USA > Iowa > Jackson County > Annals of Jackson county, Iowa, Vol 1-2 > Part 8
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less than an bour, the boom of cannon and anvils could be heard in every di. rection, and this continued for more than four hours. It was a day of great rejoicing for it was believed that the "backbone of the rebellion was now broken." But in those days we had no telephones neither in the cities nor in the country. News was carried by messenger and the rural districts were always late in finding out the happen- ings.
It was now the beginning of wheat harvest and wheat was at that time the staple crop. After gathering all the available news I started homeward; a trip of thirty miles. All along the way the farmers were busy in their fields cutting and binding their wheat. But the binding at that time was all done by hand and required from 4 to5 bands to keep up with a self rake reaper which cut the grain similar to our present binders, minus the binder. I also found by actual count along the road that, over two-thirds of the field bands were women. And almost invariably the driver of the machine was an old lady. After I had driven 18 miles I came to to a large farm that was rather of the model sort, large fields of corn wheat and oats all in fine condition. In this field were seven bands, all of them ladies, except one old man who carried water. The field lay bard by the road.
The old lady that drove the machine hailed me as she turned a corner fully 25 rods from the road, (Hey Mr. hold. hold.) Sbe now quickly threw her mna- chine out of gear and drove to the road on a keen trot to where I was waiting. And immediately inquired of me what all this shooting and drumming meant for I bear it from every direction. I said the news came this morning thut Vicksburgh is taken. At this news she exclaimed (Oh my God, my God.) By this time the lady binders had also arrived at the road from their several stations. And after the old lady was
some what composed, for she was she.I- ding tears freely, she asked me wbeth- er there were muy killed. I said ro, it was a surrender. After hearing this she began shouting praises to God. I now began to be interested and ven- tured to ask her the cause of her sud- den emotion. She replied, Oh my dear sir, All my boys are there, three of them, and may God preserve them. By this time the proprietor also arrived with a pail of water and joined in ask- ing questions, as did also the junior members of the family. I now asked the husband and father how he man- aged to raise so large and fine a crop with labor so scarce, he replied, I am not able to do much, my wife and the girls did it all. LEVI WAGONER.
Orren Sinky's Horse Stolen.
It was in the summer of 1855 that Orren Sinky, of Emeline owned a very fine team of matched horses, (for Orren delighted in fine horses). That one moruiog he brot in his horses from the pasture, while ir was yet dark, and tied theurto an adjacent fence while he went to the house to get his breakfast But upon his return he found one horse iniss- ing, and after examining the hook where he had it tied he found the little end of the laterstrap still in the hook, but was cut square off. He now easily know what had become of his horse. And as soon as it became sufficiently light to trace the thief he set out with two oth- er companions into the big woods, which ' had its beg mning only 1 rads from where the horse had been tied. And here the trees were tall and the undor- brush dense, but they succeeded in fui. lowing the trail until Pine creek was reached. Here the horse was led ino the stream and downward evidents for the purpose of cansing the parsters to loose track,
After continuing the search threat the day without succes, it was now he-
licved that the horse was concealed dur- ing the day somewhere in the big woods and that he would be taken across the river the following night. Our party now returned to eat supper and deter- mine on plans for the night. Our party bad now been swelled to seven each one arined with a rifle or other deadly weap- on, and our plan was to go to smiths ford about 4 miles distant, this being the only point on the river that was forda- ble for several miles up or down. Here we crossed the stream and at the out- come of the ford was a narrow track cut thru the banks, on either side of the cut was thick underbrush, our party now took stations on both sides of this cut, every man with weapon in hand, except James Sinkey, I. Cooley and A. Robbins these three being the most able bodied were selected to grapple with the thief, while the other four would hold up the villian and secure the horse. It was the order that every man be settled down quiet in his lair till the splashing on the opposite side would indicate the theif.on his way. It was now 10.30 p. m. when came splash splash splash, and every mau quietly raised to his feet ready for the onslaught, but to our great chagrin the expected horse thief turued rut tobe a belated cow which we allowed to pass our picket line without molestation. But we continued in our position most of the night without hearing or seeing any thing of the thief or horse. But it was afterwards discovered that half a mile from the river was a large cave in the rocks of Pine creek where there was plenty of room to hide several horses, and that this cave had actually been used for this purpose, there were abun- dant marks left to indicate this fact. This cave was only a short distance from one occupied by a gang of countereifters which I described in a former commu- nication. It was also discovered that an organized gang existed, beginning at the town of Bellevue thence west as far as Cedar Rapids, and that the stronghold
of said gang was situated in the big woods 3 miles south of the present Em- eline. And these recent discoveries to- gather with the narrow escape of Mr N. Alden from the assassians bullet which I described before, and also the tragedy at East Iron Hill, gave rise to the noto- rious Vigilance Commitee that formed at Iron Hills and soon after at Emeline also. Suffice it bere to say that these two commitees did theis work thorcly and well. "And that the laud had rest for many years". LEVI WAGONER,
Removal of Col. Cox's Remins.
