History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 1

Author: Williams bros., Cleveland, pub. [from old catalog]; Riddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin), 1816-1902
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 574

USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 1

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1800.

Class F622

Book B85H6.

ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE, BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA;

. 1842.

HISTORY

BUCHANAN COUNTY,

IOWA,

WITH

ILLUSTRATIONS AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

WILLIAMS BROS.,

PUBLISHERS,

1881.

FROM PRINTING HOUSE OF W. W. WILLIAMS, CLEVELAND, OHIO.

B8510

PREFATORY NOTE.

The following history is the result of the joint labor of its two editors, for about ten months ; together with that of several assistants in certain departments of the work. With two exceptions, the editors hold themselves responsible for every thing herein contained, for which no other author- ity is expressly given. The first exception is that of Township Histories. All of these but two were prepared by a gentleman of indefatigable industry and undoubted truthfulness, who spent several weeks in visiting the different townships, and col- lecting from all accessible sources, but mostly from the lips of old settlers, the material for his sketches. That these are as reliable as anything based upon human memory can be, we have no doubt. The gentleman referred to has had considerable literary experience; but in these Township Histories he has aimed rather at brevity and clearness of state- ment, than at anything like literary ornamentation. The other exception is that of the Township Bio- graphical Sketches. These were prepared by the subscription canvassers, and were of course written under great inconveniences and difficulties. They came into our hands for revision. A few redundan- cies were pruned away; some grammatical errors, incident to hasty composition, were corrected ; and that was all the revision which, under the circum- stances, was found practicable. We trust, however, that few, if any, important errors have gone into print, and that those specially interested in these sketches will find them, on the whole, satisfactory.

The sources from which our information has been derived for the preparation of this work have been perhaps sufficiently acknowledged in those portions of the work in which the various items of information

are embodied. But we desire here to make more especial acknowledgment to the publishers of the Conservative and the Bulletin for their kindness in granting us free access to the files of their papers ; to the clergymen who so cheerfully furnished us with historical sketches of their several churches ; to all the county officers, not only for the unob- structed use of their records, but frequently for their valuable assistance in examining them; to Mr. Charles H. Little for the use of the entire file of the Buchanan Guardian of which he is the fortunate owner; and to the Hon. Stephen W. V. Tabor for admission, at all times cordially granted, to his magnificent private library. If, through inadvertence, we have failed to mention, either here or in the body of the work, any kind helpers to whom we are specially indebted, let them be as- sured that the omission is not due to any lack of a grateful appreciation of their kindness.

Of the fidelity (or the want of it) with which we have performed our work, our readers must be the judges. Of one thing only are we at all inclined to boast : we think we may safely say that no county, whose history has as yet been written, can point to so full and complete a record of the doings and sayings of its heroes in the war for the sup- pression of the Rebellion, as that contained in the present volume. That no other county could fur- nish the materials for such a record, we would not presume to say; but certainly we know of no county among whose soldiers there were so many Xenophons, equally capable of wielding the pen and sword, as among the soldiers of "Old Bu- chanan."

C. S. PERCIVAL,

ELIZABETH PERCIVAL,

· Editors.

CONTENTS.

HISTORICAL.

GENERAL HISTORY.

PAGE.

CHAPTER.

1 .- The Aboriginal Indabitants

1I .- Physical Features

: Independence 230

IV .- Settlement and Population

Washington

281

V .- Early Mails and Means of Communication .

Liberty

295

VI .- Early Commerce .

Perry

311

VII .- Hunting, Trapping and Fishing

, Fairbank

332

Vll1 .- Erection and Organization of Buchanan county .

Hazleton

337

IX .- The County Seat War

Buffalo

352

X .- The Court and the Bar of Buchanan County

Madison

362

XI .- Interesting Cases

Byron

369

XIa .-- County Societies

Fremont

377

XII .- Railroads

Westburgh

384

XIII. - Provision for the Poor

Sumner

389

XIV .- The Hospital for the Insane

Jefferson

404

XV .- Buchanan County in the War of the Rebellion

103

Homer

413

XVI .- Buchanan County Schools

210

Cono

423

XVII .- Civil List of Buchanan County

213

Newton

430

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE.

