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HEMAN C. SMITH
HISTORY
OF
DECATUR COUNTY IOWA
AND ITS PEOPLE
Ti
PROF. J. M. HOWELL and HEMAN C. SMITH
SUPERVISING EDITORS
ILLUSTRATED
VOLUME I
CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1915 che
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY 731365 ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS P 1916 L
INTRODUCTION
The history of Decatur County as United States territory reaches back to that eventful day in May, 1803, when the treaty was signed by which France ceded the vast territory included in the Louisiana Purchase to our Federal Government. The hand of Providence seems plainly manifest in the course of events which led to its acquisi- tion. It is said that the American envoys who conducted the negotia- tions on behalf of the United States "spent no small part of their time explaining that they only wished a little bit of Louisiana, includ- ing New Orleans and the east bank of the Mississippi." Livingston indeed went so far as to express a very positive disinclination to take the territory west of the Mississippi at any price, stating that he should much prefer to see it remain in the hands of France or Spain, and suggesting by way of an apology for its acquisition, that it might be resold to some European power. Madison who was at the head of the state department at that time "felt a strong disinclination to see the national domain extend west of the Mississippi and he so instructed Monroe and Livingston," who were in charge of the matter on our part. But Napoleon, harassed on every hand by the great powers of Europe and fearful that the territory might fall into the hands of the English, rapidly abated his demands from the exorbitant sum first asked, finally offering to take $15,000,000 and forced Livingston and Monroe to become reluctant purchasers not merely of New Orleans, but of all the immense territory stretching vaguely northwestward to the Pacific. Another strange thing about the matter is that Jeffer- son. in whose administration the purchase was made, "had led his party into power as special champion of states' rights and the special opponent of national sovereignty. He and they rendered a very great service to the nation by acquiring Louisiana; but it was at the cost of violating every precept which they had professed to hold dear." Thus came into the possession of the United States a territory of vast and very ill defined extent. Congress authorized a temporary gov- ernment for the newly acquired province on October 31, 1803, but its jurisdiction was merely nominal as the French governor retained
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INTRODUCTION
his power at the request and by the authority of the United States. By further action of Congress the whole of the province north of the 33d parallel was organized into a court district and formed for gov- ernmental and judicial purposes a part of the Territory of Indiana. This action was had March 26, 1804, and affected what are now the states of Arkansas, Missouri and Iowa, also Southern Minnesota; it was called Upper Louisiana, and in this way the name District of Louisiana was originated, by which it was known during the early his- tory of the country.
On March 3, 1805, Iowa was included as a part of the Territory of Louisiana, with the capital at St. Louis, and that part of the Louisiana Purchase now known as Louisiana became Orleans Ter- ritory. The Territory of Missouri was organized June 4, 1812, and Iowa was embraced in it. When Missouri became a state in 1820, Iowa with other territory, was detached and forgotten and "remained a country without a government, either political or judicial, until June 28, 1834, when the abuses of outlawry and crime became so prominent and so serious that, as a means of redress and correction, it was included in the Territory of Michigan. During all of these years, it is probable that the only civil law in force in Iowa was the provision of the Missouri Act which prohibited slavery and involun- tary servitude in the territories of the United States north of thirty- six degrees, thirty minutes, north latitude."
By 1836 the population of this region had so increased that the territorial government of Wisconsin was organized, which at first in- cluded a part of the upper peninsula of Michigan, the whole of Min- nesota and Iowa, and that part of Dakota lying east of the Missouri and White Earth rivers. When the Territory of Iowa was organized July 12, 1838, it included the present State of Minnesota and parts of North and South Dakota.
By an act of Congress approved March 3, 1845, provision was made for the admission of Iowa into the Union as a sovereign state, with boundaries extending on the north the parallel of latitude pass- ing through the mouth of the Blue Earth River and on the west only to seventeen degrees, thirty minutes, from Washington, correspond- ing very nearly to the existing line between Ringgold and Union counties on the one hand and Taylor and Adams counties on the other. This reduction of the boundaries laid down by the Constitu- tional Convention of 1844 was very distasteful to the people, the admission was rejected by a popular election and in 1846 Congress proposed new boundary lines, having the State of Minnesota for the
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INTRODUCTION
north boundary, Missouri for the south, the Mississippi River on the east and the Missouri and Sioux rivers on the west. The date of admission to the Union was December 28, 1846.