At the last meeting of the Pioneer aud Old Settlers, Society held in Maquoketa July, 1. 1901, the President W. C. Greg. ory ; the Secretary and Treasurer, J. W. Ellis, and H. Reid, were appointet as a committee to take such steps as they deemed necessary to suitably mark the grave of Col. Thomas Cox, a vetran of two wars and a prominent early pio- neer of Jackson county. Born in Kentucky in 1787, and died November 9th 1814. He was burried on the farm owned by him and called Richland, on the bluffs north of the Maquoketa River about two miles south of the present site of Bridgeport. The Cox family re- moved to California in 1849 and in time the Colonel's loonely grave was plowed over and all trace of it dissapeared ex- cept the sturdy shellbark hickory tree, under whose branches his remains had been laid at his repuest, which has stood as a solitary sentinel for more than 60 years. On the 18th of September, 1904, the commitee drove to the spot and had a photograph made of the tree which then stood in a field of rse. The com - mittee first contemplated placing a huge . glacier boulder over the grave but the present owner objected to having any kind of monument erected in his field, and the project was abandoned.
The committee then asked the trustces of the Mt. Hope Cemetry to donate a
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suitable lot in the Cemetery for the re- mains, and the request was garnted, a lot 20 feet square and in good location was donated. The commitee put in a con- crete base for the monument they pro- posed to erect, and contracted with Kirk Landis to bring in a 14.000 pound glacial boulder donated by W F. Jones for the monument On the 16th day of June, 1905, J. W. Ellis and W. C. Gregory of the commitee accompanied by Frank MoNear and three of his men, drove out to the place long known as the Hamil- ton Patterson farm for the purpose of se- curing such relics as 60 summers and winters had left of the once famious old pioneer. The hickory tree which was said to be from 6 to 8 inches in diamiter in 1844 had grown to be 12 to 14 inches in diamiter but the branches showed un- mistakable signs of rapid decay. No mound of earth or stone remained to in- dicate the location of the grave, but assuming that the tree was intended to mark the head of the grave and that the body was burried with the face to the east there was little time lost McNear indicated a point about 4 feet in a north- east direction from the body of the tree and started a trench from north to south and in three minutes had located the grave, and at 12 o'clock noon, the dig- gers found the black walnut boards that had been placed over the black walnut coffin that contained all that was mortal of Col. Cox. The coffin was so much decayed that it fell to pieces but it was carefully removed and the bones found intact and every one secured and placed in a casket, all the fragments of the cof- fin were carefully preserved and placed in the casket with the bones after which the earth was shoveled back into the grave and leveled over The casket con. taining the remains was taken to the office of J. W. Ells, there to remain un- til Sunday, June 18th, when it was laid in the grave prepared for it in the Mt. Hope cemetery : On the 19th of June the boulder was brot in and placed on the lot.
Almost A Linching
Written by D. A. Fletcher for the Jackson County Historical Society.
