USA > Iowa > Jackson County > Annals of Jackson county, Iowa, Vol 1-6 > Part 28
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Our first bedstead was made of hickory poles. We fortunately brought a few carpenter tools along with which we could make such needful articles of furniture. With one of our boxes we made shelves for dishes; with an- other we made a cupboard for books, etc. ; with another we made a place for the oldest little boy to sleep. We, including neighbors, went right to work and put up a log school house. This was located a few rods south of our house, and before there were any floor, door or windows, we started a Sunday school with Thomas Flathers, superintendent. This was the first school house built either in Clinton or Jackson counties, and this was the first Sunday school organized in Clinton county. This schoolhouse furnish- ed a place for one of my preaching appointments. Bro. Earl's house, five or six miles west of my house, was another. Bro. Earl's house was just a shell of a frame-a lower floor in part-no stove or fireplace-the fire for cooking and warming was on the ground near the center with a hole in the roof to let the smoke out. But it did not all go out and the congrega- tion were quite frequently in tears.
Another one of my appointments was at a private house twelve miles up in the timber on the ridge. A day or two previous to one of my appoint- ments the owner of the house killed a monster panther near by. It was try- ing to catch one of his hogs. The first sermon I preached in Iowa was in Mr. John Shaw's unfinished log house where Maquoketa now is, the second at Iowa City; the third at Tipton, the fourth at Bagoons on the Wapsie, the fifth at the M. E. quarterly meeting in their log meeting house over in the timber. The house had no floor and I think no windows. The light came in through openings between the logs. My preaching place where Maquoketa now is was in a sod covered log cabin built for a blacksmith
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shop. During that summer I preached in Rock Island once, Davenport four times, Marion three times, Tipton once, Andrew twice.
In r nning our raft down the Maquoketa river we passed the clearing where Jackson murdered Perkins: He had his trial at Andrew that sum- mer and was convicted and hung from the limb of an oak tree near the court house at that place. The cash receipts on salary was confined exclus- ively to the $100 pledged by the missionary society and a heavy draft on our cash was postage of 25c on nearly every letter received, and if some friend inclosed a $1 bill the postage was double. In a short time after moving in our cabin was Bloomfield postoffice and Elder Brown was postmaster, and received all his letters free. Yes, free. How good to get a letter from the old home without taking the last quarter to pay postage. We had a mail each way on horse back once a week.
On Aug. 31st, a meeting was held at the house of Brother Earl for the purpose of organizing a Baptist church. The organization was effected and embraced the following members: C. M. Doolittle and wife, Jason Pang- born and wife, Wm. Y. Earl and wife, Levi Decker and wife, Elder C. E. Brown and wife, Esquire Taylor and wife, Mrs. Eliza Mallard, Mrs. Mit- chell. The following are names of other Baptist members living in the region: Ebenezer Wilcox and wife living on Bear creek, Mr. Woodworth living twelve miles up in the timber, Mrs. John Wilcox living at South Grove, Mrs. David Bentley living at Wright's corners, old Mr. and Mrs. Clark living a mile east of where Maquokta now is, Mrs. Esquire Palmer living at Andrew.
Brother Jason Pangborn came from northeastern New York. Sister P., a refined excellent Christian, was perfectly blind-became so before leaving the eastern home. When we called on the family they were living in a small log cabin located at the extreme northeast corner of the quarter sec- tion on which the Midland depot is now located and very near where the house now stands in which brother and sister Pangborn died. In that little cabin without the first comfort or convenience with herself husband and four small children to care for, this good woman with no word of com- plaint was with extended hands feeling her toilsome way in total darkness, caring for loved ones. Several years afterwards we attended the funeral of her little boy. She had never seen his face. At the close of the service she wished to be led to the unclosed coffin. There she stood for a few minutes tenderly and lovingly with the tears fast dropping from her sightless eyes, passing her hands over the cold face of the dear little one saying, "I have never seen my dear child's face, I must get an impression of how he looks." The dear mother has gone where she can see.
