USA > Iowa > Jackson County > Annals of Jackson county, Iowa, Vol 1-6 > Part 42
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in making the examination of the records I heard them expressing their op- inion of the board for putting a Bellevue man on this committee, in terms more forcible than elegant. As chairman of this committee I reported that the title was defective, as the record of the town plat showed -that it was located in township five (5) range three (3), which was somewhere in Arkansas, while Andrew was actually located in township 85 north for range three (3) east. While reading this I heard my Andrew friends mut- tering "I told you so; that is what we get by their having a Bellevue man pass on the title," and it would have taken but little to cause an explosion. But as I went on with statement that this defect was not in our judgment fatal, and was probably due to an error in copying by the Recorder which, if necessary, could be corrected by a decree of the court, and that in our judgment the title was sufficient and the bargain a desirable one, and recommended the board to close with the offer, their astonishment was greater than their previous anger. They acknowledged that even a Bellevue man knew a good thing when he saw it and though the building was not what it ought to have been for a court house, its purchase saved the county a good deal of money but it failed to keep the county seat there.
The contest which ended in October, 1873 in the transfer of the coun- ty seat from Andrew to Maquoketa was after I had removed from the coun- .ty. and I had no part in it. Andrew was handicapped by the rumors of maladministration of the county affairs, which the same month proved well founded: and ine removal of the county seat was a blow from which after the japse of a third of a century it has not yet recovered. The other at- tempts to obtain a vote on the question since 1867, I have but little knowledge of and leave it to others to speak of. Maquoketa has been the county seat for nearly one-half of the time that Jackson county has had its political existence, and will probably remain the county seat of that political division of Iowa until some Japanese Historian, viewing the ruins of the State Capitol at Des Moines and meditating on the marvellous extinction of the great America Republic, shall outline his history of the decline and fall of that great commonwealth of corn and cattle, of * hens and hogs and horses of which Jackson county was once so notable a part and of which the old stone court house at Andrew shall be the only surviving monument of its greatness.
*See Congressman Dawson's speech on "The Iowa Hen."*
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Early Pioneers of Van Buren Township.
(Written for the Jackson County Historical Society by Hon. Chas. Wyckoff.)
To the Members of the Historical Society :
.
I feel honored by the program committee in asking me to furnish the society with a few items relative to the early settling of Van Buren town- ship, Jackson county, and while I realize my inability to so arrange a few facts as to make them as interesting as could some one more skilled in writ- ing, still I am willing to add my little mite to assist in this good work-ar- ranging historical facts so they can be published and handed down to future men and women.
John Jones was the first settler of Van Buren township. He built the first cabin in the northeast quarter of section 14, known as the copper dig- gings. The stone in that locality is mixed with iron ore and he succeeded in making a number of people believe that he had found a valuable copper mine. Some of the families he induced to come were so poor they could not get away ; was compelled to stay and take up claims and become good citi- zens. Some stayed in Jackson county and some in Clinton county. The Griswold family, father and mother of the late George Griswold, who was so long president of the old settlers' organization of Clinton county and took great pride in promoting its interest. Jones came from Galena to Van Buren township in the fall of 1836. After his copper mines failed he left the country and I think died in St Louis.
The next settler in the township was Andrew Farley. The Farley fam- ily came up the Mississippi river to the mouth of the Maquoketa river and landed and then went to work and constructed a raft on which was placed the few household goods. The raft was towed up the river, canal fashion, the Farley boys acting as canal horses, to the mouth of Deep Creek. There was at that time a log cabin in Clinton county built by Captain Hubbard, southwest of Preston, now known as the John Bascom place. The captain will be remembered as the old steam boat captain that made his home in Maquoketa at the Miller House. The Farleys landed in Van Buren town- ship on the 17th day of May, 1837. They got from a party who occupied the above named cabin an ox team and sled and hauled their goods to the northeast quarter of section 28, now owned by Sam MeNiel, and built a log cabin. Mr. Farley was killed in the Bellevue war in 1840, leaving a family of nine children. the oldest, being the late Christopher Farley. who during his life was so well and favorably known in Jackson county, a boy of 17, as its head. Mr. Farley had gone to Bellevue to mill with an ox team, his son having gone on foot and drove the team home with his father's dead
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body as part of the load. Mr. Farley knew nothing about the trouble and one man that was shot asked some one to for God's sake raise his head and Mr. Farley went to do as requested and was shot, and it was never known which side fired the fatal shot, but it was the general opinion that it was not intended for him.