Insane Asylum

facing Title page

Portrait of Charles Melrose

facing 320

Map of Buchanan County

facing 9

" Prettyman King

facing 34I

Residence of Z. Stout .

facing 230

Portraits of John and Ann McCay

facing 432

Portrait of Thomas Scarcliff

facing 27I

Residence (with portraits) of John B. Potter

facing 437

.. " Moses Little

facing 314

BIOGRAPHICAL,

PAGE.

Barnhart, A. J. .

279

Little, John A.

274

Barton, William H.

223

Little, Moses

314

Bemis, Hon. George W.

22.4

Luckey, Samuel C. 273

Blood, Asa, jr.

220

Morse, W. H. H.

276

Boggs, Rev. John M.

219

McCoristin, P.

279

Boon, J. R. .

278

McCay, John

facing 432

Brown, Mrs. Mary E.

268

Melrose, Charles

facing 320

Cates, Valentine

272

Myers, August

277

Chamberlain, W. H.

270

Naylor, Samuel .

272

Clark, O. B.

276

Patrick, C. L.

278

Clark, S. S.

275

Poor, James A.

268

Cobb, E.

271

Potter, John B.

437

Coy, Captain J. F.

266

Ross, Edward

.266

Curtis, Simon B.

219

Scarcliff, Thomas

280

Curtis, Thomas F.

275

Sherwood, Thomas

277

Deering, David S.

267

Sherwood, Samuel .

270

Durham, Charles M.

267

Stewart, W. H. & Co.

275

Ensminger Brothers

271

Stout, Z.

following 272

Few, William

272

Tabor, S. J. W.

223

Forrester, James

273

Trask, A. H.

278

Frank, A. H.

279

Travis, Judson J.

269

Herrick, C. F.

272

Turner, Hon. Thomas E.

219

Hitchcock, M. S.

266

Wallace C. R.

274

Holloway, Hon. John C.

269

Walker, Daniel

277

Jones, William A.

225

Warren, G. K.

276

Jordan, Lieutenant George C.

226

Wilcox, Phineas C.

222

Kandy, C. B.

280

Wiley, John

274

King, Prettyman

341

Wackerbarth, Jacob

280 ·

Little, Captain E. C.

226

Woodruff, Lieutenant E. A.

228

PAGE.

XIX .- The Buchanan Press . 218

XX .- General Biography 219

TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES.

III .- Historical Address 42

BUCHANAN

Fairbank

Ikuzleton Sta

ald Hazleton ..

Woords Corners

AIRBANK

HAVIETON

BUFFALO

MADIS OS

< 3

Little.

Castleville P.O.

A Pilot Grove

Littleton

14.

FRE MONT

Di Votterville

126

3.30

JESUP

3.4

INDEPENDENCE

WINTHROP

WESTBUR

SUMNER

2 2

26 /

1 31

التـ

34.

Rowley

Church

Et School House

PostOffice

Timber

305

2.11

- 5

BRANDON

LB 2

· $\

361

736

WASHINGTON

BYR

MAP OF

BUFFALOY CREEK

LIBERTY

MIDDLEFIELD

34 35 QUASQUE TON

1 m

WIN AOSIRINICON

JEFFERSON 1

WTON

Road

- Rail Road

Creek

.30

c 6

RIVEN

0℃

: 32.

161

O 16

MER

-- -

Marga Kasane

2 -

ŽE

2 9

2 5

3 1

Hutfarlo Grave P. O.

40720

COUNTY.

,22

Boot

20 vant Side P. O.

1 31

3 6

INTRODUCTORY.

LL history is local. Even the strictest biography A

interests itself, more or less, in the birthplace and early home of its subject, and in all the scenes of his later achievements. Every man is closely identified with his surroundings. He becomes a part of them, and they of him ; and it would be as easy for him to exist separate from space as for a historian to write a history of his life entirely disconnected with that of the place in which he lives.