At the meeting in June at Iowa City arrangements were made for a meeting the 16th of the next September at Davenport, for the purpose of organizing an association embracing all the churches on and north of the Iowa river. When the time come to go to Davenport, our good brother Doolittle would furnish us a horse, but the wagon we had for the trip to Iowa City had left the settlement. The horse I could ride but that would not fill the bill. All were anxious that Mrs. Brown should go, so I secured the loan of the hind wheels and axletree of a hoosier lumber wagon, went
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to the fence and got poles suitable for thills, and with a board on wooden pegs were soon ready for the forty mile trip. We had a bundle of oats for a cushion and enjoyed the ride across the prairies and through groves un- marred by the vandalism of man. The first human habitation we saw was at Point Pleasant, where we crossed the Wapsie river at Kirtley's ford.
Although road carts were not as common and popular as now, we felt no embarassment in riding along the main streets of that young city-Daven- port-and in driving up in front of the residence of Dr. Witherwax. The meetings were held in the chamber of a small frame building on Front street. The following churches were represented (the first organized in the territory) : Bath-now LeClaire, organized June, 1839, with. six members; Davenport organized September, 1839, seven members; Dubuque organized Aug. 1840, eleven members; Bloomington-now Muscatine, organized Oct. 1840 five members; Iowa City, organized, June 1841 eleven members; Forks of the Maquoketa, organized Aug. 1842 with 14 members; also the church of Rock Island, Ill. Every church north of the Iowa river were represented except one on the line between Jones and Delaware counties.
The following winter the longest and coldest, set in early in November by a heavy fall of snow. Our log house away out on the bleak prairie in an unfinished condition, was unsuitable to winter in. So, with the con- sent of the missionary board, we moved to Davenport with the expectation of moving back to Maquoketa in the spring. We at once engaged in the good work with the churches at Davenport and Rock Island.
To save space and cost of printing in the Annals of Jackson County, we must leave the ineresting details of the Reverend's life work outside of his Maquoketa field, and only follow with an historical outline. For some rea- son he did not come back to the Forks of the Maquoketa except at intervals for five years. In the summer of 1843 he made several missionary trips up the river and organized a church at Port Byron, Ill., and another at Ca- manche. In that year he went to Dubuque-80 miles-by land to atttend the first annual meeting of the Davenport association. In one place he states: "Captain Wilson ran the ferry between Davenport and Rock Island and during the summer of 1843 substituted the horse boat in place of the little scow and yawl, a very great improvement."
His next field of labor was at LeClaire, where he moved in 1844. In June of that year we find him going with two others (James Turner and Wm. Palmer) by horse and wagon to Mt. Pleasant to attend the second annual Territorial Missionary convention. On account of high water in a stream they had to devise an impromptu ferry out of the wagon bed and with a grape vine as anchor line run the wagon and their clothes across after which the men and horse swam. The Elder Brown had swam across first to land the ferry and its several cargoes. The elder said: "Swim we must or go back; to go back was no part of the programme." From another place we quote: "During our stay at LeClaire, a comfortable meeting house was built with a stone basement. The credit so far as human agency was concerned, for this house was due largely to Mrs. Brown. We spent the
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winter of 1844-5 in New York state and during our stay Mrs. Brown collected nearly enough to make a good beginning, and encourage the church to build. The pastor quarried the rock and tended the mason. In the summer of 1845 Elder J. N. Seeley, pastor of the church at Muscatine, with a man and horse, towed a large river lighter, or scowboat, fifty miles up the river to Port Byron opposite Le Claire for lime to build a house of worship at Mus- catine. 1 gave him lumber for doors and windows. That was the way meet- ing houses were built in Iowa in early days." (The reader must not mis- take the pastor, J. N. Seeley, for J. O. Seely who is only "Farmer Buck- horn" and not so much of a pastor as he is a pasture where newspaper pub- lishers and historical societies too poor to buy literary grass can graze free. )
In 1847 we find Elder Brown moving back to his early field of the Forks of Maquoketa where he built a house on land donated to him by J. E. Goodenow the same being the southwest corner of Platt and Eliza streets. While living there Nelson Walker ( before spoken of) died at his house and on June 9, 1848, the nine-year-old son of the Rev. Brown was drowned in the Maquoketa river. While here his appointments covered Lamotte twenty miles toward Dubuque; Pence's school house 9 miles west on Bear creek, formerly known as Shake Rag schoolhouse now south edge of Baldwin ; Bur- leson's or Buckhorn six miles west; south settlement; Andrew and Cascade. Wouldn't that circuit wilt the collars off some of our brick pavement preach- ers?
