,  .Rudolph  and  Leonza.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of 
the  Congregational  church. 

Eldridge  L.  (jilbert,  l"armer,section  7,  P.  O.  Fredericksburg,  owns 
80  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $20  per  acre;  was  born  in  Lock  county, 
Wis.,  in  184J,and  is  the  eldest  son  of  Lovell  R.  and  Clarissa 
Gilbert.  When  15  years  old  he  left  Wisconsin  and  settled  in 
Clayton  county,  Iowa,  where  he  resided  fourteen  years,  then  came 
to  Chickysaw  county,  and  has  lived  there  since.  He  was  married 
in  '57  to  Rebecca  M.  Bishop  and  has  three  children:  Louie,  Lovell 
R.  and  Walter  B. 

Wm.  J,  Colt,  I'armer,  section  28,  P.  O.  Fredericksburg,  owns  440 
acres  of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre.  Was  born  in  New  York  in 
'31.  He  is  the  second  son  of  Wm.  J.  jind  Elizabeth  S.  Cult.  Wlien 
he  was  21  years  old  he  left  N.  Y.  and  came  to  Walworth  county, 
Wis.,  where  he  remained  one  year.  Then,  in  '58,  he  removed  to 
Belvidere,  HI.,  remained  there  one  year,  and  removed  to  DeKalb 
county,  111.,  and  staid  till  '63.  From  there  he  went  to  Franklin 
county,  Iowa,  remained  two  years,  then  went  to  Nashua,  staid  four 
years,  and  in  '69  came  to  Fredericksburg  township  of  which  he 
has  since  been  a  resident.     Worked  as  a   carriiigx-  maker    until   he 

came  to  the'I>urg.'  He  was  first  married  in  '56  to  Lucy  Armstrong, 

of  New  York.     They  had  three  children:    Henry  B.,  Herman  and 

Wm.  J.     His  wife  died   in    '66,  and   in  '67  he   married   Margaret. 


602  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Mahona,  vrho  died  in  '69.  lu  February,  70,  he  married  Rhoda 
Martin,  a  native  of  Canada.  They  have  two  children:  Loretta  U. 
C,  Arel  E.  Mr.  Colt  has  been  school  director  and  treasurer  for 
ten  years;  also  township  trustee.  Has  been  a  member  of  the 
'  Baptist  church  for  twenty  years. 

Patrick  Harvey,  farmer,  section  32,  P.  O.  Fredericksburg,  owns 
240  acres  of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Ireland  in 
'32,  and  is  the  youngest  son  of  Patrick  and  Mary  Harvey.  When 
he  was  sixteen  years  old  he  came  to  America  and  settled  in  West- 
chester county,  N.  Y.,  where  he  learned  the  trade  of  hatter.  Re- 
mained there  8  years  and  in  '58^  removed  to  Bremer  county,  Iowa, 
of  which  place  he  waB  a  resident  until  '72,  when  he  came  to 
Chickasaw  county,  and  located  on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives,  in 
Fredericksburg  township.  He  was  married  in  '58,  to  Mary  Lacy, 
a  native,  also,  of  Ireland,  and  has  nine  children:  John  L.,  Patrick 
F.,  Catherine  J-,  Mary  A.,  Pierce.,  Joseph  E.,  Benedict,  Rosanna 
and  William.  Mr.  Harvey  has  been  town  trustee  and  school 
treasurer.  He  and  family  are  all  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church. 

Patrick  Nolan,  farmer,  section  34,  P.  O.  Fredericksburg,  owna 
480  acres  of  land  valued  at  $15  per  acre;  was  born  in  Ireland  in 
1820  and  is  the  eldest  son  of  Wm.  and  Bridget  Nolan.  When  22 
years  old,  he  left  Ireland  and  came  to  America  and  located  in  N. 
Y.  in  '43.  Remained  there  and  in  Pennsylvania  and  Vermont  fif- 
teen years,  working  at  the  trade  of  founder  and  moulder,  and  in 
'59  came  west  to  Iowa  and  located  in  Stapleton  township,  Chicka- 
saw county,  where  he  lived  until  '82,  when  he  removed  to  Fred- 
ericksburg, locating  on  the  farm  he  now  resides  on.  He  was  married 
in  '51,  to  Elizabeth  Armstrong,  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  has  nine 
children:  William,  Catharine,  James,  Francis,  Alice,  Thomas, 
Stephen,  Maria  and  Peter.  He  has  been  school  director,  road 
supervisor  and  town  treasurer.  The  family  are  all  members  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  Mr.  Nolan  is  also  the  owner  of  220 
acres  of  land  in  section  31,  Stapleton  township,  valued  at  $20  per 
acre. 

Wm.  A.  Robinson,  farmer,  section  33,  P.  0.  Sumner,  owns  120 
acres  of  land,  valued  at  $27  per  acre;  was  born  in  Rochester,  N. 
Y.,  in  1853,  and  is  the  eldest  son  of  Benjamin  and  Mary  Robinson. 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  603 

When  he  was  very  young,  his  parents  left  New  York  and  came 
west  to  Illinois,  where  he  lived  until  he  was  nine  years  old,  when 
they  removed  to  Bremer  county,  Iowa,  and  remained  there  till  '77, 
when  he  removed  to  Chickasaw  county,  and  located  on  the  farm 
where  he  now  lives.  He  was  married  in  77,  to  Eleanor  Dawson,  a 
native  of  England  and  they  have  one  child:  Frank  R.  Mr.  Rob- 
inson is  a  member  of  the  A.  0.  U.  W. 

John  H.  Ellison,  farmer,  section  8,  P.  0.  Fredericksburg,  owns 
160  acres  of  land  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Indiana,  in 
'44,  and  is  the  second  son  of  Darius  and  Hannah  Ellison.  When 
he  was  twelve  years  old  he  left  Indiana  and  settled  in  Minnesota, 
where  he  remained  until  '67,  when  he  removed  to  Iowa  and  settled 
in  Chickasaw  county,  where  he  has  since  resided.  Was  married 
in  '70,  to  Rinda  Eager.  They  have  two  children:  Irving  and 
Lillian.  Ehlisted  in  '64  in  the  11th  Minnesota  Vol.  Infantry; 
Colonel  G'ilfillan.  Was  discharged  in '65  at  Gallatin,  Tenn."  Mr. 
Ellison  is  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R. 

J.  M.  Ferris,  farmer,  section  6,  P.  0.  Fredericksburg,  owns  140 
acres  of  land  valued  at  $30  per  acre.  Was  born  in  Chenango 
county,  N.  Y.  in  '23.  Is  the  oldest  son  of  Benjamin  and  Lydia 
Ferris.  He  left  N.  Y.  when  he  was  33  years  old,  and  came  to 
Chickasaw  county,  Iowa,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  was 
married  iri  '54  to  Miranda  M.  Fish,  of  New  York.  They  have 
three  children:  Frankie  L.,  Flora  C.  and  Arthur  F.  He  has  held 
the  office  of  J.  P. 

Thomas  Trewin,  farmer,  section  2,  P.  0.  Lawler,  owns  160  acres 
valued  at  $25  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  England  in  '42,  and  is 
the  eldest  son  of  Henry  and  Mary  A.  Trewin.  When  eight  years 
old  he  left  England,  with  his  parents,  and  came  to  America  and 
located  in  Illinois,  where  he  remained  until  '72,  when  he  came  to 
Iowa  and  settled  in  Chickasaw  county,  of  which  place  he  has  been 
a  resident  since.  Was  married  in  '72  to  Martha  Cornell,  a  native 
of  Canada,  and  has  5  children:  Ada  A.,  Ervin,  Guy,  Earl  and 
Howard.  Mr.  Trewin  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  and  I.  0.  0.  F. 
orders. 

R.  L.  Schoonover,  farmer,  section  23,  P.  0.  Fredericksburg,  owns 
160  acres  of  land;  was  born  in  Indiana,  in  1843,  and  is  the  fourth 


604 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 


son  of  John  and  Mary  Schoonover.  When  he  was  three  years  of 
age,  his  parents  moved  to  Jetferson  county,  Wis.,  where  he  resid- 
ed twenty-six  years,  but  in  1871,  he  removed  to  Iowa,  and  located 
near  Frank ville,  Winnesheik  county.  He  remained  here  some 
four  years  and  then  removed  to  Chickasaw  county.  He  was  mar 
ried,  in  1869,  to  Cleopha  Weston,  a  native  of  New  York,  and  they 
have  five  children,  Etta  E.,  Mary  M.,  Da-\dd  E.,  Clara  B.  and 
John  G. 


mm^ 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  605 


DAYTON  TOWNSHIP. 


Hon.  James  F.  Babcock,  section  12,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns 
350  acres  land  valued  at  $40  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  Stuben 
■  county,  Ohio,  in  '33.  When  he  was  two  years  of  age  his  parents 
removed  to  Lake  county,  Ohio,  where  young  James  grew  to  man- 
hood, being  raised  on  a  farm  and  receiving  his  education  at  the 
common  schools.  When  he  reached  his  21st  birthday  he  started 
west  and  his  first  location  was  in  Fayette  county  where  he  engaged 
in  farming  for  a  period  of  12  years;  two  years  of  which  time  he 
was  sheriff  of  that  county  and  for  a  number  of  years  was  United 
States  Provost  Martial  for  this  district.  In  '66  he  came  to  New 
Hampton  and  opened  the  Pioneer  Drug  Store  of  this  place  and 
conducted  the  same  until  77  when  he  sold  out  and  purchased  the 
farm  upon  which  he  now  resides.  Mr.  Babcock  is  an  extensive 
breeder  of  Holstein  cattle  and  Hambletonian  horses  and  may  be 
said  to  be  one  of  the  most  successful  farmers  of  Chickasaw  county 
Although  not  an  office  seeker   Mr.  B.  has  been   chosen  to  fill  the 


606  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

position  of  Representative  in  the  State  Legislature — has  been  a 
member  of  the  county  board  and  was  the  first  Mayor  of  New 
Hampton.  He  was  married  to  Mary  L.  Robinson,  a  native  of 
Susquehanna  county,  Penn.,  and  they  have  three  children:  Harris 
B.,  James  F.  and  Mary  L. 