As with the history of individuals and peoples, so with that of all popular movements, whether in civil, relig- ious, military or political affairs. The history of a gov- ernment or a war, of a reformation in religion or a revolution in party politics, can not be written separate from that of the territories in which they occur. All events are local, and so must their history be. But the most of the great histories of the world are local in name, as well as in fact. The history of France, of England, or of America, pertains, if we follow the literal sense, even more to the territory than to the nation. We may say that the chief interest attaches to the peo- ple; but it is only as the soul is more interesting than the body. If the two could be separated, the history of both, together with all human interest in them, as constitu- ting a living entirety, would come to an end. But though all history, strictly speaking, is local, yet the name "local history" is applied exclusively, we believe, to those his- torical collections which have of late become so com- mon, and which are limited to small territories-those of towns corporate, townships, or separate counties.

Local histories, therefore, do not differ from others so much in kind as in extent. The history of a county contains, or should contain, all the elements which enter into that of a State, or of a nation. Every history per- taining to a limited territory, whether great or small, should contain a description, more or less minute, of its physical features and natural advantages; an account of its aboriginal inhabitants, of its settlement and subjuga- tion by the people who now occupy it, of its gradual development of its resources, of the growth and extent of its internal improvements, of its advance- ment in art, science, literature, morality and religion ; in short, of the progress which its people have made in all that goes to make up that complex social condition to which we give the name of Christian civilization. As subsidiary to all this, it must contain an account of its civil divisions, and biographical sketches of those who have occupied, within its borders, prominent positions in social, financial, civil or military affairs. And if it isillustrated with portraits of its deserving citizens and,

views of its finest edifices and most picturesque scenery, these illustrations will aid the descriptions of the histo- rian in producing their most vivid impression upon the mind of the reader,

The history of a State can contain little, if any thing, more than the expansion of the elements thus briefly sketched; and the history of a county should contain nothing less. There are, however, certain characteristic differences between county histories and those which embrace more extensive territories; but they are such as should commend the former to the especial regard of the people at large. All these differences, which it is worth while to mention here, may be comprised in this one statement : County histories can descend to a mi- nuteness in details which is quite impracticable in Nation- al or State histories. And this fact, we repeat, should give to the former an especial value in the estimation of the people.

In such histories there is room for descriptions and illustrations of much interesting scenery, which State or National historians, on account of limited space, must necessarily pass unnoticed; for narratives of pioneer life, which are of great interest to the descendants and suc- cessors of those to whom they relate, but which, were it not for the pen of the local historian, must slumber in oblivion ; for biograpical sketches of many who were true heroes in their limited sphere, who nobly wrought for the good of their neighborhood, their town, or their county, but who, nevertheless, would have gone down to the grave and been forgotten, but for the local history which, in preserving the memory of their deeds, has per- petuated the beneficent influence of their example. Local history, therefore, is emphatically the people's his- tory.

But, though it is thus seen to be the peculiar province of local history to preserve, in comparatively small local- ities, the memory of events which more pretentious his- tories must necessarily leave unnoticed, it must not thence be inferred that the former is essentially less dig- nified and important than the latter. It is a very com- mon, but, nevertheless, a very great mistake to suppose that only the history of the so-called great is worthy to be written. Even the authors of the great world histories are compelled to recognize this fact by the necessity they are under of giving immortality to many subordinate characters, from the mere accident of their coming in contact with the more prominent actors in the great events which they narrate.

But the difference between the great and the small, the important and the unimportant in human history, is, to a

INTRODUCTORY.

great extent, factitious. No human life is devoid of in-

terest. An eloquent modern writer has truly said: “It is interesting to reconstruct any genuine life drama, to pluck from time and oblivion the most inconspicuous story that has a human soul for its basis." Every human life is important, either as an example or as a warning ; and, painted in such colors as the touch of genius could throw around it, every human life would be found replete with incidents of historic, and even of romantic interest. The possibility of even what the world calls greatness, lies hidden in every soul whose strength is un- fettered, and whose light is unobscured, by some of the various forms or degrees of idiocy. The influence of what we call accident (which is but one of the forms of divine providence), not only in developing human char- acter and fixing human destiny, but also in lifting obscure names into the sudden light of historic prominence, is too often lost sight of. Of the many thousands of men in the United States, who are capable of filling respecta- bly the office of President, it is not unusually the one who has the most prestige before the people, and in whose behalf the most earnest, persistent and direct ef- forts are made, that succeeds in securing the nomination. And the influences which combine at last to secure it for the fortunate candidate, are, for the most part, at least, such as cannot be controlled and concentrated by man- agement and foresight. And the favorite Presidents have been those who have sprung up from among the people, whose early lives were spent in the obscurity of rural homes, and who, in the self-training which fitted them for their high position, have literally been led, "by a way that they knew not."