In the fall of 185S, on returning home from District Court at, Bellevue, I found the citizens of Maquoketa considerably excited over the arrest of one, Charlie Harvey, for larceny. At that time Will- iam Burleson was carrying a little store at Buckhorn, and shortly before that, some one had stolen from his money drawer a quantity of small change. Har- vey had been in the store without any apparent business the day before the money was missed, and being a rather worthless fellow, much given to playing poker on a small scale, he was naturally suspected of being the thief. After the theft Harvey came to Maquoketa, and while in town made several, small pur- chases, paying in each case with five and ten cent pieces for the goods he bought. Hearing of this, Burleson had Harvey arrested, charged with grand larceny, and I was employed by Harvey to defend him on a hearing before Jus- tice S. D. Lyman.
To begin with, public sentiment was strongly against Harvey.
He was a green, sappy looking youth, from the region south of Monmouth, and about cighteen years old. The Bur- lesons were influential citizens, full of talk, and they were in town with blood in their eyes. Jerry Jenkins and R. S. Hadley. the best lawyers we had at that time, were for the prosecution, and brother Harvey's chances for escape ap- peared very slim. But what lawyers call the CORPUS DELICTI was not proven. No one saw Harvey steal the money : 10 one comtl swear that the money he paid out was ever in Burleson's drawer. For the defense, I was able abundantly to prove that Harvey was in the practice of playing poker; that he confined his bets to five and ten cents ; that he usual- ly carried in his pockets for gambling purposes handfuls of dimes and half dimes. There was really no evidence to
51
justify holding Harvey for the larceny and the justice discharged him.
After his discharge. about ten o'clock at night, I took him to my office for the important business of settl ment for my services. and while thus engaged I heard unusual noise on the str. et.
We both went down to find out what was going on The street was full of excited people. The Burlesons were . verywhere stirring things up. There was abundant talk of lynching Harvey. There was a rush around the old Go de- now hotel, where it was said Harvey was in hiding. Next it was said he had rushed through the hotel from the rear, and got into a room up stairs, which was a fact.
William Vosburg was city marshal, and a close friend of Burleson, and he was at the head of a crowd that pro- posed to go up stairs and bring the man down for the purpose of speedy justice. Charlie Dunbar was a justice of the peace and full of the dignity of that high office. He got on the stairway aboyé Vosburg and read him the riot act. "You are a pretty fellow ain't, you, Bill Vosburg, Marshal of the city of Ma- quoketa --- sworn to preserve the peace and good order of this city-and hear you are heading a mob. Ar'ut you ashamed of yourself. Justice of the Peace, I forbid you from coming up these stairs Instead of being here, go out on the street and quell this distur- bance."
Vosburg was cowed. He had never seen the dignity of the law fully exem- plified before. He and his crowd re- treated, In the meantime Harvey was shaking in his shoes in the room up- stairs After some conference a com- promise was effected. It was agreed that Haryey was to be brought down to the street ; and given a hundred feet the start, and allowed to run for his life. Vosburg and Danbar kept the crowd back until Harvey was placed and ready. "Go" said Dunbar, and Harvey ful up
Main street like a deer with the yelling crowd in full pursuit. They didn't catch him although they chased him as far south as the academy.
The sequel of this little story remains to be told. A few weeks afterwards, Harvey was again in Burleson's store when no one bat him and Burleson was in Burleson says to Harvey, "Now Charlie, you had your trial and was fairly cleared. No one can harm you again on that matter you know. Tell me the truth, did you take that money or not ? I am curious to know about it " "Yes," said Charlie "I did." Burleson lost no time in coming to town and getting another- warrant. Harvey was arrested; salt peter or anything else couldn't save him. He was bound over, tried in the District Court, and sent to Ft. Madison, both for his and his country's good.
D. A. FLETCHER.
Meeting of Old Settlers.
We would like to speak fully and in detail of the success and entertain- ment of the Old settlers' Picnic and entertainment yesterday, but to do so would delay us too much. We bare neither time nor space.