It was at this time we find the Rev. Brown and wife doing noble work in behalf of the Maquoketa academy, and going to York State to solicit funds to aid in the enterprise. In 1850 the nearest stage route to Chicago was either Galena or Rock Island. In June, 1850, he went to take J. O. DeGrush and wife, who had been out to make them a visit to Rock Island and went with a lumber wagon so as to bring back a load of goods for some merchant and coming home was on the road the most of the night. There being a heavy dew and cold for the time of year he contracted inflammatory rheumatism which laid him up many months.
In 1851 he concluded to return to Herkimer Co., N. Y. to recruit lis health among his old friends and relatives. After some time health im- proved, he accepted charge of the church at Norway his earliest pastorate, where he and Mrs. Brown first set up housepkeeping. Here he brought ord- er out of chaos, created by a former pastor's preaching too much anti-slavery doctrine from the pulpit. Elder Brown never mixed politics with his ser- mons. lle was at heart, however, a strong anti-slavery man, and we find him in a 4th of July oration delivered at Le Claire, July 4th, 1845, making an eloquent argument against slavery.
In the spring of 1857, he was sent by the Home Missionary society to find a new field of labor in northeastern lowa. "Glad indeed, " he says, "to return to our beloved lowa." He left Buffalo, Tuesday evening, July 14th, 1857, on the steamboat, "Southern Michigan," for Toledo. Arrived at Toledo 2 p. m. the next day. Left Toledo that evening on Michigan Southern railroad, arriving at Chicago 8 a. m. next day. Mrs. Brown and children went by railroad to DeWitt, Iowa, and he waited in Chicago for his
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horse and buggy which was shipped by freight at Toledo. They arrived at 4 a. m. next day. Drove his horse from Chicago to Maquoketa where he found Mrs. Brown and the children well and happy. After visiting relatives and friends at Maquoketa eight or ten days, and leaving the family he start- ed for northeastern Iowa, July 30th, 1857, via Dubuque and stopped at -Du- buque the first night. From Dubuque for forty miles traveled over the same road he traveled in company with Elder B. F. Brabrook in 1848 to Garnavillo, Clayton county, to be at a meeting on Pony Creek, or in Pony Hollow, and assist in organizing a Baptist church. This was about three miles north of Elkader, Clayton county. To attend this meeting Elder Brabrook traveled from Davenport, one hundred and twenty miles, and Elder Brown traveled from Maquoketa, eighty miles. Pony Hollow was one of Elder Ira Blanchard's preaching stations. After leaving Dubuque he traveled to Rossville, Alamakee Co., where he found Elder James Schofield with whom the missionary board had directed him to take council as to a field of labor. But the Rev. Schofield not being acquainted with the coun- try west left it to the Rev. Brown's own judgment. He went to Winne- shiek county.
Next we find him helping to organize a church at Vernon, Howard Co. Next we find him at Strawebrry Point helping to dedicate a church after which he traveled 65 miles back to Vernon where he had concluded to make his home. He says after arriving at Vernon the next two days he helped Elder Whitman stack oats and on Sunday preached twice to two good con- gregations, and Monday mowed hay. Wednesday, Sept. 2nd, started with two teams for Lansing on the river for his goods. Saturday 4 p. m. he got back to Vernon and Sunday preached there. The next Wednesday he started with a one horse wagon for Maquoketa, 150 miles, for his family, where they had spent the time while he was looking up his tield of labor. Friday, Sept. 11th, he arrived at Maquoketa, Saturday he rested and Sunday preached for the pastor, Elder Holms (another good old man after Elder Brown's own heart, the writer knew them both well and Elder Holms died in Buckhorn where he often preached. )
The next Tuesday the Rev. Brown started with his family of five with his one horse rig for Howard county and reached there the next Monday evening. In that vicinity we find him living and laboring the most of thirty years. In 1858 he was elected County Superintendent of public schools, serving in that capacity for three years at a salary of $1.50 per day and pay his own traveling expenses. We also find him teaching several terms of the Vernon district school at a salary of $18 and $20 per month and still going on with his pastoral work. In July, 1858, he organized the Lime Springs Baptist church. In 1868, he moved to Carroll County, Ill., where he remained two years pastor of the York Baptist church, returning to Lime Springs, Howard Co., Iowa, in 1870, and lived at Lime Springs old town. ' In the spring of 1870 a Baptist church was built at Lime Springs and he and an old Brother Baptist called "Father" Buckland, 80 years of age, quarried the rock for the foundation. then made a bee to get them hauled.