But not only the means of preparing for a high posi- tion and the opportunities of securing it come through the intervention of what we call accident. Almost every page of history reveals the fact that combinations of circumstances, entirely fortuitous, as far as the actors in them are concerned, have often brought into permanent celebrity the names of those who never enjoyed either the necessary training for an exalted station, or the opportunities for obtaining it. Williams, Paulding, and Van Wert, the captors of Andre, were common militia- men, who would never have been heard of in our Revo- lutionary annals, but for the accident which placed them in the path of the returning spy, just as he was on the point of making good his escape within the British lines. But the constancy and fidelity which prompted them to spurn the offered bribes of their captive, and thus made their names immortal among those of their country's saviors, would have given their souls the stamp of genu- ine heroism, even had no opportunity been offered for rendering themselves famous. In the humble sphere which they were called to fill, those noble qualities would have found ample scope for exercise ; and their example would have been just as beneficial to those who witnessed it as it is now to the multiplied number who read it.

And herein is seen one of the important offices of local history-and that is, to perpetuate the examples of worthy men and women, in the locality in which those examples were set. It aids the children of worthy parents

in obeying that most touching of all the Commandments: "Honor thy father and thy mother," and affords them the finest opportunity of securing the promised reward- the prolongation of their days in the land which God has given them, by the perpetuation of their own names along with the memory of their parents' examples. These observations, of course, apply generally to all times and eras in a county's history. There is no genera- tion that does not produce some men in every county whose character and position justly entitle them to his- toric commemoration, and give both to contemporaries and posterity the right to demand that such commemora- tion shall be made. In every generation too, there will be, in every county, many events in all the departments of human activity and interest, well worthy to be placed on record by the pen of the historian. Striking events in social life will occur. Important political crises will be passed through. The march of improvement will be kept up. New commercial thoroughfares will be opened. Financial enterprises "of great pith and moment" will be undertaken and carried on to success, or end in fail- ure. Schools, churches, and charitable institutions will be established. The great battle between right and wrong will be fought and won; or lost and renewed again. Im- migration and emigration will continue, and populations will change. And all this is the stuff of which history is made.

As often, therefore, as once in forty or fifty years at the most, the history of every county should be thor- oughly written. Copies of every such work should be preserved in all the public libraries and offices of the county, and in all private houses whose owners can by any means afford the necessary expense. No sentiment of mock modesty should prevent prominent and wealthy citizens from furnishing, for the illustration of such works, both portraits, views of residences, and materials for biographical sketches. The most generous encour- agement should be extended to those who undertake the labor and incur the risk of such publications, provided ample guaranty is given of ability and fidelity in the ex- ecution of the work. Local histories, thus patronized and executed, to whatever era they may refer in the his- torical development of the locality described, must be regarded as second in importance to none that can be written.

But the observations made above, in regard to the im- portance of local, or county histories, refer especially to those which are written first, while some of the early set- tlers or their immediate descendants survive-or, at least, while all the facts worthy of record concerning the first settlement of the locality, are easy to be obtained. The people have an instinctive desire to know as much as possible concerning those who first opened up the region in which they dwell, to the occupancy of civilized men. The pioneers in the settlement of any unculti- vated region, woodland or prairie, are always men of mark. None but brave, hardy and energetic men would undertake such a work. And it is the record of deeds which spring from these qualities, that constitutes the romance of history. It is true that the pioneers may

INTRODUCTORY.

not have possessed these qualities in a higher degree, in- herently, than their successors; but the circumstances surrounding them-the very necessities of their position -were calculated to develope these traits in an extra- ordinary degree, and thus to produce a type of charac- ter not to be looked for in later and more quiet times. But even if pioneers were commonplace men, the ac- cident which made them pioneers would give them a prominence justly entitling them to historic mention- just as "the first white male child" born in a county, though he may never do any thing worthy of fame, never- theless becomes famous by the mere accident of his primogeniture.