The program was very generalis carried out as arranged and some of the most noted mon of the state, that helped to make early history and to transact early territorial business. were present and participated in the exer- cises, among thein were;
Wm. Salter of Burlington, pastor in Ma- quoketa in 1843, Col. Samuel W. Dur- ham of Marion, member of the first Con- stitutional convention of 181-being the only living survivor of Iowa Terri- torial officials ; Hon. Charles Aldrich ci Des Moines, Pioneer lawmaker aud Cu- rator Historical department of lowa. Hon. Theodore Carstensen, member of pre-ont honse. Hon John Wil. son, of Walker, Linn county, member lowa House from Lamotte in 1209; Ma- jor S. W. Rathburn, Editor Marion Register: Jas. Young, Onslow, pioneer in the lu's.
The noveiling of the monument was the work of Mrs Jo ie Dorchester. daughter of W. A. Warren, ploacer lawyer of Bellevue.
The following persons registered as pioneers or old settlers July 4, 1905.
Name Born To Ia.
Celia Hobart Kidder, N. Y. 49 52
A H Brown, New York 29 55
A Bertlesen. Germany
32
53
Mary Forbes Ellis, Wis 53 53
G K Miller, Penn
32
56
William Trout, Penn
41 54
M J Murray, Penn 29 Miss Mary Shaw. Jowa 4S
48
A J Riggs, NY
32
37
Wm Current, Iowa
45
15
Mrs Jack Conery, Obio
42
45
E F Weeman, Michigan
36
15
Wm Salter, NY
21
43
Chas Aldrich, NY
28
59
J W Ellis, Ind
48
52
Robert Ward, England
41 52
I McPeak, Ill
37
46
A Carter, England
46
58
R A Davenport, Ill
62
70 62
J N Nims, Jackson Co
16
46
Charity Nims, "
63
63
C H Davis, Vermont
22
41
Eliza Davenport, N Y 44
68
J. Priaulx, this county 53
53
Mrs F Glaser, Clinton Co 42
42
J 'A Fairbrother, Jackson Co 47 Mrs L Taft, Ohio
24
45
Anna Lovelee, N Y
43
67
L S Lovelee, NY
38
67
A Struble, Ohio
44
52
Mrs A Hutchins, Ohio,
46
52
Julia Oneill, Jackson Co
62
C2
H. Reid, NY
42
63
Mrs L A Reid, Mich
47
51
J Glaser, Germany
38
56
C Blanchard, N Y
31
E Johuson, Iowa
73
73
G H Conery, Maquoketa
61 61
W McPeak, Jackson Co
70
70
J O Seeley, Penn
33
56
G A Hess, Germany
49
68
Mrs D Farr, Canada
21
51
H S Farr, Canada
53
51
Mrs. E. J. Gosner, Iowa
18
53
Mary A Prindle, Michigan
10
55
J S Thompson, Penu
30
54
Mrs J S Thompson, Pent
37
51
Mr James Young, Va
43
Mis James Young, Va
13
59
Wm Fox, NY 07
74
Chas MI Collins, lowa 67
67
Emma A Morey, NY 28
John Cook, England Mrs John Cook, Penn
41
51
Will Cuudili, Iowa A J Phillips, Ohio
55
55
32
37
W B Swigart. Iowa 57
W C Gregory. Wis
44
61
E Taubman, Isle of Man
32
53
Geo W Farnsworth, Ohio 31
51
The list of old settlers who have died during the past year:
Mrs. Dr. J. A. Carson, Born in Bir !- ingham, Ohio, in 1946, came to Iowa in 1868, died in 1904.
Mrs. Mary H. Van Gorder, born in Ponu. came to Iowa in 1853, and died in 1804.
Mrs. F. J. DeGrush, born in Kentucky in 1841, came to Jackson county in 1870, died Oct., 1904.
Mrs. A. G. Fischer, born in Penn., in 1830, came to Iowa in 1854, died in 1904.
Carolne E. Bowman was born in Vir- ginia, Nonv. 9, 1834, came to Iowa in 1855 died Jan. 15 1905.