Comparatively few of the counties as at present established had been organized previous to the convening of the first territorial as- sembly. It was not until after Iowa was organized as a state that we find Decatur represented in the Legislature. It was the last of twelve counties created by the act of the Legislature of the Territory of Iowa, approved January 13, 1846, and its boundaries as at first de- fined have remained permanent. The land included within the liinits of the county was ceded to the United States Government by the Sac and Fox Indians in a treaty dated October 11, 1842. Decatur was west of the line by which this cession was divided into two parts and therefore did not have to be vacated by the Indians until three years after the date of cession. The three southern tiers of counties in Iowa at present were carved from the original territory of the County of Des Moines. Des Moines was the second county established in Iowa, Dubuque having been the first. The limits of the County of Des Moines were defined in section 2 of an act to lay off and organize counties west of the Mississippi River. In the definition of the boun- daries of Des Moines County an error was made in that the county was not limited, in so many words, to territory to which the Indian title had been extinguished. The intention of the framers of the act was to erect the southern part of the Black Hawk Purchase into Des Moines County, but by the omission of a phrase the county was appar- ently extended westward to the Missouri River. The territory enacted into new counties was only the southern part of the Black Hawk Purchase. It did not extend westward to the Missouri River.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
.
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF DECATUR COUNTY
FIRST SETTLEMENTS-AN EARLY SCRIBE'S DESCRIPTION-FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP-LONG CREEK TOWNSHIP-RICHLAND TOWNSHIP- GRAND RIVER - DECATUR - PRODUCTIONS - EDUCATIONAL - MANUFACTORIES - RAILROADS - REAL ESTATE - BRIDGES - CHURCHES-POSTOFFICES-OLD TIME NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS
1 IN THE DAYS OF AULD LANG SYNE.
CHAPTER II
ORGANIZATION OF DECATUR COUNTY -
COUNTY ORGANIZATION-FIRST TOWNSHIPS-COUNTY SEAT-IN REGARD TO THE COUNTY SEAT CONTROVERSY-FIRST COURT- HOUSE-COURTHOUSE BURGLARY-THE NEW COURTHOUSE -JAIL-POOR FARM-THE COUNTY ROAD SYSTEM. 16
CHAPTER III
SUMMARY OF COUNTY OFFICIALS
COUNTY JUDGES-TREASURERS AND RECORDERS-TREASURERS- RECORDERS-CLERKS-SHERIFFS-COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS -AUDITORS - SUPERVISORS - CORONERS - SURVEYORS - DIS- TRICT JUDGES-SENATORS-REPRESENTATIVES. 30
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER IV
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP BEFORE THE WAR
AN ARTICLE FROM THE PEN OF DUNCAN CAMPBELL. 34
CHAPTER V
ABOUT NEW BUDA AND THE HUNGARIANS
WRITTEN BY G. P. ARNOLD, ALSO THE STORY OF FRANCIS VARGA. ... 48
CHAPTER VI DECATUR'S WAR STORY
FIRST PREPARATIONS - ENLISTMENTS - GEORGE POMUTZ - PROMI- NENT SOLDIERS FROM THIS COUNTY-SKETCH OF THE THIRD IOWA CAVALRY-THE HOME COMING OF THE THIRD. 54
CHAPTER VII
ROSTER OF DECATUR COUNTY SOLDIERS WHO SERVED IN THE WAR OF REBELLION
FOURTH IOWA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY-COMPANY D-THIRTY- FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY- COMPANY A-COMPANY I-THIRTY- NINTH IOWA INFANTRY-COMPANY K-SEVENTEENTH IOWA INFANTRY-COMPANY A-THIRD IOWA VOLUNTEER CAV- ALRY-COMPANY L-COMPANY M-UNASSIGNED-NINTH IOWA