The next settlers in Van Buren township were W H. Vandeventer, who built a cabin in section 18 near Deep Creek. William Latta, M. W. Tisdale, a Mr Walker and Azariah Prussia built a cabin on section 15, near the big spring in the famous town of Buckeye, in the fall of 1837. In the
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spring of 1838 Samuel Durant, Ephraim Elsworth and Bartholomew Corwan built cabins-Durant on section 22, Elsworth on 23, Corwan or section 24. Mrs. Corwan died in August the same year, she being the first white woman dying in Jackson county, her remains resting in the old cemetery near the cabins of Corwan and Elsworth On the first day of September, 1838, my father came to Van Buren and built a log cabin on southeast quarter of section 2 In the spring of 1839 David and Fletcher Swaney, T. J. Pearce came from Michigan and built cabins. T. J Pearce on section 9, David Swaney on section 22, Fletcher on section 15. As far as I am able to learn those were the only settlers in Van Buren township in the fall of 1839.
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Now I hardly know what was expected of me by the program commit- 'tee. They announced that I would read a paper on "Early Pioneers of Van Buren Township," and should I undertake to write any special reminis- cences of each of those early pioneers, it would require more time to read it than your patience would allow. so I will only speak of him whom I - love the best, my father, R. B. Wyckoff. He was born in Delaware county, New York, on the 28th day of October, 1815 and died at his home in Lyons the 25th day of January, 1895, at the age of 80 years. While a boy he learned the mason trade. In 1835 he came to Michigan and worked at his trade: in 1836 he married Esther Jones who died in 1856. When he crossed the Mis- sissippi he had a wife and the writer of this article, a babe six months sld, a yoke of oxen, a cow and $25 in money. and although a hard work- ing man and economical and had the advantage of his trade, it was ten years before he could pay Uncle Sam $50 for the first 0 acres now my home, and I can with the eye of memory see him as he rode into the yard on horseback holding in his hand the paper that made him owner of his humble home, and how well I remember that the writer cried because father and mother did.
Lest I should forget it let me answer one question asked by some writ- er of history, why was not Wyckoff, if in sympathy with the so-called Belle- vue mob, not present 10 assist Cox and Warren. The reason was because he had moved to Savanna, Ill., to build what was the first brick building in that city. He always spoke in praise of Warren's action in the matter and furthermore I have often heard him say that he owed his defeat when he ran against Warren for delegate to the second constitutional con- vention, to the personal efforts of Shade Burleson, which convention was held after the Bellevue war He was elected a delegate to the first con- stitutional convention which was not ratified by he people because of
some dispute about the boundary lines. He was at one time elected probate judge; was elected to the legislature in 1850 and took his wife and four children in a wagon drawn by two old horses and household goods enough to keep house with and moved to lowa City and rented a little house, part log, and sent the writer to school. At that time I was a boy of 12 and had never seen a stove. I went to school and chopped wood which a man snaked up from the river with an ox team to keep the fire- place going in the little house. J. E. Goodenow was the other member, Jackson county having two members at that time.
Father was elected Treasurer and Recorder either in 1856 or '57, the election being held at that time in August. The county seat was in Belle- vue. He served four years and from August until January, as at that time a county officer took possession within a short time after being elected. The law was changed during his term of office, the election from August to October, the time of taking possession put off to the Ist of January. Dur- ing his term of office the county seat was moved to Andrew.
He always took a great interest in politics ; was always present at Dem- ocratic caucuses; in attendance at county conventions and quite often at- tended state conventions. I once went with him to Des Moines with a team to attend a Democratic state convention.
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For a good many years he was the doctor, the preacher and the lawyer. When anyone was sick in the neighborhood they sent for Wyckoff. If any- one had a tooth that was unruly he twisted it out with those old-fashioned turn-keys, which can be seen at any time at the Ellisonian museum. The medicine used at that time was not put up in tablet form, but was mostly compounded in liquid form. The first dose given was what we called "pike." It was aloes dissolved in whiskey, given as a cathartic and you may talk about Carter's Little Liver pills and DeWitt's Early Risers, but if you want to open up the channels of nature give "pike." The second course consisted of quinine and whiskey, given in proportion to the stage of the patient.
I well remember that one Charles Wentworth came to Van Buren town- ship about the time the great Maine temperance movement started and was one of its strongest advocates, and he was attacked with what was called "ager", which was known in those days to not only shake a fellow out of bed, but would shake the bedstead at him. Wyckoff and Wentworth, who represented the two extreme sides of the question.