W. B. Sutherland, born in N. Y. Aug. 30, 1834, came to lowa in 1857, died Jan. 22, 1905.
Joha J .. Sloan, born in Ohio in 1847, came to Maquoketa in 1856, died Jan. 24, 1905.
. Mrs. Henry Lockwood, born in Warren county, N. Y., May 6, 1828, came to Iowa in 1854, died Jan. 31, 1905.
Wro. D. Kitts, born in Ripley county. Ind., March 14, 1839, died March 4,1905. was an old settler of Jackson county and a veteran of Civil war.
Geo. H Kimball, born in Mass., 1540, died March 3, 1905, old settler.
Mrs E D Taylor, NY
Ira A. House. born near Bridgeport, March 30, 1568, dici March 5, 1995
Milton Winterstein, born Dec. 1910, died March 22, 1905, an ohl settler ama veteran Civil war.
-
46
55'
55
57
E E Collipriest, Jackson Co 62
47
Mrs. Mary A. Miller, born in Penn., April 29, 1527, came to Iowa in 1872, died March 16, 1905.
Wm. Cundill, Sr, born in England July 7, 1816, came to Iowa 1850, died March 28, 1905, a pioneer and enthus- iastic member of the society
Joseph Zook, born Oct. 8, 1823, in Ohio, and came to Iowa in 1851, died on March 22, 1905.
D. A. Wynkoop, born in Chemung county, N. Y., in 1840, came to Iowa in 1855, died April 3, 1905.
Mary M. Coffee, born in Penn., Dec. 9, 1842, died April 17, 1905, an old set- tler of Jackson county.
D. C Clary, born in Georgia, Ver- mont, Jan. 31, 1821, came to Iowa 1847, died May 7, 1905.
Amanda J. Shinkle, born in Ohio, Jan. 16, 1836. came to Iowa in 1838,died . April 26, 1905.
Mrs. Sophia Cornell. born in Ohio . April 14, 1822, came to Maquoket, in 1854, died April 37, 1905.
William Shinkle, born in this Co , Au- gust 1, 1870, died May 12, 1905.
Josie Goodenow, born near Maquo- keta June 24, 1864, died in California May 20, 1905. Daughter of a pioneer.
Sarah E. Harp, born in Ohio Feb. 29. 1826, died in Maquoketa May 22 1905, an old settler.
Sendol Sears, born in Maquoketa Nov. 3, 1855 died in New York City May 23, 1905.
John Hoot, born in Poun., Sopt. 27, 1829, came to Iowa in 1852, died May 27, 1905. Pioneer.
Eunice Decker, born in N. Y. An- gust 4, 1812, died in Delmar June 17, 1905, an early pioneer of Maquoketa valley.
Mrs. Julia Brown Dunham born in N, Y. Nov. 14, 1841 came to Maquoketa in 1848, died in Des Moines June 16, 1905, a pioneer and a noble woman.
Letters from Men Who Were In- vited to be Present at the Un- veiling of the Colonel Cox Monument. July4th, '05, But Could not be Present.
Because Col. Thomas Cox had been a pioneer lawmaker, a member from Jackson county to both houses of the Iowa Territorial legislature, a speaker of the House aud President of the Coun- cil, and a maker of early Iowa history formal invitations to be present at the unveiling of his monument were sent to - the Governor, to the Lieutenant Gov- ernor as president of the Senate, to all present members of the House of Repre- sentatives of Iowa, to all surviving ex- speakers of the House, to all members of t. e Iowa Pioneer Lawmakers Associ- ation (those who served more than twenty-five years ago), to all surviving ex-members of the Iowa legislature from Jackson county, to all officers of the Historical Department of Iowa, to the officers of the Iowa State Historical So- ciety, to the surviving children and grand-children of Col Cox, aud to the surviving Jackson county Territorial Pioneers, they being colleagues of Col. Cox.
Responses in person or by letter were received from a majority of these iuvi- tations. Among those received by letter were the following :
From the Governor of Jowa :
Executive office. Des Moins lowa.
June 24th, 1905.