In speaking of the importance of local histories, we must not omit to mention the fact that they often afford valuable material for those more extensive historical works, which pertain to the State or the nation at large. Characters with only a local reputation, entitling them to biographical sketches in county histories, may afterwards win a national fame; and the subsequent historian, called to write of their life and times, may be able to find in such histories alone the record of their early career. Events also having at first only a local significance, and recorded only in local histories, may subsequently, by their connection with later events, become of national importance. And yet, if they had not been rescued from oblivion by the local historian, no authentic accounts of them would ever have been transmitted to posterity.

We will add but one other consideration showing the importance of county histories, and that is the very obvi- ous one that such histories, if written even with a moderate degree of fidelity and ability, will increase more and more in value, the older they become. Of most other histories this is true only to a very limited extent ; and of very many others it is not true at all. The history of Ancient Rome, or of any modern nation, written at the present time, will be no more valuable on account of its age forty or fifty years hence than it is now. Any such book, when it becomes very old, or very scarce, may increase in value as a curiosity; but the history which it contains will probably be no more highly prized a hundred years from now than it is at the present time. But the history of a county, going back to its first set- tlement and organization; containing the names and personal history of its early settlers, and a record of the most interesting events that marked the first half century, or so, of its progress, will be much more highly prized by succeeding generations than by that to which, in part at least, it relates.

Tis distance lends enchantment to the view.

Events which occur at or near our own time, are commonplace as history, with whatever eagerness they may have been devoured as news; and it is not until they have become surrounded by something of the halo of antiquity that we begin to appreciate their full value. The writer of this might not, perhaps have set a very high value upon a history of his native county ("Old Oneida," in Central New York) if written thirty-five years ago, while he was still a resident within its borders ; but if such a work had been written then, on the plan and in the manner already described, containing sketches of the county pioneers (among whom were his own an- cestors) and embellished with portraits of individuals and views of scenery familiar to his boyhood, he would now consider such a work, if still accessible, cheap at double the price set upon the present volume. A natural desire, therefore. to gratify, instruct and benefit posterity, as well as that (already mentioned) to bestow honor upon ances- try, should induce all the citizens of a county to encour- age, by every means in their power, any timely and trustworthy effort to perpetuate, in a suitable form, the history of the locality in which they live.

It cannot be denied, however, that this species of writ- ing is the subject of a very common popular prejudice. This fact is due partly to the lack of a proper apprecia- tion of the importance of such works, and the general repugnance toward all enterprises which are thought to place the people under contribution-and partly, ir must be confessed, to the well-nigh worthless character of many of the works put forth under the name of "County Histories." It is probably too much to expect that either of these causes of the existing prejudice of which we are speaking, will very soon disappear. But an intelligent examination of the subject, in the light of the considera- tions therein set forth, could hardly fail to prove an anti- dote to the first ; and the second could not long survive if every citizen would thoroughly scan both the creden- tials and the antecedents of any parties proposing to is- sue a county history, before giving them his sanction.

These remarks, by way of introduction, have seemed to us important, in order to remove from the minds of our readers at the outset, if possible, any indifference or prejudice with which they may have been preoccupied, in regard to the dignity and importance of a local his- tory. Whether or not the present volume has to any ex- tent realized the picture which we have drawn of such a history, we shall leave them to determine.

HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA,

CHAPTER I. THE ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS.

THE question, "" What race of men first occupied the territory now embraced within the limits of Buchanan county?" is one that can be answered only by conjecture. The immediate predecessors of the present white inhabit- ants were the modern Indians or red men. The predeces- sors of the latter, here as in the whole Mississippi valley, if not throughout the entire central portion of North America, from ocean to ocean, are now supposed, by nearly all archæologists, to have been a separate race of men; to whom has been given, on account of the works which have survived them, the name of "Mound Builders." But whether they were really a different race from the Indians; or, if they were, whether they were actually the first human beings that ever occupied the soil of our country, can never be certainly known. After having read all the leading arguments in favor of the commonly received hypothesis, we frankly confess that we have never been fully convinced that the Mound Builders were a different race from the modern Indians.

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History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 1

Author: Williams bros., Cleveland, pub. [from old catalog]; Riddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin), 1816-1902 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Cleveland, Williams brothers Number of Pages: 574

Author: Williams bros., Cleveland, pub. [from old catalog]; Riddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin), 1816-1902
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 574