In 1871 he built himself a house at Lime Springs. In 1875 he and Mrs. Brown spent a year at the old New York home returning in 1876 and again
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became pastor of the Lime Springs church. In 1877 he built another and his last house at Lime Springs twenty rods south of the depot. In that house his dear companion died June the 12th, 1887.
In October, 1877, as we have before stated, he was elected state repre- sentative to the 17th general assembly from Howard Co. He was 74 when Mrs. Brown died after which he spent some time in his home keeping every thing as near like she left it as possible but finally went to his children dividing his time between them and occasionally preaching here and there. He preached several sermons in Maquoketa and Nashville after he was .80 years old. We do not know how it is with the readers but we have followed the history of the old man's life work with interest and satisfaction.
Maquoketa, Iowa, July 1st, 1906.
Mr. James Ellis, Curator of the Jackson County Historical Society,
Dear Sir: I wish you would grant me space in Annals No. 3 to to cor- rect and offer an excuse for a misstatement made in No. 2. In my paper on Shadrach Burleson I claimed the government land in this section did not come into market until 1845. I had not looked the record up, but bas- ed my claim on the statement of the historican who compiled the history of Jackson county, published in 1879, supposing, as he inferred, he gained his information from the records. Having occasion to visit the records lately I found ont he abstract of the U. S. land sales for the Dubuque land office one or two instances of Jand sales to Jackson county parties in 1839, and many in 1840 and intervening years before 1845 which proves conclusively my statement was an error and that the only way to get facts is to get them.
I have concluded as a source of historical facts, the 1879 history is about as reliable a medium as a "blood and thunder" dime novel, and was written partly to sell unsight and unseen. But largely to excuse the Bellevue mob for killing W. W. Brvown and others. The basis of that write-up was the contention that Brown was the leader of desperate band of outlaws who could not be convicted bceause every time they were brought to trial they proved an alibi. The Jackson county criminal docket proves just as conclusively that claim was false as it does that the government land of Iowa did not come into market until 1845. It is my desire what little history I write for you should be as near the truth as possible, al- though it may not eulogize the departed great (?). Yours truly,
FARMER BUCKHORN.
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Killing of Andrew M. Brown by Absalom Montgomery, Near Maquoketa in 1852.
(Re-Written by J. W. Ellis for the Jackson County Historical Society.)
Some time prior to the year 1852, one Dr. Rhodes of Maquoketa, had entered forty acres of timber land on the Maquoketa river a short distance below Pinhook. The land was valuable only for the timber, as it consisted of bluffs and bottom land liable to overflow. Absalom Montgomery, who had figured quite conspicuously in the court records of Jackson county since 1838, lived at the time, near where Wesner's house stands, and owned 80 acres of the fine land between there and the city, and 40 acres across the road which extended down to the river and adjoined the land entered by Dr. Rhodes which he, Montgomery, claimed and warned all persons against trespassing on the land. It was claimed by Montgomery's friends that an offer had been made to. Mr. Rhodes to reimburse him for the money that he had expended in entering the land as well as his expenses in going to the land office, but that the doctor had refused, the offer. On the other hand a son of the doctor who still resided in Maquoketa maintains that the doctor offered to surrender his interest on payment of the money that the land had cost him. At all events Montgomery warned Dr. Rhodes that he would kill him or any one who attempted to haul wood from the land. The doctor had a son-in-law, one Andrew M. Brown, who was living at that time where Hench's old mill now stands. On the morning of the 30th of April, 1852, Brown took Dr. Rhodes team and started for the lands in dispute to get a load of wood. Brown was fully advised of the threat made by Montgomery, but said he was not afraid and set out for the timber. Wm. Y. Earl then lived in a house a few rods west of Strubles nursery, and the road leading to the timber turned north and run past Earis house. About the time Brown reached the woods, Montgomery was seen by some mem- bers of the Earl family going in that direction with a gun. Just what took place in the woods that day will never be known, but it is well known that Brown was shot with a rifle, the ball entering his stomach near the breast bone. Brown fell down in the bottom of the box and lay there helpless and dying. The team, frightened doubtless by the report of the gun whirled and went in the direction of town. When the team reached the Earl place. Mrs. Earl heard some one calling from the wagon and thought it was some one intoxicated, but finally ventured out and discovered Brown in the wag- on, and he lived long enough to tell her Montgomery had shot him. Mrs.