A Maine liquor law, had had a number of set-twos in the old log school house in debate. Wentworth declaring that under no circumstances should the vile stuff enter his lips. Doctor Wyckoff was sent for and promptly re- sponded to the call and boy like, I concluded to go along, not because there were a number of girls in the Wentworth family, but because I wanted to. Arriving at the house we fouud Wentworth sitting by the fireplace shaking so you could almost see the stones in the chimney shake. Father then and there proceeded to prescribe, but both prescripions contained whiskey. Wentworth declared then and there that before he would take the cussed stuff he would allow the ager to shake him out of the house. Father insist- ed that it would not be safe to give him the quinine except in whiskey and although my father, whom I loved and esteemed above all men, I still be- believe that it was more to compel Wentworth to take the whiskey than fear of any bad result that might happen from giving the quinine without it. At any rate we went home without his taking the medicine. but the ager stayed and shook the old man so hard that he again sent for Dr. Wyc- koff and took the medicine according to rule. I also remember that the patient was instructed as a diet to take buttermilk pop, which I often made father in his last sickness
As a peacher he would call his neighbors together in the old log school honse and teach them to sing and would read a sermon. He was a very strong believer in the universal salvation of all, but was free from sectarian prejudice and willing to assist any religous organization that he thought would benefit, his neighbors. . When any of his neighbors were sick he was always ready to nurse them-no $25 per week nurses then. He believed in remembering the Sabbath day and denied me the privilege of going fishing on Sunday, which always seemed to me to be the best day to tish, be- cause my neighbor boys went, and although a good boy I would some- times run away and go and as a result would receive as a reminder of my disobedience the properly administered hazel sprout. I remember at one time father went to Bellevue on Saturday and was not expected home
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until Monday, so I bethought me that it would be a good time for me to go fishing. I dared not ask mother, but I was sure that if I went without leave she would not tell. Sunday morning I got up and done up my chores which took me until after the other boys had gone, dug some bait, .and away I went down to the old black walnut log on the bank of the river. baited my hook, threw it into the water and in less time than it takes me to write it, I had a nice pickerel that would dress four pounds. After se- curing him I again threw in my hook and in a short time had another about the same size. That was fish enough for one boy, so I cut a croched willow and strung my fish on it and looking up the river, here came my father on horseback, returning from Bellevue. I stepped up to him and handed him the fish; he carried them home and mother dressed them and cooked them, and I have always been of the opinion that nothing suc- ceeds like success, for I believe had I been caught fishing without catching any I would have come in contact with the hazel sprout.
Father never received any pay for his service as preacher or doctor, but as attorney he expected his pay. He did not hve a fee bill posted up in his office, as has the lawyer of today, but when any of his neighbors got into trouble and came to him he tried to pursuade them to settle out of court, and his success as a trial lawyer was perhaps due more to his having choice of sides than his ability. But some of his neighbors were so unkind as to insinuate that part of his success as a trial lawyer was accomplished when he succeeded in getting a certain man elected justice of the peace. His fee bill was as follows: For consultation what he be- Jieved to be good advice, when he could not effect a settlement; for com- mencing suit, sometimes acting as constable, trying the case and writing up the docket, the fee was $3, which he sometimes got in work, not often in money and quite frequently never got.
And now while I have already made this sketch longer than I had in- tended, and as must be expected of me, to let the mantle of charity fall gently over his faults, I still believe that he was the best all-around man that Van Buren township ever had, and in closing permit me to say he was a man of high mental attainments, strong purpose, was well read, was considered a substantial man in the community and a man of high char- acter; and was a man of a cheerful and happy disposition. He always had a kind word for all and was always inclined to look on the bright side of life. He was in early life a leader in the social enjoyments of his home neighbor- hood, and when the hand of affliction was laid on his neighbor he was al- ways ready to administer to the sick, close the eyes of the dying and ask God's blessing on those who mourned.
He lived a widower eleven years. In February, 1867, he was married to Mrs. Charlotte Pursell, whose husband was killed in the Camanche tor- nado, and in 1878 moved to Lyons, Clinton county, where his widow still lives, a lady of 84 years of age He was taken sick on the 2nd day of Oc- tober. I was sent for. In a few days appeared a little sore on the end of his big toe which developed into gangrene. He was a patient sufferer for four monthes, when death relieved him. And the one act of my life that I am the most proud of is that I had the disposition and was so situated
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that I could leave my home, my family, my business, give my whole time and attention in nursing so good and kind a father, away from whose bed- side I only stayed one night for the last four months of his life: and that in all his long suffering he was so patient-in his estimation every- thing I did was done right.
He died as he had lived, honored and respected by all, and I have often thought of what the late Supervisor Wells, who was one of the pallbearers and a lifelong friend, said: "It was a pity that such men had to die." Peace to his ashes.
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The Early Schools of Maquoketa.
(Written for the Jackson County Historical Society by D. A, Fletcher.)
When Maquoketa was in its first period of incubation, its children of school age went to school in a log building standing on the southwest corner of block 19, the spot being about the rear of Mr. Goller's dry goods store. That building had been a blacksmith's shop, and after a period of usefulness as such, was converted into a temple of learning. What teachers wielded the rod in that humble place, or what pupils felt its smart as occasion required, I have no record thereof, and I think there is no one now living in the city of Maquoketa who ever saw the building except Mrs. J. E. Goodenow
As I am informed that the true inwardness and history of that pioneer of schools in Maquoketa will be presented here by that distinguished delver into records of the past, our esteemed and learned secretary, I cheerfully pass on to our schools of a later date.