CAVALRY-COMPANY C-FORTY-EIGHTH
IOWA
VOLUNTEER
INFANTRY-COMPANY C-DECATUR COUNTY SOLDIERS IN TROOPS OF OTHER STATES-COMPANY A, THIRTY-SEVENTH ILLI- NOIS INFANTRY-COMPANY D, FIFTIETH ILLINOIS-TENTH KANSAS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY-COMPANY K-THIRTY-FIFTH MISSOURI INFANTRY - COMPANY A - COMPANY E - FORTY- FOURTH MISSOURI INFANTRY-MISSOURI STATE MILITIA-SEV- ENTH CAVALRY-SOUTHERN BORDER BRIGADE (IOWA)-THIRD BATTALION-COMPANY
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER VIII
PROGRESS OF EDUCATION IN DECATUR COUNTY
EARLY LEON SCHOOL DAYS-ANOTHER SCHOOL REMINISCENCE- DECATUR SCHOOLS-EARLY SCHOOL DAYS IN FRANKLIN TOWN- SHIP-IN GARDEN GROVE-IN EDEN TOWNSHIP-SCHOOL STA- TISTICS 77
CHAPTER IX GRACELAND COLLEGE
AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY MISS INEZ SMITH. 96
CHAPTER X
THE CITY OF LEON
EARLY SETTLEMENT AND GROWTH-NEWSPAPERS-TELEPHONES- ELECTRICITY - WATER - IMPROVEMENTS - BANKS - LODGES, SOCIETIES AND CLUBS-CHURCHES-THE SWIFT COMPANY- COMMERCIAL CLUB-REMINISCENCES OF LEON BY MAJ. J. L. YOUNG-THE LEON BOARD OF TRADE-LEON AS DESCRIBED IN 1869-MEMORIES OF LEON BY J. N. MACHLAN. .110
CHAPTER XI
THE FOUNDING OF LAMONI AND THE WORK OF THE ORDER OF ENOCH
A HISTORY PREPARED BY ASA S. COCHRAN-BANKS-NEWSPAPERS- THE CITY OF LAMONI AND ITS PEOPLE-SOCIETIES-THE METH- ODIST CHURCH 130
CHAPTER XII
THE BEGINNING OF THE LATTER DAY SAINTS CHURCH
WRITTEN BY HEMAN C. SMITH-THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE CHURCH-THE SAINTS' HERALD.
.138
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CONTENTS CHAPTER XIII
EARLY SETTLEMENT AT GARDEN GROVE
AN ACCOUNT OF THE MORMON SETTLEMENTS THERE IN 1854 WRIT- TEN BY HEMAN C. SMITH 143
CHAPTER XIV
DECATUR COUNTY TOWNS
DAVIS CITY-GARDEN GROVE-PLEASANTON-VAN WERT-GRAND RIVER-DECATUR CITY-WELDON-LEROY-NEW BUDA-TERRE HAUTE-TUSKEEGO-HIGH POINT-WESTERVILLE. 154
CHAPTER XV
POLITICS IN DECATUR COUNTY
HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL REMINISCENCES OF DECATUR COUNTY BY "AN OLD POLITICIAN" 183
CHAPTER XVI
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION
DOCTORS IN DECATUR COUNTY-DECATUR COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY -THE PHYSICIANS' REGISTER .. .. 190
CHAPTER XVII
THE LEGAL PROFESSION
PROMINENT LAWYERS, PAST AND PRESENT-THE PRESENT BAR- THE FIRST COURT. . 197
CHAPTER XVIII
THE NAMES OF DECATUR COUNTY STREAMS
AN ACCOUNT OF THE NAMING OF THE STREAMS OF THE COUNTY WRITTEN BY J. E. VAIL. .204
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER XIX
MISCELLANEOUS
EARLY FARM METHODS-RAILROADS-GRAND RIVER OUTLAWS-PIO- VEER REMINISCENCES- CHRISTMAS FIFTY YEARS AGO-DECATUR COUNTY IMMIGRATION SOCIETY-DECATUR COUNTY AGRICUL- TURAL AND LIVE STOCK ASSOCIATION-THE DECATUR COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, BY HEMAN C. SMITH . 209
CHAPTER XX
GEOLOGY OF DECATUR COUNTY
INTRODUCTION - PHYSIOGRAPHY - TOPOGRAPHY - DRAINAGE - STRATIGRAPHY-CARBONIFEROUS-DES MOINES SERIES-PLEAS- ANTON SHALES-MISSOURIAN SERIES-BETHANY LIMESTONE- PLEISTOCENE-KANSAN AND OLDER DRIFT SHEETS-LOESS AND GUMBO-ALLUVIUM-STRUCTURE ECONOMIC PRODUCTS-COAL -CLAYS-BUILDING STONES-LIME-ACKNOWLEDGMENTS- FOREST TREES AND SHRUBS OF DECATUR COUNTY-NOMEN- CLATURE
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PROFESSOR J. M. HOWELL
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
CHAPTER I
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF DECATUR COUNTY