William  H.  Cook,  farmer,  section  33,  township  of  Dayton, 
Chickasaw  county,  Iowa,  owns  80  acres  of  land,  43  of  which  are 
under  cultivation.  Mr.  Cook  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  '31.  In 
'66  he  came  west  and  located  on  sections  30  and  31  in  this  county. 
In  '76  he  moved  onto  his  j^resent  loc.ition.  During  the  war  of 
the  Rebellion  Mr.  Cook  served  his  country  in  the  58th  Pennsylva- 
nia Volunteer  Infantry,  where  he  held  a  commission  as  orderly 
sergeant.  Was  enlisted  April  16th,  '61  and  was  honorably  dis- 
charged January  24th,  '66.  He  is  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R.,  and 
in  politics  he  figures  with  the  Republican  party.  He  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Susan  Shank,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  They 
have  a  family  of  three  children:  John  S.,  Samuel  E.  and  a  mar- 
ried daughter  named  Mrs.  Mary  Smith.  They  have  lost  one  son 
by  death,  Wm.  H.  Jr.,  who  died  at  Bismark,  Dakota,  May  30th, 
1883. 

L.  B.  Davison,  section  11,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns  320  acres 
land,  valued  at  $30  per  acre.  He  was  born  in  New  York,  in  '37, 
and  came  west  in  '49,  since  which  time  he  has  made  his  home  in 
nine  different  states  and  has  lived  on  his  present  farm  since  '75. 
Married  E.  J.  Annabel  in  '60  and  they  have  nine  children:  Clara,  • 
aged  twenty -two  years,  Mary  J.,  aged  seventeen,  Belle,  aged  four- 
teen. Bertha,  aged  eleven,  C.  W.,  aged  nine,  J.  L.,  aged  six,  Hulda, 
aged  four  and  Nina,  aged  two.  They  have  one  child  by  adoption 
named  Coral  Dickerson,  aged  eleven  years.  Mr.  Davison  has  held 
the  office  of  town  clerk,  member  of  school  board  and  is  consider- 
able of  a  i^olitician. 

John  Mulvyhill,  farmer,  section  15,  owns  133  acres  of  land. 
Born  in  county  Kerry,  Ireland,  went  to  Canada,  in  spring  of  1851 
and  came  to  U.  S.  in  '56,  and  settled  at  this  place,  purchased  the 
land  which  is  now  fitted  for  stock,  and  is  we.l  improved.  In  '54 
he  married  Mary  Murphy,  a  native  of  Canada,  and  their  children 
are:  Daniel,  Johnnie,  Dennis,  Thomas,  James,  William,  Margaret 
and  Mary  Ann. 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  607 

George  Crooks,  farmer,  section  29,  owns  440  acres  of  land,  175 
acres  of  which  is  under  cultivation,  his  farm  is  thoroughly  fitted 
for  stock  raising;  luxuriant  pastures  and  extensive  barns  help  to 
make  it  a  model  farm.  Mr.  C.  makes  a  specialty  of  stocK  raising. 
He  was  born  in  county  Tyrone,  Ireland,  December  12,  '25,  and 
came  to  America  in  '44,  and  located  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he 
remained  until  '56,  when  he  again  moved  west,  this  time  to  Chick- 
asaw county,  and  engaged  in  farming,  with  limited  means,  from 
which  he  has  arisen  to  his  present  prosperous  condition.  In  j^oli- 
tics  he  is  a  republican,  and  has  served  as  township  trustee  several 
years,  which  position  he  is  holding  at  the  present  time  (1883). 
He  was  married  to  Margaret  Smith,  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  they 
have  seven  children,  Jane,  James  H.,  Sarah,  Margaret,  Nettie  and 
George  W. 

Jacob  Hochspeier,  farmer,  section  9,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns 
360  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $20  per  acre;  was  born  in  Germany 
in  '29,  and  is  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  Hockspeier.  The  sub- 
ject of  our  sketch  came*  to  America  in  '49,  and  his  first  location 
was  in  New  York  city,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  of  tailoring 
for  three  and  one-half  years;  in  '52  he  came  west  and  settled  in 
Stephenson  county,  111.,  and  two  years  later  he  came  to  this  county 
and  settled  in  Washington  township;  he  soon  after  returned  to  111., 
and  for  a  number  of  years  was  engaged  in  the  furniture  business. 
In  '60  he  again  returned  to  Chickas'Bw  county,  and  purchased  the 
farm  on  which  he  now  resides.  He  married  Appy  Kehm,  of  Ger- 
many, and  they  have  six  children,  Margaret,  Elizabeth,  Lena, 
Appy,  Jacob  and  Fred.  They  are  all  members  of  the  Evangelical 
church. 

Gerard  Krieger,  farmer,  owns  500  acres  of  land;  was  born  in 
Germany,  in  '22,  where  he  learned  the  trade  of  carpenter,  and 
came  to  the  United  States  in  '47,  and  worked  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.  one 
year,  and  farmed  and  worked  at  his  trade  in  different  parts  of  the 
state  for  the  next  five  years.  Then  he  came  to  Iowa,  and  lived  at 
Davenport,  Scott  county,  five  years,  then  purchased  land  in  that 
county,  living  there  twenty  years;  he  finally  sold  out  there  and 
came  to  this  county,  and  purchased  land.  His  home  farm  in 
Dayton  township  is  thoroughly  improved  and  fitted  for  stock 
farming.  A  fine  residence  and  barn  add  to  the  natural  beauty  of 
the  place.     Two  of  his  sons,  John  and  William,  operate  the   farm 


608  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

in  New  Hampton  township.  Another  son,  Theodore  assisting  his 
father  in  the  management  of  the  home  farm.  Mr.  K.  was  married 
in  Missouri  to  Mary  Ann  Brus,  and  their  children  are  John  T., 
William,  Theodore  A.  and  Elizabeth  A, 

Mathias  Miller,  farmer,  section  5,  owns  eighty  acres  of  land; 
was  born  in  Germany  in  1830,  and  came  to  the  United  States  in 
'52,  settling  first  in  Ohio,  and  came  to  Iowa  in  '69  and  bought 
land  where  he  now  resides,  which  he  has  thoroughly  improved, 
and  fitted  for  the  stock  and  dairy  business.  Married  in  '69  to 
Catherine  Lentz,  and  their  children  are  ^laggie,  Katie,  Mathias, 
Johnnie  and  Henry. 

C.  E.  Dauty,  section  35,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns  120  acres  of 
land,  valued  at  S25  per  acre;  was  born  in  the  state  of  Maine  in  '47 
and  in  '69  he  moved  to  Dodge  county,  Wisconsin,  and  in  '73  came 
to  Iowa,  and  settled  on  his  present  farm.  Mr.  D.  has  been  town- 
ship trustee  for  three  years;  he  married  Almeda  H.  Adams,  also  a 
native  of  Maine,  and  they  have  two  small  childre  n.  Frank  E.  and 
Cora  L. 

H.  H.  Rekers,  farmer,  section  16,  owns  230  acres  of  land;  was 
born  May,  1850,  in  Elgin,  111.,  and  came  to  Iowa  with  his  parents 
in  '55,  in  '70  they  went  to  Black  Hawk  county,  this  state,  and  in 
'81  settled  here,  when  he  purchased  the  land  abova  described, 
which  is  now  well  improved,  and  thoroughly  fitted  as  a  stock  and 
dairy  farm,  situated  on  the  middle  Wapsie  river.  Married  Sarah 
Byrank,  and  they  have  two  children,  Charlej'  and  Ella. 

E.  A.  Sweet,  P.  0.  Ionia,  owns  265  acres  of  land,  valued  at  825 
per  acre;  was  born  in  Fulton  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1830,  and  moved 
to  Dane  county.  Wis.,  in  '57,  where  he  lived  eight  years,  and  from 
which  place  he  emigrated  to  Chickasaw  county.  Married  Sarah 
E.  Kmg,  in  the  state  of  New  York,  and  they  have  six  children, 
Erwin,  John,  Fred,  Pratt,  Blanche  and  Lettie.  Mr.  S.  has  held 
the  office  of  assessor,  road  supervisor  and  township  trustee  for 
many  years. 

J.  \V.  Snyder,  section  24,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns  180  acres 
of  land,  valued  at  830  per  acre;  was  born  in  Center  county,  Penn., 
in  1847,  when  seven  years  of  age  he  removed  with  his  parents  to 
Stephenson  county.  111.,  where  he  remained  until  "70,  when  he 
came  to  Iowa,  and  soon  after  located  on  his    present   farm.      Was 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  609 

married  to  Mary  Lichtenvvalner  of  Pennsylvania,  and  they  have 
four  children,  John  P.,  Nellie  E.,  Percy  J.  and  Sarah  G.  Mr.  S. 
enlisted  in  company  K,  sixteenth  Wisconsin  volunteer  infantry ,in 
'64;  and  served  two  years.  Was  in  the  battles  of  Kenasaw  moun- 
tain, Atlanta,  and  a  number  of  skirmishes;  he  has  been  township 
trustee  three  years. 

Geo.  McCaughey,  section  23,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns  200 
acres  of  land,  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Stark  county, 
Ohio,  in  1821,  and  is  a  son  of  Robert  and  Mary  McCaughey.  In 
'51  he  left  Stark  county,  and  came  west  to  Green  county,  Wis.,  re- 
maining there  until  '63  when  he  removed  to  this  county,  locating 
on  his  present  farm  in  '68.  Mr.  C.  has  been  a  member  of  the 
county  board  of  supervisors  four  years.  Was  married  to  Martha 
C.  Jackson,  in  '44,  who  died  in  '47,  and  was  again  married  in  '53 
to  Margaret  A.  White  of  Ashland,  Ohio.  The  subject  of  our 
sketch  is  th^  father  of  nine  children,  Mary  E.,  Samuel  W.,  Hattie, 
Frank  H.,  Sarah  Jane,  Geo.,  Isaac  A.,  Edwin  and  Martha. 