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Earl sent some of the children to town for help, Mr. Earl being from home at the time. On the day of the murder Erastus Gordon, who later lived in Maquoketa was plowing a piece of ground, on Montgomery's farm for oats, having rented 5 acres of ground for that purpose, Gordon had been dicker- ing with Montgomery for a young horse, had offered him $75 for the ani- mal, but Montgomery wanted more. On that day Montgomery came to the field and told Gordon if he wanted the colt for $75 to get out his money. Gordon shelled out the money very promptly well pleased with his bargain. Some time after Montgomery's visit to the field, T. E. Cannell came to Gordon and told him that Montgomery had killed Brown and he wanted him to go and help hunt Montgomery, Gordon tied one horse to the fence and mounting the other went with the others, in the direction they had heard Montgomery had gone, which was west. When the patry reached the hill where the school house formerly stood in the Buck Horn district and could see over in the valley where Shade Burleson lived, they recognied Montgomery in Burleson's yard. Gordon was told to remain with the horses behind the school house. and the other men went down to the house, and in some way communicated with Burleson without letting Montgomery see them. Burlesou managed to get both of Montgomery's guns out of his reach and the men stepped in and arrested him. He was taken back to Maquoketa and guirded in the upper story of the Goodenow hotel by Gordon and others for several weeks. He was indicted by the grand jury for murder. The fol- lowing is an exact copy of the indictment:
May term of the District Court of Jackson County, A. D., 1852, State of Iowa vs. Absalom Montgomery-Indictment for Murder. A True Bill.
DAVID SEARS.
Foreman of the within mentioned Grand Jury.
Witnesses names-Peter Conover, Erastus Gordon, Hanna Battles, Thomas E Cannell, Achilles Gordon, Judson Earl, Archibald Lambertson, John McCollum, Miss Amelia Earl, Shadrach Burleson, Fayette Mallard, William Ellis, Dr. P. L. Lake. Francis B. Rhodes.
Presented in open court in presence of the Grand Jury by the foreman and filed this 18th day of May, A. D. 1852. H. SCARBOROUGHI, Clerk. State of Iowa, Jackson County, S SS :
In the district court of said county, of May term thereof, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.
The grand jurors legally convoked, empanneled and sworn in open court to inquire into indictable offences committed within the body of the county of Jackson aforesaid, in the name and by the authority of the state of Iowa, upon their oath present: That Absalom Montgomery, late of the county of Jackson, aforesaid on the 30th day of April, in the year of Our Lord one thousand, eight hundred and fifty-two, with force and arms at and in the county aforesaid in and upon the body of one, Andrew M. Brown, in the peace of said state, then and there being, feloniously, willfully, deliberately, premeditatedly, and of his mailce afore thought, did make an assault; and that he. the said Absalom Montgomery, a certain gun, called a rifle gun, then and there charged with gun powder, and one leaden bullet, which said
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rifle gun, he, the said Absalom Montgomery, in his hands then and there, feloniously, willfully, deliberately, premeditatedly, and of his malice afore- thought did discharge and shoot off too, and against, and upon the said An- drew M. Brown; and that the said Absalom Montgomery with the leaden bullet aforsaid out of the rifle gun aforesaid, then and there by force of the gun powder aforesaid by the said Absalom Montgomery, discharged and shot off as aforesaid, then and there felonicusly, willfully, deliberately, premeditatedly and of his malice aforethought, did strike, penetrate and wound him, the said Andrew M. Brown, in and upon the stomach of him, the said Andrew M. Brown, giving to him the said Andrew M. Brown, then and there with the leaden bullet aforesaid, so as aforesaid discharged, and shot out of the rifle gun aforesaid by the said Absalom Montgomery in and upon the stomach of him, the said Andrew M. Brown, one mortal wound of the depth of six inches and of the breadth of half an inch, of which the said mortal wound he, the said Andrew M. Brown then and there died. And the jurors aforesaid do say that the said Absalom Montgomery him. the said Andrew M. Brown in the manner and by the means aforesaid, fel- oniously, willfully, deliberately, premeditatedly and of his malice afore- thought, did kill and murder, contrary to the statute in such case, made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the state of Iowa.
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