Pioneer history, at its best, is an elusive subject. Records of the days when the settlers hewed their homes from the unbroken wilder- ness have not been adequately preserved and consequently the sources of information which have survived are treasures which must be kept and immortalized by the present generation and the ones to come, lest the tales of the hardships and sturdy deeds be lost to view forever. Such is the purpose of history. Pioneer history, as well as any other, grows with the telling. There is glamour and interest centering around the hard fought battles of the early days, which will bear the retelling many times over. What if bits of imagination are intro- duced in the retelling? Any life is prosaic in the stern reality-and narrative beauty is added by the coloration of the pure facts; but, of course, strict adherence to these same facts is a prime requisite.
In the beginning of Iowa history, and with it that of Decatur County, settlements were miles apart and social intercourse was difficult. Log rollings, husking bees, barbecues, cabin buildings and other entertainments significant to the pioneers supplied the only op- portunities for the people to congregate together and these periods were often months apart. So the pioneer lived alone with his family in the silent and mighty forest and on the monotonous level of the prairie, sallying out before dawn to shoot the game for the day's food or to cast a line in the nearby stream. The clothes were manufac- tured by the good housewife who sat for days before the loom and spinning wheel, patiently working; linsey-woolsey and homespun, adorned with the skins of wild animals, were the popular fabrics.
An extreme hardiness of body and soul resulted from this life; men were cast in steel. Writers of today lament the deterioration of Vol. 1-1
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HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
the twentieth century civilization, praying for the spirit of the pioneer days. This may be true, but the effects of money and luxuries are too familiar to merit discussion in a work such as this volume. It is to the first men of the county and their influence in building up old Decatur and to the men of the present generation who are stolidly retaining this standard, that this work must be dedicated.
FIRST SETTLEMENTS
Perhaps the first record of early settlement in the County of Decatur proclaims that the very earliest settlements were made in the southern part of the county in or about the year 1840. Among the men who came to this territory at this time and threw up their rude habitations were: William Hamilton, James and Reuben Hat- field, Alfred Stanley, John McDaniel, John E. Logan and Allen Scott. It is said that some of these pioneers came even as early as 1838, carrying the impression that they were settling in the State of Missouri.
It is interesting to note that prior to the settlement of the so- called boundary question a number of slaves were held in the southern part of the county. Among the early records is the following:
"I, John McDaniel, of the County of Decatur and the State of Iowa, do hereby release, give up, and set at liberty as a free man, George, a black, a colored man, who has resided in my family since boyhood. Said man is about forty-five years old at this time, about five feet eleven inches high. Witness my hand and seal this 25th day of February, A. D., 1852.
"JOHN McDANIEL."
This same George died in the southern part of the county, evi- dently preferring to spend the rest of his days in the vicinity of his former master's home. McDaniel afterward moved to the State of Oregon.