610  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 


BRADFORD   TOWNSHIP. 


George  K.  Smith,  farmer,  section  27.  has  252  acres  of  land.  His 
farm  is  beautifully  located  about  four  and  a  half  miles  southeast 
of  the  prosperous  town  of  Nashua  and  situated  as  it  is  upon  the 
rise  of  ground  just  east  of  the  Cedar  river,  with  its  gently  undulat- 
ing surface  and  fine  buildings,  makes  it  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
and  valuable  farms  in  this  section  of  country.  Mr.  Smith  is  a 
progressive  farmer.  In  "S2  he  erected  a  fine  residence  on  this 
place,  the  size  of  which  is,  main  building.  16x26  feet.  16  feet  posts; 
east  wing,  26x14  feet,  10  feet  posts,  and  the  north  addition  is  16x 
16  feet  with  eight  feet  posts.  In  'So  he  erected  a  fine  new  barn  at 
a  big  expense,  the  size  of  which  is  40x62  feet,  with  20  feet  posts, 
and  a  basement  of  S^  feet  deep,  whicli  will  stable  24  head  of  cat- 
tle, and  14  head  of  hoi-ses,  and  will  hold  something  over  100  tons 
of  hay,  and  an  oat  bin  with  a  capacity  of  about  500  bushels;  be- 
sides these  buildings  he  has  all  the  necessary  out  buildings,  sucli 
as  corn  cribs,  granaries,  etc.,  making  in  all  one  of  the  finest  equip- 
ped farms  in  this  vicinity.     Mr.  Smith  is   a   native   of  Germany. 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    EIOGRAPHIE?.  611 

where  he  was  born  May  9,  '40.  At  the  age  of  six  yeai-s  he  came  to 
America  with  liis  pannts,  and  located  in  New  Jei-sey,  after  which 
he  removed  to  Illinois,  where  he  remained  about  ten  yeai-s,  ilience 
to  Black  Hawk  county.  Iowa,  where  he  resided  some  tive  years. 
In  71  he  came  to  Chickasaw  county  and  engaged  in  fanning.  In 
politics  he  figures  with  the  Republicaft  party.  During  the  rebel- 
lion he  volunteered  his  services,  and  eidisted  in  company  A.  lo6th 
Illinois  voltinteer  infantry,  and  was  honorably  discharged  and 
mustered  out  at  Chicago,  Illinois.  Was  united  in  marriage  to 
Elizabeth  Black,  a  native  of  the  state  of  New  York,  and  their  fam- 
ily consists  of  four  children.  Cora,  Clara.  May  and  Gcoi-ge  D. 

Robert  Wilson,  fai-mer,  section  2S,  owns  eighty-seven  acres  of 
land.  Is  a  native  of  Scotland,  where  he  was  born  in  '15,  and  in  'oo 
came  to  America  and  located  in  Duchess  county.  X.  Y..  and  in 
"58  removed  to  Bradford,  Iowa,  and  engaged  in  farming:  he  then 
removed  to  Bremer  couutv.  where  lie  remained  some  six  veai-s. 
when  he  again  movcxl  back  to  Chickasaw  county.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Dutch  Reform  church,  and  was  united  in  marriasre  to 
Mary  Dobie,  of  Dumfries,  county,  Scotland,  and  their  family  con- 
sists of  six  children,  James  (who  served  in  the  rebellion  in  the 
ninth  Iowa  infamrv.  and  was  wbunded  at  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridi^e, 
Ark..  John  D..  Robert,  Mary  J..  Ina  and  Elizabeth. 

George  Erenest,  farmer,  sections  13  and  14,  owns  eighty  acres  in 
each  seotion,  all  fenced.  Is  a  native  of  New  York  state,  wliere  he 
was  born  in  ■2.5,  and  in  '52  he  came  west  to  lo^ra,  and  settled  in 
Chickasaw  countv,  and  he  has  since  been  a  resident.  His  farm  is 
beauttfully  situated,  and  well  improved  for  stock  and  dairy  pur- 
poses. At  the  time  of  his  settlement  on  the  above  place  tliere  was 
no  house  between  this  place  and  West  Union  on  the  road,  and  his 
market  was  McGregor,  of  which  he  relates  many  interesting  epi- 
sodes he  nas  exjierienced,  in  coming  and  going  to  market  in  those 
days.  Failing  health  has  compelled  him  to  adandon  hard  labor, 
but  he  is  still  one  of  the  active,  representative  men  of  this  county. 
^^'as  united  in  marriage  to  Sarah  Tallman,  a  native  of  Canada. 

Elmore  Smith,  fanner,  section  ten,  Bradford  township;  was  born 
in  Litchfield  county,  Conn.,  in  November,  "29,  and  in  "50  he  came 
west  to  Iowa,  and  located  in  Bremer  county,   where   he  remained  • 
but  a  short  time,  when  he  came  to  I'.radford  and    engaged  in   tlie 


612  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Lumber  trade.  Mr.  S.  is  by  profession  a  practical  engineer,  and 
followed  that  business  for  some  time.  Was  united  in  marriage  to 
Harriet  Boland,  a  native  of  New  York  state,  and  their  family  con- 
sists of  one  son  and  two  daughters,  named,  Walter  D.,  Alice  L. 
and  Laura. 

L.  S.  McCreaiy,  farmer,  section  28,  owns  320  acres  of  land,  240 
acres  of  which  is  under  cultivation.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  born  in  the  year  '32,  and 
in  '55  he  came  west  and  settled  in  Dubuque  county,  Iowa,  where 
he  remained  one3^ear,  when  he  returned  to  Pennsylvania  for  one 
year.  In  '57  he  again  came  west  and  located  in  Bradford,  where 
he  followed  his  occupation,  that  of  carpenter,  in  which  line  he 
continued  until  ho  engaged  in  farmii^g,  on  the  above  place.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  has  held  most  of  the  minor  offices 
within  the  gift  of  the  people,  and  is  one  of  the  jDrominent  and  pop- 
ular men  of  the  town.  Was  united  in  marriage  to  Susan  Gilli- 
land,  a  native  of  Indiana,  and  their  family  consists  of  two  daugh- 
ters, Rosalind  and  Clara  E. 

L.  P.  Hanson,  farmer,  section  2,  owns  240  acres  of  land,  all  of 
which  is  under  cultivation:  he  has  just  erected  (1883)  a  fine  new 
barn,  at  a  cost  of  $1,000,  the  size  of  which  is  30x65  feet,  with  a 
corn  c:ib  addition,  all  of  which  is  to  be  well  painted,  and  when 
completed  will  be  one  of  the  finest  barns  in  his  vicinity.  '  He  is  a 
native  of  Denmark,  where  he  was  born  in  '49,  and  in  '69  lie  came 
to  America  and  settled  in  Chickasaw  county,  where  he  engaged  in 
in  farming,  and  has  sipce  continued  in  that  line.  Was  united  in 
marriage  to  Susan  E.  Cagley,  a  native  of  Indiana,  and  they  have 
four  children,  Freddie,  Maudie,  Andrew  and  an  infant. 

William  Layliu,  farmer,  section  21 ,  owns  220  acres  of  land,  and 
his  farm  is  well  fitted  for  stock  and  dairy  purposes.  The  subject 
of  our  sketch  is  a  native  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  where  he  was  born  in 
'24,  and  came  west  in  '48,  and  located  in  Illinois,  thence  to  Califor 
nia,  and  in  '59  to  Bremer  county,  Iowa,  Avhere  he  remained  some 
fourteen  years'  thence  to  Chickasaw  county,  where  he  has  since 
been  engaged  in  farming.  He  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Brad- 
ford creamery,  and  one  of  the  originators  of  the  same.  In  politics 
he  is  a  republican,  and  has  held  various  minor  township   offices. 

He  has  been  married  three  times,  the  first  time  to  Mary  Fish,   by 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  613 

whom  he  had  three  children,  Mary  J.,  Julia  V.  and  Charles  W. 
His  second  marriage  was  to  Eliza  DePugh,  and  the  third  time  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Catharine  Chambers,  of  Chickasaw 
county. 

W.  A.  McMillan,  proprietor  Farmers'  Home  hotel  and  board- 
ing house,  Nashua,  Iowa,  restaurant  in  connection;  also  proprietor 
of  pump  and  windmill  warehouse;  was  born  in  Canada  West  in 
the  year  '51,  and  while  an  infant  came  to  the  United  States  with 
his  parents,  and  located  in  Illinois,  where  they  remained  some 
five  years,  and  thence  to  Preston,  Fillmore  county,  Minn,  thence 
to  Howard  county,  where  he  engaged  in  brickmaking,  and  after- 
wards engaged  in  the  pump  business.  He  next  moved  to  Nashua, 
Iowa-  where  he  engaged  in  the  pump  and  windmill  business.  In 
politics  he  is  a  republican.  Was  united  in  marriage  to  Ada  A. 
Bauder,  a  native  of  Iowa,  and  they  have  two  children,  Minnie  A. 
and  Leanis  W.,  and  have  lost  two  by  death. 

J.  E.  Graham,  of  the  firm  of  Graham  Brothers,  blacksmiths, 
Nashua,  Iowa,  took  charge  of  the  business  May  15,  '82,  and  makes 
a  specialty  of  horse  shoeing  and  plow  work.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  born  in  Fond-du-lac  county,  Wis.,  in  '55,  where  he 
learned  the  blacksmith  trade,  from  there  he  went  to  Charles  City, 
Iowa,  and  eno;aged  in  the  above  line  of  trade  as  a  journeyman; 
thence  to  Montana,  and  Dakota,  where  he  was  in  the  employ  of 
the  railroad  company,  after  which  he  embarked  in  business  for 
himself,  at  Greene,  Iowa,  and  thence  to  Nashua,  at  the  time  he 
started  business.  Was  married  to  Sarah  Strawney,  a  native  of 
Iowa. 