Mr. Harvey Reid, Maquoketa, Jowa
My dear Sir: I beg to acknowledge your invitation to attend the exercises connected with the unveiling of a monu- ment to the Hon. Thomas Cox, one of the pioneers of the west. It would give me great pleasure to be present upon so interesting an occasion, and to Cx1 :069 my profound esteem for those rabl
51
men and women who laid the foundation of this country so broad and deep that the sructure we are building in later times is secure.
Unfortunately, however, I promised long ago to deliver an address at Malvern on July 4th and therefore cannot be with you.
With high regards, I am, Yours very truly. ALBERT B. CUMMINS.
From the Lientonant Governor :
June 21, 1905.
Your invitation to be present at the unveiling of the monument to the Hon, Thos. Cox, Pioneer citizen Legislator of this state. July 4th, 1905 is received. I sincerely regret my inability to be pres- ent on this occasion. I desire to offer my congratulations to yon and the good people of Jackson county ou perpetuat- ing the memory of the pioneers, who, by their personal bravery, patriotism, and wisdom, laid the foundation of our state so broad and weep that our consti- tution and laws have won the commen- dation of our wisest statesmen and have been copied in many of our sister states.
Respec fully yours, JOHN HERRIOTT.
From the Secretary of Agriculture, member of the Iowa House, 1868, and Speaker in 1872 :
Department of Agriculture, Office of the Secretary, Washington, D. C., June 23, 1905.
I would very greatly enjoy meeting with the good people of Maquoketa, and especially the pioneers of Iowa on the Fourth of July next, but exacting offi- cial duties will prevent me from leaving the depariment at that time, much to . my regret. I thank you cordially for the invitation to attend and witness the unveiling of the Cox monument.
Very truly yours, JAMES WILSON, Sec.
From Hon. John A. Kasson, M. C., 1863-1867, and 1873-1877; member Iowa House 186S :
The Westport Inn, Westport-on Lake Champlain, N. Y., July 1, 1905.
Your letter inviting me to the cele- bration of the 4th of July, when a mon- ument is to be erected in honor of Thos. Cox was forwarded to me here from Des Moines and received yesterday I great- ly regret my inability to be with you on that occasion, being still to weak from surgical operation to venture on so long a journey. There is no duty I would undertake more cheerfully than that of honoring the men who so nobly laid the foundation of our state. Our debt to them is great and enduring. In the midst of hardships and embarass- ment of which the active generation of these prosperous times has little know- ledge, they marked out the lines upon which Łowa has steadily advanced to her present prosperity and distinction among the states of the Union. These line, they laid down have given us a state nasurpassed in public morality, in intelligence, in general education, and in freedom from the taint of "graft." Iowa isadapted by nature for agricul- ture, and has become the garden spot of the Union. She is not adapted to man- ufactures, and will never be degraded. let us hope, by the centers of vice and immorality that characterize great cities. I pray that our state may be contented with her agricultural life for which the pioneers paved the way ; and satisfied to develop her prosperity on the lines which secure prosperity to the masses of the people, without the ambition for great fortuna aud speculative venture -. The time will come when such a state can save the Union from demoralization and failure by the force of her example aud the quality of her leadership
I bag to express my sympathy with your effort to preserve the memory of pioneer and patriot, Thomas Con.
Very cordially yours. JOHN A. HASSON
55
From Ex-Governor Larrabee, State 1 Senator 1868-1882 :
Clermont, Ja., June 23 1905.
Accept thanks for the invitation to at- tend the unveiling of monument to Hon. Thos. Cox. We all owe much to the carly settlers of this state, and I am glad indeed that your people show their ap- preciation of it by this monument in memory of one of them.
Yours truly, WM. LARRABEE. From Hon. A. R Cotton, speaker of
Iowa House 1870: M. C., 1871-1875.
San Francisco, Cal., June 27, '05.
Remembering me with an invitation to attend the exercises of the unveiling the monument to Hon. Thos. Cox, pio- neer legislator in Illinsis and Iowa, is highly appreciated
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