The boundary dispute referred to in the above occurred about the time of the Fourth Legislative Assembly in Iowa. There was in question the boundary line between this territory and the State of Missouri. There was a difference of a strip eight or ten miles wide, extending from the Mississippi to the Missouri rivers, which each claimed. Missouri officers, attempting to collect taxes within the dis- puted territory, were arrested by Iowa sheriff's, so the respective gov-
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HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
ernors called out the militia, fully expecting that there would be bloodshed between the two factions. About twelve hundred Iowa men enlisted under the colors of their state and 500 were actually armed and equipped and eneamped in Van Buren County. At this juncture three men were sent to Missouri as envoys plenipo- tentiary to endeavor to consume a peaceable settlement of the ques- tion. Upon their arrival they found that the county commissioners of Clark County, Mo., had rescinded their order for the collection of taxes and that Governor Boggs had dispatched messengers to the governor of Iowa proposing to submit an agreed case to the Supreme Court of the United States. This proposition was declined, but after- ward, upon petition of Iowa and Missouri, Congress authorized a suit to settle the controversy. This suit was duly instituted and re- sulted in the decision that Iowa had the right to the land. Under an order from the national Supreme Court commissioners surveyed and established the boundary. The expenses of the war, on the part of Iowa, were never paid, either by the United States or the territorial government.
Again, owing to the fact that the land in this section of the coun- try had not yet been acquired from the Indians, settlers were forbid- den by the military authorities from settling thereon. This explains the fact that most of the early settlers of Decatur County located in the present southern part. They were not in that day in Decatur County, but in the State of Missouri, hence not trespassers on Indian lands.
In the fall of 1847 a company of Mormons, en route to the State of Utah, stopped at a place now known as Garden Grove, in the northeastern part of the county, to spend the winter. When spring came the main body of them moved on westward, but a few others remained several more seasons. The last of them left in 1851.
In the year 1850 L. Ujhazy, who was formerly civil governor of the Fortress of Komorn in Hungary, came to this country and set- tled on the left bank of Grand River, and occupying the lands on the right bank where Davis City now stands. A postoffice was estab- lished and he gave it the name of New Buda, in honor of Buda-Pesth, the capital city of Hungary. He was appointed postmaster. Sev- eral other of his countrymen came with him to this place and it became known as a Hungarian Settlement.
More will be said in connection with this interesting event in a special article later in this work.
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HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
AN EARLY SCRIBE'S DESCRIPTION
The following paragraphs relative to Decatur County were pub- lished in the Decatur County Journal of August 6, 1868, and in sev- eral succeeding issues, which was about two months after the estab- lishment of the paper:
The county is about twenty-four miles square, and contains 576 square miles, more or less. There is probably not a county in South- ern Iowa as well timbered as this and the timber is well interspersed among the prairies, which are generally small and rolling, or gently undulating, and consequently well adapted to the growth of all the grains and grasses of this latitude.
The principal stream is Thompson's Fork of Grand River, which enters the county not far from the northwest corner, and winds its way through Richland, Grand River, Decatur, Bloomington, New Buda and Hamilton townships, and leaves the county and enters Mis- souri near the south line. This is a beautiful stream, bedded with limestone, which supplies a large portion of the county with a good article of lime and also stone suitable for building purposes. It is also well timbered through the entire length of the county, with an excellent quality of white, black, red and spotted oak, together with walnut, elm, hickory, hackberry, buckeye, hard and soft maple, mul- berry and linn or basswood. It is the best mill stream in the county, there being several very good establishments of the kind upon it. The first one north is what is usually called the Westervelt Mill, pur- chased a few years since by John Polly, and completely reconstructed and put in thorough running order. The next one southward is Funk's Mill, which has also changed hands, and been refitted in a first class manner. Still farther south stands the Davis Mill owned by William Davis. These, with several sawmills, make up the mill privileges of the Grand River. West of it is Elk Creek, a small stream, skirted with timber. Near the center of the county runs Little River, which affords abundance of stock water, and the banks of which are well set with the timber of the usual kinds. This stream empties into the Weldon Fork of Grand River, which is about half as large as the Thompson Fork, and is a fine stream, furnishing abun- dance of water for the east side of the county. It enters the county near the center of the north side, zigzags through Garden Grove, High Point and Woodland townships and enters Missouri not far from the southeast corner of the county. Its banks and adjacent ridges furnish a large amount of good timber for the small prairies
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HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
nearby. The tributaries are Little River, Brush Creek, Jonathan Creek, and Steel's Creek. These are also bordered with the usual varieties of tiniber. In addition to these streams there are numerous springs scattered over the county. On the prairies good well water can be had by digging from fifteen to forty feet. We neglected to mention in the proper place Long and Short creeks, tributaries of Thompson's Fork of Grand River, the former of which has an abun- dance of good limestone for building purposes and both have a large quantity of good timber along their banks. The numerous streams, springs, etc., together with the smallness of the prairies, and the large amount of good timber, well scattered over the county, adapts it to a heavier settlement than any other county in Southern Iowa.