P.  W.  Ledyard,  of  the  firm  of  Ledyard  &  Scott,  proprietors  of 
the  Nashua  livery,  Nashua,  Iowa.,  keep  first-class  rigs  always  on 
hand,  and  no  labor  spared  to  please  the  patronizing  public;  busi- 
ness established  in  February,  '78.  Mr.  L.  was  born  in  the  state  of 
Ohio,  October  8,  '54,  and  came  west  in  '71  and  located  in  Winne- 
sbeik  county,  Iowa,  thence  to  Atlantic,  Cass  couuty,  thence  to 
Butler  county,  and  from  there  to  Waverly,  Bremer  county,  after 
which  he  again  removed  to  Nashua.  He  established  a  branch 
stable  at  New  Hampton,  where  he  remained  one  and  a  half  years, 
Avhen  he  again  returned  to  Nashua.  In  politics  he  is  a  staunch 
Republican,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  masonic  fraternity.    Wa 


614  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

married  to  Ettie  M.  Dana,  of  New  Hampton,  and  they   have  two 
sons,  Elmer  and  Gilbert. 

Z.  T.  Stocks,  of  the  firm  of  Stocks  &  (Jo,  dealers  in  foreign  and 
American  marble  and  granite,  Nashua,  Iowa.,  work  executed  in  all 
the  latest  designs;  established  business  in  '81.  Mr.  Stocks  was 
born  in  Stephenson  county,  Illinois,  in  the  year  '49,  at  the  age  of 
six,  he  came  west  with  his  parents  to  Chickasaw  county,  Iowa, 
where  he  followed  farming  until  '75,  when  he  went  to  Charles 
City  to  learn  the  marble  trade,  and  afterward  completed  the  busi- 
ness in  Waterloo,  Iowa.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  Was 
united  in  marriage  to  Mary  A.  Mitchell  of  Nashua,  and  have  two 
daughters,  Carrie  E.  and  Susan  M. 

J.  G.  Lester,  jeweler,  Nashua,  Iowa,  established  business  in  '70; 
was  born  in  England  in  the  year  '47,  and  came  to  America  with 
his  parents  at  the  age  of  one  year,  and  located  in  Woodstock, 
Canada  West,  where  he  remained  some  time,  thence  to  Michigan, 
and  from  there  to  Columbia  county,  Wis.,  and  in  October,  '63,  he 
came  to  Iowa  and  located  in  Chickasaw  county.  In  politics  he 
figures  with  the  democratic  party.  Is  a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F. 
fraternity,  and  of  the  Legion  of  Honor.  Was  united  in  marriage 
to  Adelaide  Ellis,  a  native  of  Michigan,  and  they  have  five  daugh- 
ters and  one  son,  named  Maud,  Belle,  Richard,  Mary,  Blanche  and 
May. 

J.  G.  Wright  farmer,  section  34,  owns  eighty  acres  of  land,  sixty- 
five  of  which  are  are  under  cultivation.  Is  a  native  of  England, 
where  he  was  born  at  Norfolk,  May  20,  '38,  and  in  '51  he  came  to 
America  and  located  in  Rock  county,  Wis.,  where  he  remained 
some  time  and  then  removed  to  Iowa,  and  located  in  Floyd  coun- 
ty, thence  to  Chickasaw  county,  where  he  located  on  the  above 
place.  He  served  in  the  army  of  the  rebellion  thirteen  months  in 
company  C,  thirty-eighth  Iowa  volunteer  infantry,  and  was  hon- 
orably discharged  near  New  Orleans,  La.,  and  was  mustered  out 
there.  Is  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R.,  and  has  served  as  school  di- 
rector two  years.  Was  united  in  marriage  to  Mary  C.  Huyler,  a 
native  of  Indiana,  and  they  have  seven  children,  George  W., 
Freddie  M.,  Arthur,  Frank,  Robert,  Jennie  and  Walter. 

J.  DeNoyelles,  proprietor  of  the  Central  house,  Nashua,  Iowa, 
is  a  native  of  Schoharie  county,  N.  Y.,  and  in  '58  he  came  west  to 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  615 

Wisconsin,  and  bought  land  in  Dane  county,  which  he  farmed  for 
eight  years,  then  came  to  Iowa,  and  settlad  at  Cresco,  and  estab- 
lished himself  as  proprietor  of  the  De  Noyelles  house,  which  he 
conducted  for  four  years,  he  then  sold  out  to  Alex  McClasky,  and 
engaged  in  farming  for  several  years  in  Howard  county,  and  then 
canie  to  this  place  and  purchased  the  hotel  that  he  has  since  con- 
ducted. The  Central  is  the  leading  hotel  in  the  city,  and  is  the 
oldest  established,  and  is  wall  patronized,  and  affords  all  the  com- 
forts and  conveniences  for  the  traveling  public.  Good  stables  in 
connection  with  the  house. 

E.  R.  Dickinson,  merchant,  Bradford,  carries  a  general  stock  of 
staple  goods,  established  business  in '60;  was  born  in  Massachu- 
setts, October  6,  '29,.  Received  his  education  there  and  remained 
in  that  state  until  he  came  to  Iowa,  with  the  exception  of  two 
winters  which  he  spent  in  New  York  clerking  for  a  Mr.  George 
Smith;  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  has  been  elected  to 
different  positions  within  the  gift  of  the  people,  such  as  county 
supervisor,  secretary  of  school  board,  etc.  Is  a  member  of  the  ma- 
sonic fraternity  and  was  united  in  marriage  to  Harriet  M.  Owen,  a 
native  of  Massachusetts,  and  they  have  two  children,  Clara  A.  and 
William  E. 

Henry  Walleser,  proprietor  wagon  and  blacksmith  shop.  Green- 
wood, Iowa,  established  business  in '74;  was,  born  in  Baden  in 
Germany,  in  '46,  at  the  age  of  two  years  he  came  to  America  with 
his  parents,  and  located  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  where  he  remained 
until  '55,  when  he  removed  to  Clayton  county,  Iowa,  and  in  '70, 
he  agained  moved  to  Chickasaw  county,  and  located  in  Nashua, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  the  foundry  for  some  time.  He  served 
in  the  army  one  year  and  fonr  months,  in  company  E,  twenty- 
seventh  Iowa  volunteer  infantry,  and  was  honorably  discharged 
at  Montgomery,  Alabama,  and  mustered  out  there.  Was  united 
in  marriage  to  Annie  F.  Dickerman,  a  native  of  Clayton  county, 
and  they  have  six  children  Henry,  Gertie,  Martha,  Laura,  Eliza- 
beth and  Joseph. 

J.  P.  Parish,  dealer  in  furniture,  Nashua,  Iowa,  established  busi 
ness  in  '77;  was  born  in  Washington  county,  N.  Y.,  in  '23,  and 
was  brought  up  an  architect  and  builder,  by  trade.  In  '45  he 
came  west  to  Wisconsin,   and   located   in  Sheboygan,   thence  he 


616  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

moved  to  Appleton,  where  he  remained  some  twenty-eight  years. 
He  then  came  to  Iowa  and  located  in  Chickasaw  county,  and  four 
years  afterward  he  engaged  in  business  as  above,  In  politics  he 
is  a  republican,  and  has  served  as  one  of  the  city  board  for  five 
years.  Is  a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.  fraternity,  having  passed 
up  through  the  different  official  chairs  in  that  organization,  arid  is 
now  one  of  the  representative  men  of  Nashua,  and  one  of  her  most 
successful  business  men. 

H.  T.  Dexter,  proprietor,  "Old  Reliable"  meat  market,  Nashua, 
Iowa,  the  only  firs-class  meat  market  in  the  city,  established  busi- 
ness in  '68.  Mr.  D.  was  born  in  Ohio,  in  '41,  and  came  west  to 
Wisconsin  in  '53,  and  located  in  Columbia  county,  where  he  re- 
mained some  time,  when  he  came  to  Iowa,  and  located  in  Dayton 
township,  Chickasaw  county.  In  politics  he  figures  with  the  re- 
publicans, and  has  served  as  deputy  sheriff  of  the  county  for  four 
years.  Was  united  in  marriage  to  Mary  A.  I^ester,  a  native  of 
Wisoonsin,  and  they  have  three  children,  named,  May,  Louisa  and 
Nellie. 

Phil  McLarnan,  farmer,  section  19,  owns  100  acres,  all  under 
cultivation,  also  owns  seventy  acres  in  section  32  and  sixty  acres 
in  section  31.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  the  state  of 
Ohio,  in  the  year  1824,  and  from  there  he  moved  to  Indiana,  and 
in  the  year  '65  he  came  to  Iowa,  and  located  in  Bradford  town- 
ship, where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  farming;  he  has  raised 
some  fine  Morgan  horses  which  have  commanded  considerable  at- 
tention throughout  his  locality.  In  politics  he  is  a  democrat.  He 
was  last  married  to  Ann  Lee,  a  native  of  England,  and  they  have 
three  children,  Martha,  Harrison  and  Chet.  And  he  has  seven 
children  by  a  former  wife,  named  Thomas,  Jacob  R.,  Felix,  Effiette 
Douglas,  Susan  and  Howard. 

Valentine  Kraft,  farmer,  owns  eighty  acres,  all  under  cultivation 
and  well  improved.  Is  a  native  of  Germany„where  he  was  born  in 
'43,  and  came  to  America  in  '60,  and  located  in  Indiana.       While 

in  that  state  he  enlisted  and  served  in  the  army  nineteen  months, 
in  company  C,  ninth  Indiana  infantry,  and  was  honoradly  dis- 
charged at  Ready  ville,  Tennessee.  After  coming  out  of  the  army 
he  moved  to  Ohio,  where  he  remained  until  '65,  when  he  remov- 


CHICKASAW    (OUNTY    P,I(H;Iv- A  I'll  lES.  6l7 

fd  to  Iowa  and  located  in  Bradford  township,  and  engaged  in  farm- 
ing. He  has  served  as  school  director.  Was  married  to  Minnie 
Sippel,  a  native  of  Germany,  and  they  have  one  son,  named  George 
Henry. 

John  Smith,  who  is  located  on  section  10;  Bradford  township, 
and  owns  160  acres;  is  a  native  of  the  state  of  Connecticut,  where 
he  was  born  in  Litchfield  county,  in  1795,  and  although  time  has 
wrapped  its  mantle  of  eighty-eight  years  around  him,  he  still  re- 
tains his  usual  bodily  and  mental  vigor  and  witli  his  retentive 
memory  talcs  as  freely  of  events  which  occurred  in  the  early  jmrt 
of  this  century  as  if  but  a  few  years  ago.  His  disposition  is  not  a 
roaming  one  as  will  be  seen  by  the  fact  of  his  having  spent  sixty 
one  years  under  the  same  roof.  He  was  drafted  in  the  war  of  1812 
but  it  being  so  near  the  closa  that  he  was  nev^r  called  into  ser- 
vice. He  rode  on  the  first  raihoad  ever  built  in  the  United 
States,  which  was  a  line  from  Albany  to  Schenectady,  N.  Y..  a  dis- 
tance of  sixteen  miles.  While  in  Connecticut  he  received  the  ap- 
pointment of  postmaster,  which  position  he  had  held  for  some 
time,  and  was  also  a  captain  in  the  Connecticut  state  militia,  In 
'56  he  took  up  the  line  of  march  toward  the  setting  sun  and  came 
to  the  Hawkeye  state,  and  settled  in  Bremer  county,  where  he  re- 
mained some  years,  when  he  removed  to  Bradford  where  he  en- 
gaged in  the  lumber  business,  and  continued  in  that  line  until  he 
came  on  the  above  place.  Was  united  in  nuirriage  to  Betsey 
Chamberlain,  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  they  have  had  a  family  of 
thirteen  children,  ten  of  which  arrived  at  man  or  wonumhood, 
among  them  are  three  sons  now  over  sixty  years  of  age. 

William  Lay  ton,  farmer,  section  28,  owns  300  acres  of  land,  200 
of  which  are  under  cultivation,  and  finely  improved  for  stock  and 
dairy  farming.  INIr.  L.  makes  a  specialty  of  raising  blooded  cat- 
tle and  fine  hoa'ses,  having  some  as  fine  specimens  of  registered 
cattle  as  can  Ije  iound  an\'where,  and  his  Norman  horses  in  [>oint 
of  excellence  are  hard  to  be  equaled  in  this  section  of  the  country; 
he  now  (1883)  has  som3  eighteen  head  of  these  horses,  among 
which  is  a  mare  weighing  1,700  pounds,  a  beautiful   black,   and  a 

perfect  model  of  a  horse  in  every  way.     Mr.  L.  is  a  native  of  York 

shire,  England,  where  he  was  born,  December  30,  '27,  and    in    '52 

he  came  to  America,  and  located  in  Steuben  county,  N.  Y.,  where 


61<S  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

he  remained  some  three  years,  when  he  moved  to  Marengo,  111., 
where  he  remained  one  year,  and  in  the  spring  of  '56  he  came  to 
Bradford,  where  he  engaged  in  mason  work  in  company  with  his 
brother,  and  in  about  '59  located  on  the  above  farm,  where  he  has 
since  resided.  Was  united  in  marriage  to  Elizabeth  Perkins,  a  na- 
tive of  Indiana,  and  they  have  four  children,  A.  Thelbert,Willard, 
May  and  Minnie. 

R.  H.  Layton,  farmer,  section  21,  owns  356  acrfes  of  land.  Is  a 
native  of  Yorkshire,  England,  where  he  was  born  in  '29,  and  in  '52 
he  came  to  America,  and  located  in  New  York,  where  he  remained 
some  six  months,  thence  to  Chicago,  111.,  and  from  there  to  Rock- 
ford,  same  state,  where  he  remained  for  a  period  of  twelve  months 
when  he  moved  to  Dubuque.  Iowa,  where  he  was  employed  some 
eight  months,  when  he  went  to  Independence.  In  '54  he  volun- 
teered to  goto  Clear  Lake,  which  was  then  on  the  frontier,  and  as- 
sist in  driving  the  Indians  backj  who  had  been  committing  some 
depredations,  and  after  remaining  there  for  some  time  he  returned 
to  Dubuque,  and  then  to  McHenry  county,  111.,  where  he  worked 
at  his  trade,  that  of  stone  mason.  His  next  move  was  to  Bradford 
this  state,  where  he  remained  some  three  years,  and  again  took  up 
the  line  of  march  westward,  and  went  to  Pike':^  Peak,  Col.,  and 
California,  where  he  remained  about  seven  years.  While  in  Cali- 
fornia he  enlisted  in  company  —  first  California  volunteer  infan- 
try, under  General  Wright,  and  Captain  Lyman.  While  in  the 
service  he  was  appointed  corporal,  and  afterwards  promoted  to 
second  sergeant,  and  was  honorably  discharged  at  the  expiration 
of  his  term  of  enlistment.  After  his  discharge  he  again  came  back 
to  Chickasaw  county,  where  he  followed  his  trade,  after  woicli  he 
located  on  the  above  farm.  In  politics  he  figures  with  the  repub- 
lican party,  and  has  filled  minor  offices,  such  as  school  director, 
etc.  Was  united  in  marriage  to  Mary  M.  Gilliland,  a  native  of  In- 
diana, and  they  have  three  daughters  and  one  son,Leonard,  Ethel 
R.,  Celia  and  Jessie. 

John  Snouse,  merchant  tailor,  Nashua,  business  established  De- 
cember 12,  '69.  He  is  a  native  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  where  he  was 
born  in  '43.  Received  his  early  education  there,  and  also  learned 
his  trade  there.  In  '()Q  he  came  west  and  located  in  Dubuque, 
this  state,  where  he  remained  until  engaging  in  business  as  above. 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  617 

He  served  in  the  army  two  and  a  half  years,  in  company  G,  forty- 
fourth  Ohio  volunteer  infantry.  While  in  Kentucky  he  received  a 
severe  wound,  which  is  still,  after  twenty  years,  a  continual  source 
of  annoyance,  and  at  times  almost  disables  him  from  active  pur- 
suits. He  was,  owing  to  that  wound,  off  duty  for  some  time,  and 
was  honorably  discharged  and  mustered  out  at  Louisville,  Ky., 
and  is  now  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R.  In  politics  he  figures  with 
the  republican  party,  and  is  at  the  present  time  (1883)  a  member 
of  the  city  council  at  Nashua.  Is  a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.  fra- 
ternity and  has  passed  up  through  the  different  official  chairs  in 
that  institution.  Was  united  in  marriage  to  Christena  C.  Hoover, 
a  native  of  Ohio,  and  they  have  three  sons,  William,  Walter  and 
Harry. 

Frank  Badger,  section  12,  Bradford  township,  owns  eighty 
acres  of  land,  all  under  a  fine  state  of  cultivation,  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Bradford  creamery  association;  is  a  native  of  the  state  of 
New  York,  where  he  was  born  in  1842,  and  received  his  early  edu^ 
cation  there.  As  westward  the  course  of  empire  takes  its  way,  ac- 
cordingly in  '67,  he  took  up  the  line  of  march,  and  located  in  Illi- 
nois, where  he  remained  one  year,  and  again  removed  to  Black 
Hawk  county  Iowa.  In  1869  he  removed  to  Chickasaw  county  and 
made  a  permanant  location  in  the  above  named  place.  He  served 
in  tne  army  3  years  and  9  months,  in  the  11  th  N.  Y.  independent 
battery,  and  was  honorably  discharged  and  mustered  out  at  Albany. 
In  politics  he  is  a  staunch  republican,  aid  has  at  difterent  times 
been  elected  school  director,  and,  is  now  (1883)  township  assessor. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  with  Jennie  Harned,  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  their  family  consists  of  two  children,  a  son  and  a 
daughter  named,  Nellie  L.  and  Willie  W. 

S.  S.  Sample,  dealer  in  staple  and  fancy  groceries,  cigars,  tobacco, 
etc;  was  born  in  Jacksonville,  Morgan  county,  Illinois,  in  1831; 
when  quite  young  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Iowa,  and  located 
in  Lee  county,  where  he  received  his  early  schooling;  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  he  started  out  for  himself,  and  traveled  through  Mis- 
souri. In  December,  1854,  he  came  to  Bradford,  Chickasaw  county, 

where  he  remained  about  one  year,  when  he  again  returned  to  his 

home  in  Lee  county.     He  next  spent  some  time  in  Missouri,  when 

he  again  came  back  to  Chickasaw  county,  there  he  engaged  in  the 


618  CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

mercantile  business.  He  served  in  the  army  three  years,  in  com- 
pany G,  twenty-seventh  Iowa  vohinteer  infantry  and  enHsted  at 
Nashua,  Iowa,  in  '62,  and  honorably  discharged,  and  mustered  out, 
at  Clinton,  Iowa  August,  '65.  During  his  period  of  soldiery  he 
passed  up  through  the  regular  gradations  of  office,  and  was  finally, 
at  the  time  of  his  discharge,  second  lieutenant.  In  politics  he 
is  a  democrat,  and  is  now  (1883)  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R.,  and 
acts  in  the  official  capacity  of  junior  vice  commander.  Was  united 
in  marriage  to  E.  A.  Harris,  a  native  of  Iowa,  and  have  one  son 
C.  W.  who  is  now  employed  in  a  wholesale  and  retail  grocery 
house  in  St.  Paul,  Minn.  They  also  have  an  adopted  daughter, 
Nellie. 