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP
This is second to none as a farming country. It embraces a part of the largest prairie in our county, and consequently timber is more unhandy than in any other part of the county. It has a population of 289. The citizens have shown fully that they were not behind other townships in point of energy and enterprise, notwithstanding the disadvantages of the remoteness of their timber from their prairie land, they have within a very few years brought into cultivation a large portion of the township and have erected substantial buildings upon the same. The town has three subdistricts, eighty children entitled to school privileges, pays an aggregate of $704 to teachers. Franklin is the name of the postoffice.
LONG CREEK TOWNSHIP
Though it cannot boast of having as large an extent of fine prairie as Franklin, can lay claim to having some of the best oak timber in the county. It has a population of 350; has eight subdistricts; 252 children between five and twenty-one years; pays $1,177 annually to teachers. It has three prominent stock dealers, William West, Stephen Strong and R. G. Mansfield. Prairieville, located in the east side of the township, has one store and one grocery. There are two meeting houses in this place, one belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church and the other to the Christian.
RICHLAND TOWNSHIP
This township, being the northwestern one, lies on Thompson's Fork of Grand River, is well watered, prairies small and timber in plenty. It has a population of 486, 222 having the privileges of
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HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
the common schools. Four subdistricts paid in 1867 $396 to their teachers. Religiously, the people represent the Methodists, Bap- tists, United Brethren, Christian and Tunkers, and are peaceable and quiet. The postoffice is Westervelt.
GRAND RIVER
Located south of Richland, is also on the river, and has equal advantages of water, timber and good land, with a population of 219 and 106 children entitled to school privileges, being at present divided into four subdistricts. The aggregate amount given to teachers last year was $506.58. Religiously about the same as Rich- land. Persons visiting or locating with them will be made to feel not entirely beyond civilization.
DECATUR
This township has in it some of the oldest settlers of the county, among whom are Millers, Woodmansee, Boord, Gill and others. These, as well as those who have come in since, brought with them cultivation, skill and energy, which have been manifested in the agri- cultural development of the township. It has a population of 829, 312 of whom are enjoying the advantages of the common schools. Paid teachers last year a total of $709.50. Decatur City is its chief village. It is situated on an elevated dividing ridge between Grand and Little rivers, and is therefore free from the miasmatic influence of low, wet lands. It has a population of from three to five hundred and is an independent school district. The citizens have shown their interest in educational matters by erecting a good frame schoolhouse, two stories high, in the public square, and since its completion they have had an excellent school taught. Decatur City has two dry goods stores, one drug store, one grocery, one blacksmith shop and two taverns. The meeting house is owned by the Methodist Epis- copal Church. It is a neat, frame building, 30 by 40 feet. The church is under the care of Mr. Baker. The Tunkers also have regular services in the place by Mr. William Stout and Garver. Some years since the Adventists, or Soul Sleepers as they were called, flourished extensively. but like the orator of whom we have read, they have "subsided." The Christian Church also eked out. There are many honorable members of these societies residing here, but with- out a home of worship. There are three physicians in Decatur City.
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