R.  S.  McKee,  farmer,  section  16,  owns  161  acres  all  fenced  and 
well  improved  for  dairy  purposes.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a 
native  of  the  old  Empire  state,  where  he  was  born  in  '46,  and  at 
the  age  of  seven  he  came  west  with  his  parents  to  Wisconsin,  and 
located  in  Jefferson  county,  where  he  remained  until  the  spring  of 
'65,  when  he  came  to  Iowa,  and  located  in  Chickasaw  county  on 
his  present  location,  and  engaged  in  farming.  He  was  one  of  the 
originators  of  the  Bradford  creamery,  and  is  now,  (1883)  one  of 
the  directors  of  the  same.  On  his  farm,  which  is  beautifully  sit- 
uated on  the  east  bank  of  the  Cedar  river,  stands  two  of  the  oldest 
buildings  in  the  county.  One  was  the  first  school  house  ever 
built  in  the  county,  and  now  kept  in  good  repair,  and  used  as  a 
kitchen.  The  other  building  was  formerly  occupied  by  an  Indian 
trader,  and  is  now  in  good  repair,  and  is  used  as  one  of  Mr.  M.'s 
numerois  farm  buildings.  In  politics  he  has  taken  an  active  part 
and  is  a  staunch  democrat.  He  has  held  different  town  offices, 
such  as  member  of  the  town  board  and  school  director.  Is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  masonic  fraternity,  and  was  united  in  marriage  to  Alma 
McKenzie,  a  native  of  Milford,  Wis.,  and  they  have  one  daughter, 
Eltta  M. 

C.  D.  Johnson,  farmer,  section  16,  where  he  owns  sixty-eight 
acres,  he  also  owns  fifty -six  acres  on  section  17,  480  acres  on  sec- 
tion 23,  including  some  four  hundred  acres  of  timber  land.  His 
farm  is  finely  fitted  for  stock  raising,  he  having  a  heard  of  some 
sixty  head  of  cattle,  among  which  are  some  registered  short-horns 
and  Durhams,  which  he  raises  for  sale,  for  the  improvement  of 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  619^ 

stock.  Mr.  J.  is  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  where  he  was  born  in 
Hampshire  county,  April  4,  '28.  At  the  age  of  eleven  he  came  to 
Ohio  with  his  parents,  where  he  remained  until  '56,  when  he  came 
to  Iowa,  and  located  on  the  above  place,  where  he  has  resided  con- 
tinuously ever  since,  with  the  exception  of  two  years  which  he 
spent  Cedar  Falls,  in  order  to  give  his  children  better  educational 
facilities,  of  which  cause  Mr.  J.  is  a  great  believer  and  promoter. 
Is  a  member  of  the  Bradford  creamery  company,  and  served  for  a 
time  as  president  of  the  same.  In  politics  he  is  a  republican  and 
has  filled  the  various  township  offices  within  the  gift  of  the  peo- 
ple. Was  united  in  marriage  to  Susan  W.  Dickenson,  a  native  of 
Massachusetts,  and  they  have  a  family  of  two  sons,  Charles  L.  and 
Loyal  K. 

Joseph  F.  Grawe,  postmaster  at  Nashua,  and  editor  and  propri- 
etor of  the  Nashua  Post  (republican);  was  born  in  Prussia,  in  '43, 
and  when  five  years  old  came  with  his  parents  to  the  United  States. 
Their  first  settlement  was  in  Stephenson  county, 111., near  Freeport-. 
He  enlisted  in  '60,  in  company  G,  ninety-third  Illinois  infantry, 
and  served  till  the  close  of  the  war;  he  was  shot  in  the  right  side 
at  Altoona,  Ga.,  and  was  also  captured  and  taken  prisoner*  Was 
again  captured  at  HoUon  Springs,  Miss. ;  twice  experiencing  the 
Horrors  of  southern  prison  life.  In  '67  he  came  to  Nashua,  and 
was  engaged  at  school  teaching  until  the  fall  of  '69,  when  he  was 
nominated  by  the  republicans  as  superintendent  of  schools,  and 
was  elected  with  the  remainder  of  the  ticket,and  served  five  years. 
In  '73  he  resigned,  having  purchased  the  Nashua  Post,  which  pa- 
per he  still  edits  and  owns,  and  has  a  circulation  of  1.100  copies, 
is  republican  in  politics,  and  is  the  only  paper  published  in  the 
town.  The  office  is  in  the  Greeley  block,  and  is  well  fitted  as  a 
news  and  job  office,  has  just  put  in  a  new  Campbell  power  press, 
and  all  the  necessary  material  for  a  first-class  office;  he  employs 
four  compositors.  Mr.  G.  received  his  commission  as  postmaster 
on  April  29,  '79,  succeeding  I.  A.  Rutherford.  It  is  a  third-class 
office,  and  besides  being  a  regular  money  order  office,  it  is  the  only 
international  money  order  office  in  the  county.  Mr.  G.  was  mar- 
ried on  the  3d  of  June,  '73,  to  Blanche  A.  Waite,  and  they  have 
five  children. 

E.  W.  Owen,  farmer,  section  12,  Bradford  township,   owns  280 


620  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

acres,  all  fenced  and  well  improved.  He  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  where 
he  was  born  in  March,  1837.  In  '42  he  came  west  and  located  in 
Walworth  county,  ^yisconsin,  and  in  '66  he  removed  to  Iowa'  and 
located  in  Chickasaw  county,  where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in 
in  farming.  At  the  last  election  of  officers  he  was  elected  president 
of  the  Bradford  creamery,  and  is  now  (June,  1883,)  the  present 
incumbent.  In  politics  he  figures  with  the  republican  party,  and 
has  held  the  position  of  township  treasurer  of  school  funds.  Is  a 
member  of  the  masonic  fraternity.  Was  united  in  marriage  to 
Alvina  Bartholmew,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  they  have  four  children 
named,     Isabell  M.  Bennett  S.  Gideon  S.  and  Albert  E. 

Rev.  Chapman  A.  Marshall,  pastor  of  the  congregational  church 
at  Nashua,  and  state  senator  of  this  district,  was  born  in  Dublin, 
Ireland,  in  1838,  and  is  a  son  of  General  Marshall  of  the  English 
army,  stationed  at  that  time  at  Dublin.  He  came  to  America,  and 
in  '57  located  in  Cresco,  Howard  county,  Iowa,  and  entered  the 
mercantile  business,  opening  the  first  store  in  Cresco,  and  he  re- 
mained in  that  business  five  years,  when  he  sold  out  and  came  to 
Chickasaw  county,  settling  at  New  Hampton,  on  a  call  from  the 
Congregational  church  of  that  place,  as  pastor,  in  which  capacity 
he  ofliciated  four  years,  then  being  called  to  the  church  at  this 
place,  where  he  has  since  filled  the  pulpit  of  the  Congregational 
church.  He  was  educated  in  Plymouth,  England,  and  entered 
the  ministry  in  Howard  county,  this  state,  in  70.  In  the  fall  of 
'81  he  was  elected  to  the  state  senate  for  Bremer,-  Chickasaw  and 
Howard  counties,  for  the  term  of  four  years,  on  the  republican 
ticket.  He  is  a  deservedly  popular  man  among  all  classes,  espec- 
ially the  farmer,  owning  a  large  amount  of  land  which  he  operates 
himself,  among  his  property  is  a  magnificent  farm  of  200  acres, 
near  Cresco,  which  is  thoroughly  improved  and  well  stocked.  He 
owns  other  fine  property  in  Howard  and  Chickasaw  counties,  and 
a  fine  residence  property  here.  Was  married  in  '60,  at  Plymouth, 
England,  to  Eliza  Greinwell,  and  they  have  seven  children  all  born 
in  this  state. 

G.  W.  Butterfield,  one  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  of  the 
flourishing  sown  of  Nashua,  was  born  near  Brattleboro,  Vt.,  in  the 

year  1810.     His  parents  moved    in    his    childood    to    Herkimer 

county,  N.  Y.,  where  he  received  his   education,   and    served  his 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  621 

apprenticeship  as  minwright,which  business  he  followed  there  un- 
til'58;  he  then  came  to  this  state  and  located  in  this  township, 
where  he  followed  his  trade.  Was  justice  of  the  peace  in  that 
early  day,  and  also  served  on  the  board  of  supervisors  several 
years,  and  in  70  was  elected  tc  the  state  legislature,  in  the  thir- 
teenth general  assembly,  and  he  has  always  been  identified  with 
the  republican  party.  He  still  resides  where  he  first  settled,  in 
what  is  called  Greenwood,  which  is  now  a  precinct  of  Nashua,  and 
is  one  mile  from  that  city.  In  '65,  in  partnership  with  his  son,  G. 
T.  Butterfield,  he  established  the  present  firm  of  G.  T.  Butterfield 
&  Co..  his  son  carrying  on  the  business  of  general  merchandise, 
and  they  have  a  fine  business.  Was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
M.  F.  Campbell,  of  N.  Y.,  in  '52,  and  they  have  two  sons,  G.  T. 
and  H.  L.  Mr.  B.  Also  owns  a  fine  farm  of  150  acres,  all  under 
cultivation,  and  well  improved,  situated  four  miles  northeast  of 
Nashua,  which  he  rents. 

B.  A.  Billings,  of  the  firm  of  Fairbain  &  Billings,  attorney  at 
law,  Nashua,  Iowa,  was  born  in  December,  '44,  in  St.  Lawrence 
county,  N.  Y.,  and  in  '54  his  parents  moved  to  Winnebago  county 
111.,  and  in  the  following  fall  they  came  to  Iowa,  and  located  at 
Bradford,  the  then  county  seat  of  Chickasaw  county,  and  entered 
eighty  acres  of  land  near  there  from  the  government.  Mr.  B.  re- 
ceived his  education  at  the  Bradford  seminary,  and  the  Iowa  col- 
lege at  Grinnelle.  ^  In  the  spring  of  '64  he  enlisted  in  company 
B,  Iowa  volunteer  infantry,  under  Colonel  Henderson,  and  after 
serving  one  hundred  days,  was  honorably  discharged,  and  return- 
ed to  Bradford.  He  commenced  the  study  of  law  at  Bradford, 
with  A.  G.  Case,  now  of  Charles  City,  and  after  spending  a  year  in 
Colorada,  resumed  the  study  under  S.  P.  Leland,  and  was  admit- 
ted to  the  bar  in  the  fall  of  '72,  at  New  Hampton,  under  Judge 
McGathery,  and  commenced  practicing  at  this  place  in  partner- 
ship with  J.  W.  Kellog.  The  present  partnership  has  existed 
since  76.     Othcein  Greeley's  block. 

Bradford  township  Creamery  association,  established  1888  and 
commenced  operation  on  May  11  th,  of  the  same  year.  It  furnishes 
permanent  employment  for  fifteen  men,  and  eleven  teams,   which 

is  a  commendable  enterprize  for  the  originators  thereof.    Tne  size 

of  the  building  is  24x50,  two  stories  high;  they  have  two  300  gallon 


622 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 


churns  in  use,  which  is  operated  by  a  six  harse  power  engine.  As 
an  illustration  of  the  business  transacted,  we  will  say  that  on  the 
16  th  day  of  June,  '83,1,600  gallons  of  cream  was  received;  and 
the  average  shipments  of  butter  for  this  month  is  7,500  pounds 
per  week,  or  over  30,000  pounds  for  the  month.  The  officers  are  as 
follows:  president,  E.  W.  Owen;  treasnrer,  Frank  Badger;  secre- 
tary, M.  J.  Heald;  directors,  R.  S.  McKee,  William  Laylin,  L. 
€.  Smith,    John  Heald  and  Robert  Wright. 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  623 


RICHLAND    TOWNSHIP. 


Daniel  Schnurr,  section  1,  P.  0.  New  Hampton,  owns  141  acres 
of  land,  valued  at  S25  per  acre;  was  born  at  Baden  Germany,  Jan- 
uary 15,  '33,  and  came  to  America  in  '54,  first  locating  in  St.  Louis, 
Mo.  In  '55  he  went  to  New  Orleans,  and  was  employed  on  a 
steamboat  on  the  lower  Mississippi  river,  but  in  the  fall  he  return- 
ed to  St.  Louis.  In  '56  he  was  in  Illinois,  working  on  a  railroad, 
and  the  same  year  returned  to  St.  Louis  and  followed  gardening  in 
the  suburbs  of  that  city.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  came  to 
Davenport,  Iowa,  and  in  '72  he  came  to  Chickasaw  county,  and 
permanently  located  in  this  township.  Was  married  in  '66  to 
Catharina  Bald,  who  was  born  in  Scott  county,  Iowa,  June  10,  '50, 
and  they  have  six  children,  Carl,  Wilhelmina,  Daniel,  Rosa,  Jo- 
hann  and  Josephena.  The  entire  family  are  members  of  the  Ro. 
man  Catholic  church. 

Hiram  Bailey,  farmer,  section,  16,  P.  0.  Williamstown,  owns 
480  acres  of  land,  valued  at  S25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Huron  Co., 


624  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

Ohio,  July  12,  '24,  and  at  the  age  of  three  years  he  moved  with  his 
parents  to  Berlin,  Erie  county,  Ohio,  and  in  '56  came  to  Chicka- 
saw county,  and  permanently  located  in  this  township.  Was  mar 
ried  December  9,  '52,  to  Martha  A.  Ogden,  a  native  of  Greenspring, 
Ohio,  who  was  born  January  28,  1828,  and  they  have  four  child- 
ren, Fred  Douglas,  Rush  0.,  Roy  T.  and  Ben  L.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B. 
are  members  of  the  Baptist  church.  Mr.  B.  works  his  home  farm 
himself,  and  his  business  is  principally  stock  raising,  keeping  on 
his  place  about  150  head  of  cattle,  natives  and  Durhams.  He  has 
represented  Howard,  Chickasaw  and  Bremer  counties  (which  at 
that  time  formed  the  forty-fourth  senatorial  district)at  Des  Moines 
from  '74  to  '78,  in  the  state  senate,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the 
state  board  of  agriculture  for  four  years,  was  for  six  years  a  mem- 
ber of  the  county  board  of  supervisors;  ten  years  superintendent 
of  Sunday  school ;  two  years  president  of  the  county  Sunday 
school  association,  and  president  of  the  Chickasaw  county  agricul- 
tural society,  for  three  years.  He  entered  200  acres  of  his  land  the 
government,  when  he  first  settled. 

Richard  P.  Pierce,  section  15,  P.  0.  Williamstown,  owns  440 
acres  of  land,  valued  at  S20  per  acre;  was  born  in  England,  in  '14, 
and  came  to  America  in  '41,  and  first  located  in  Jackson  county, 
Michigan.  In  '48  he  removed  to  Jefferson  county,  Wisconsin,  and 
in  '67,  came  to  Chickasaw  county,and  permanantly  located  in  this 
township.  Was  married  to  Grace  Uglow,  in  "37,  who  was  born  in 
England,  in  '16.  They  have  six  children,  John  P.,  Margery,  Elisa- 
beth, Richard  U.,  Edwin  A.  and  Frank  M.  Mr.and  Mrs.  Pierce  are 
members  of  the  M.  E.  church.  Mr.  P.  has  been  quite  prominent 
in  politics:  while  he  resided  in  Wisconsin  he  was  a  member  of  the 
board  of  supervisors  for  nine  years  and  justice  of  the  peace  ten 
years.  Since  his  residence  in  this  county,  he  has  held  the  offices 
of  justice  of  the  peace,  and  township  trustee.  Mr.  P.  has  a  very 
fine  herd  of  Devonshire  cattle,  the  only  herd  of  the  kind  in  the 
county 

A.  Hart,  farmer,  section  31,  P.  0.  Ionia;  was  born  in  Massachu- 
setts, October  22,  1817,  and  came  west  in  '40,  and  located  in  Jef- 
ferson county,  Wis.  In  '65  he  came  to  Chickasaw  county,  where 
he  has  since  resided.  Besides  being  a  farmer  Mr.  H.  was  for  a 
number  of  years  a  teacher  in  the  high  schools  of  the  county.  Was 
man-ied  to  L.  Rebecca,  in  '56,  and  they  have    five  children,  A.  C, 


CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  62o 

whose  age  is  thirty -seven  years;  Lauretta,  age   thirty-four;  W.  A. 
age  thirty-two;  J.  F,,  age  twenty-five,  and  Lilhan,  age  ninet'^en. 

Frederick  L.  Hall,  section  21,  P.  O.  Nashua,  owns  200  acres  ot 
land,  valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Duchess  county,  N.  ^'.  in 
1827,  and  came  out  west  in  '55,  locating  in  Chickasaw  eoiinly'  in 
this  township.  Was  married  in  1858,  to  Harriett  E.  INIooro.  whd 
was  born  in  Tioga,  N.  Y.  in  1838,  and  they  have'  three  children, 
John  Jay,  Amos  M.  and  Mary  Emily.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  are 
members  of  the  M.  E,  church.  Mr.  H.  is  prominent  as  a  politician; 
in  this  county,  and  has  held  the  office  of  prosecuting  attorney  two 
years,  1856  and  '57,  he  was  elected  one  of  the  first  justices  of  the 
peace,  when  the  township  was  organized,  he  has  also  been  trustee, 
etc.  His  business  is  principaly  stock  raising,  and  he  keeps  on 
his  place  about  50  head  of  natives  and  Devon  grades  of  cattle. 

Julius  J.  Simmons,  section  22,  P.  0.  Nashua,  owns  200  acres 
of  land' valued  at  $30  per  acre;  was  born  in  Montrose.  Susquehanna 
county,  Pa.  Feb.  11,  1839,  and  cama  Avest  to  Aurora,  Ills.  In  '65 
he  came  to  Chickasaw  county  and  permantly  located  in  this  town- 
ship; was  married  December  26  1859,  to  Mary  I.  Cooper,  who  was 
born  in  Oneida,  N.  Y.  July  3  1859.  Mrs.  S.  is  a  member  of  the 
M.  E.  church.  They  have  5  children:  Nellie  A.,  Willard  J. 
Nathan  L.,  Samuel  H.,  Harry  and  Gracie  Maud.  Mr.  S.  has  a 
fine  stock  farm,  on  which  he  keeps  some  very  fine  stock:  pedigreed 
short  horns,  durhams,  and  also  full  blooded  Berkshire  hogs  etc.. 
his  herd  of  cattle  numbers  about  50  head.  Mr.  S.  has  been  quite 
prominent  in  county  politics,  has  held  office  of  county  supervisor, 
trustee  etc. 

Henry  H.  Bailey,  farmer,  section  13,  P.  0.  Willianistown,  ownt 
550  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $18  per  acre;  was  born  in  Ohio,  Sep- 
tember 26,  '37,  and  came  west  in  INIarch,  '55,  and  located  in  Chick- 
asaw county,  and  made  it  his  permanent  home.  Was  married  to 
Sarah  P.  Birdsall,  who  was  born  in  New  York,  September  9,  '52. 
and  they  have  three  children,  Nellie  Blanche,  Louis  P.  Susie  Ann. 
Mt.  B.  enlisted  Sept  26,  '61,  in  the  seventh  Ohio  infantry,  com- 
pany E,  and  served  with  his  regiment  until  the  close  of  the  war,. 
Mr.  B.  is  an  extensive  farmer,  and  is  also  the  merchant  and  post- 
master of  William  stown. 

Reuben  Fairbank,  section  35,  Avas  born  at  Rouse's  Point,  N.    Y., 


626  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 

in  1780,  and  in  the  same  year  moved  with  his  parents  to  Canada, 
and  in  '37  he  came  to  the  United  States,  and  located  in  Illinois. 
In  '57  he  came  to  Chickasaw  county,  and  located  in  this  township. 
He  died  in  '70.  He  married  Lydia  Shelden,  of  Canada,  who  was 
born  in  1801,  and  they  had  two  children,  John  and  Eliza.  John 
Fairbank,  section  35,  P.  0.  Nashua,  owns  eighty  acres  of  land, 
valued  at  $25  per  acre;  was  born  in  Lower  Canada,  in  '36,  and 
came  to  the  United  States  with  his  parents  the  following  year,  and 
located  in  Illinois,  and  in  '57  came  to  Chickasaw  county,  and  set- 
tled in  this  township,  where  he  has  held  the  position  of  trustee 
ever  since  his  residence  here. 

John  S.  Carter,  section  4,  owns  110  acres  of  land;  was  born  in 
Luzerne  county.  Pa..  March,  '32,  and  came  west  in  '55,  and  located 
in  Wisconsin,  but  in  '57  removed  to  Ray  county.  Mo.,  and  in  '59^ 
went  to  C'alifornia.  and  in  '62  to  British  Columbia,  Oregon  and 
Idaho.  From  thence  in  '69,  he  came  to  Chickasaw  county,  and 
located  in  this  township.  Was  married  in  '72  to  Sarah  Jane  Mar- 
vin, and  the)'  have  five  children,  Lenna,  Victoria,  May  Belle  and 
A  verm  Maud. 

W.  W.  Orr.  section  4,  owns  245  acres  of  land,  was  born  in  Scot- 
land, in  1850,  and  came  to  America  with  his  parents  in  '53,  and 
first  located  in  Wisconsin,  but  in  '64  came  to  Chickasaw  county,, 
in  '69  he  went  to  Missouri,  and  returned  to  this  county  in  ,70. 
Was  married  in  '81  to  Lillian  L.  Hart,  and  they  have  one  child, 
John  H. 

Charles  S.  Putney,  section  24,  owns  200  acres  of  land;  was  born 
in  Livingston  county,  iV.  Y.,  in  '35,  and  came  west  with  his  pa- 
rents in  '47,  and  located  in  Wisconsin,  and  in  '68  came  to  this 
county,  and  located  in  this  township.  Was  married  to  Mary  A. 
Granger,  and  they  have  two  children,  Charles  W.  and  Bertie  Grant. 

Hiram  J.  Weed,  section  2,  owns  eighty  acres  of  land;  was  born 
In  K]rie  county,  Ohio,  in  '50,  and  came  west  in  '71  to  Chickasaw 
county,  and  located  in  this  township.  Mr.  W.  has  a  fine  farm 
which  he  cultivates  for  vegatables  and  cereals,  and  also  raises 
some  fine  stock. 

M.  Massee,  section  33,  P.  0.  Nashua,  owns  320  acres  of  land, 
valued  at  $15  per  acre;  was  born  in  Oneida  county,  N.  Y.  in  1835, 
and  came  west  with  his  parents,  to  Aurora,  Kane  county,  Illinois. 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY   BIOGRAPHIES.  627 

In  '56  came  to  Chickasaw  county,  and  permanently  located  in^thia 
township.  Was  married  in  1856,  to  Harriett  Shelden,  of  Oneida 
county,  New  York.  They  have  two  children  Anna  and  Seymore. 
Mr.  M.  purchased  his  land  in  a  wild  state,  and  improved  it  him- 
self, he  has  followed  dairy  and  stock  farming  during  11  years  of 
his  residence  in  this  township,  also  milks  46  cows.  He  keeps  on 
his  farm  about  80  head  of  cattle  and  is  improving  his  stock  with 
fine  short  horn  Durhams,  and  has  his  entire  farm  under 
cultivation. 

Nathaniel  B.  Ager,  section  12,  P.  0.  Williamstown,  owns  100 
acres  of  land,  valued  at  $30  per  acre;  was  born  in  Merrimack 
county,  New  Hampshire,  in  1827,  and  came  west  in  June,  '61,  to 
Chickasaw  county,  and  permanenly  located  in  this  township. 
Was  married  to  Ellen  J.  Johnson,  who  was  born  in  Rockingham 
Vermont  in  1830.  Mr.  B.  has  a  fine  farm  which  he  manages  him- 
self. 


628  CHICKASAW    COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


Charles  S.  Cotant  was  born  in  Ulster  county,  N.  Y.,  in   '27,  his  | 

family  removing  a  few  years  subsequent  to  Huron   county,   Ohio,  ' 

where  they  remained  about  twenty-six  years.       In  the  spring    «f  1 

'58  they  came  to  New  Hampton,  engaging  in  farming  about   four  ] 

miles  from  the  village.     In  '62  the  subject  of  this  sketch  engaged  \ 
in  Blacksmithing  in  New  Hampton,  in   which    business    he   still 

continues.     In  '54  he  was  married  to  Lyvah  S.    Taylor,   of  Ohio,  i 

and  they  have  four  children,  Beulah,  Byron,    Lydia    and    Agnes.  : 
His  venerable  parents,  Mr.  and    Mrs.    Zephaniah    Cotant,    reside 

with  him.  i 

M.  J.  Clary,  Jr.,  farmer,  was  born  in  New  Haven.,  Conn.,  in  '52, 
and  is  the  oldest  son  of  Michael  and  Anna  Clary.       When  he  was 

very  young  his  parents  removed  to  Providence,  R.    I.,    and    lived  J 
there  two  years,  then  went  to  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,   wHere    they    stayed 

three  years;  in  '58  they  removed  to  Wisconsin  where  they  remain-  i 

ed  thirteen  years;  in  '70  they  came  to  Iowa  and    located   in   this  ; 
county.     Mr.  C.  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  in  188o,  and  liolds 

the  office  at  present.                                                             '  j 


CHICKASAW   COUNTY    BIOGRAPHIES.  629 

Mrs.  p.  J.  Kennedy,    was  born  in  Stuben  county,    New    York, 
in  1843,  and  is  the  only  daughter  of  John' and  Martha  A.  Streator. 

She  came  to  Iowa  when  but  eleven  years  old,  and  has  made  it  her 
residence  ever  since. 

Michael  Clarey  Sr.,  section  33,  Stapleton  township,  P.  0.  Lawler 

owns  120  acres  of  land,  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1812,  and  came  to 
America  in  1847.  He  settled  in  Canada,  but  after  a  residence  of 
one  year  he  removed  to  the  U.  S.  and  settled  in  Connecticut. 
Was  married  in  '37,  to  Anna  Sullivan,  a  native  of  Ireland,  and 
have  five  children  Anna  E.,  Michael  J.,  Edward  .J.,  Timothy  C. 
and  Elizabeth. 


^11 '111  1     -l'*^ '"■'■'^P'''''**''- ■^^f'fi*^ '^^  *  ^^ 

r)f  jnftt  what  is  rfqnirftrl  hy   the   r  ikV — » 

LIAL   ■  ,  ,  ■  ^  '- 

riliriiin.^llLWUlFQ'HT.niL 

It  ownR  and  operates  ove-.r  i,fA^)  mtles  ot'  r*.»«l  tn  iv>rth*',rn  HV 
inois,  Wiscrmsin,  Minnesota,  fr.wa  an'l  Dakota;  anrl  a«  its  inSKin- 
Hn^,  br*^  ■' ' '  ''■-'  "^■'"'l  r-xttiTi'^"'^''^'' "  reach  -^'^  '"  '■  '•■■•■•-f-f  m^-i.-.o-jo  ..-,,f,:,Tj 
of  the;  and  F>i  t,  it  na  , 

turn  of  Short  fine,  Atui  best  route  betvreen 

€hwiago,  Milwaukee,  8t.  Paul  and  ,Vfinneap<-'i8. 

Chicago,  Milwaukee,  T^Crosse  and  Winona. 

Chicago,  >filwaukee,  Aberdeen  an<l   Rn*^Tifl^,< 

ChieagO,  Milwaukee,  Kau  Claire  an<.  '^ater. 

Chicago^  Milwaukee,  Wausaia  anrl  M 

Chicago,  Milwaukee,  Beaver  Dam  and  Oshkosh. 

Chio^o,  Milwaukee,  Wauke«ha  aivl   Oconomowoc. 

Chicago,  Milwaukee,  Ma^lison  and  Frairie  du  Chipn. 

Chicago,  Milwaukae,  Owatonna  and  Fairbault 

Chica^,  Beloit,  Jactesville  and  Mineral  Pnint. 

Chica)^,  Elgin,- Rock  ford  ami  Dnhnrmr' 

Chica^,  Clinton,  Rock  Island  an*.  •  Riini.ls 

Chicago,  Council  Rluffe  ami  Omaha. 

Chicago,  Sioux  City,  Sioux  ffallw  ami  yankti)n. 

Chicago,  Milwaukee,  Mitchell  and  Chainberlitt, 

Rock  fdand,  Dubuque,  St.  Raulan<l  Minneaonltw 

Davenport,  Calmar,  St.  Raul  and  Minneapolit*. 

Pullman  Sleepers  and  '^^■"^  ''.-.^.-.f  rn..;,,.r  r.^.o  ",,  r;.^  ,,  ,»-i,f  !,•-> 
rin  on  *he  main  line  of  the  .      , 

./,  and  every  attention  i«  pai< I  14 )   patwengers   hy 
courteous  employes  of  the  company. 

ft.  a  MERR  A. 

General  Manager. 
XT.  CLARK,  G\Hj. 

Gen.  Supt.  Am'.i  '.en.  .'.iss     •  .' 


CONTENTS. 


HISTORY  OF  IOWA. 

PAGE. 

History  of  Iowa 9 

History  of  Chickasaw  County •  •  •  •  119 

Bradford  Township 191 

New  Haini)ton  Township . .- 205 

Frederickshurg  Township 245 

Stapleton  Township 256 

Chickasaw  Township 272 

Dayton  Township 278 

Washington  Township 280 

Richland  Township 281 

Deerfiehi  Township '. 283 

Jacksonville  Township 286 

Utica  Township 288 

Dresden  Township 289 

War  Record 295 

Chronology 316 

History  of  Howard  County 327 

Vernon  Springs  Township 421 

Forest  City  Township 444 

Saratoga  Township 453 

Paris  Township 454 

Afton  Township 454 

Howard  Township 455 

Jamestown  Township •   455 

Howard  Center  Townthip 458 

Albion  Township 461 

New  Oregon  Township . . 463 

Chester  Township 469 

Oakdale  Township 469 

War  Record 473 

Chronology 492 

Biographical  Sketches *^07 


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