The first record of any school in Maquoketa that I have been able to find, is one, when on call of the then School Fund Commissioner of Jackson county, one Joseph Palmer, a meeting of the citizens of sub-district No. 2 was held October 30th. 1855, in the Congregational church of Maquoketa, of which meeting Pierce Mitchell was secretary. The territory included in this district was what is now the northeastern quarter of the presentt city. The first census of persons of school age in this sub-district, in May, 1856, numbered 85 persons, whose names are given in the record; not one of whom is now living here.
The southeastern portion of the town of Maquoketa was organized as sub-district No. 1, at a date I am not able to state; but I think at a date earlier than district No 2; as in 1856 its school was held in a brick school-house on the hill side, on Eliza street in this city. That part of Maquoketa lying west of Main street was known as sub-district No. 1 of South Fork township and was organized as such probably as early as 1850 or 1851. A lot for school purposes was donated to this district by John Shaw, and a one story brick school-house was erected upon it and school maintained there until as late as 1857 or perhaps 1858. This lot and build- ing was sold in April 1859 for $200.
In May, 1858, these three sub-districts were consolidated into the pres- ent Independent District of Maquoketa, the first meeting of the board of directors of the new district being held May 14th. 1858. Rev. L. Catlin, then engaged in the hardware business here, was the first president; Charles Rich, an atto ney, P. A. Wolff, a brick mason, and William Current, a farmer, constituting the first board of directors, and Russell Perham was its secretary.
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These early school officers had a hard time in carrying on the schools under their charge, owing probably in equal parts to the defective school laws then in force, and to the general condition of impecuniosity then pre- vailing ; for as late as August, 1858, the district was out of funds and in debt in the sum of $119.09.
In 1858 the total contingent expenses of the district for a year were esti- mated at $281 50, a prominent item of which was fuel which cost, as the rec- ord affirms, eighteen "York" shillings or $2 25 a cord. In September of 1858 the census of the entire district was, males 218, females 221, total 439 chil- dren of school age. Of these 439 children only 208 were registered as attend- ing school; and the average attendance was only 133. As showing how peo-
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D. A. FLETCHER.
ple die or migrate, I can say, that on a careful examination of this census, only thirty of those children are now living in Maquoketa. The wages of teachers was on a par with the attendance; the school principal receiving but $40.00 per school month, and the other teachers on an average $25.75 per month'
As late as 1859, the total tax levied for all funds in this consolidated district was 31 mills. The names of the two teachers employed for subdis- tricts one and two in 1857 and 1858 were Mrs Estelle and C. Miller. In the school west of Main street David C. Shaw and R. L. Grosvenor taught a part of the time.
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In the earliest days of our public schools, and to the time of consoli- dation of the three sub-districts into one Independent District, by virtue of what was called "The Free School Law," the expenses of tuition of pupils was met by a rate bill; the parents or guardians of the pupils at- tending school being charged pro-rata according to their attendance. The serious defect of this plan of running the schools was this: Although the teachers were employed by the directors at an agreed rate of wages per month, the understanding with the teacher was, first, that the teacher must wait until the end of the term before receiving any part of his sal- ary : because until that time it could not be ascertained how many days each pupil would attend school, and how much the parent must pay; sec- ond, at the end of the term the teacher could not be sure of receiving his full pay, because many parents would be found unable or unwilling to pay. The teacher was thus a creditor of the parents and an oftentime bankrupt teacher's fund; and the records of those early days disclose great difficulty in paying the teachers the wages due them.
In 1859, the teachers in our schools were O. J. Cowles, C. P. Holmes, C. Miller, L. L. Martin. Miss Hattie Earle and one D. R. Cowles. Of all these teachers and school officres, I am quite sure none are now living. O. J. Cowles became a Methodist minister of some note and died in Connecticut; . C. P. Holmes was a man of great energy and some learning, was for many years judge of the District court at Des Moines, Iowa, and died there; L. L. Martin became a good soldier in the war with the South, was promoted to a lieutenancy, and died of wounds received in battle, in a southern hospi- tal; Miss Hattie Earle became one of the editors and proprietors of the "Stylus" a paper published at Sioux City, Iowa, and died there about a year ago.
As early as 1851, a private incorporation under the name of The Ma- quoketa Academy, had erected on the five acre plot where now the High School building stands, a one story brick building of two rooms. For those days, it was considered very fine indeed. I am told it had a row of lofty white columns on its west front, and it was held to be a verita- ble Temple of Learning. The late Dr. P. L. Lake was installed as the first pirncipal Here students could pursue the higher studies and be fitted for college entrance. A little later a three story brick building, con- taining four school rooms on the ground floor was prefixed to the one story structure in the rear. This front building was constructed under a part- nership agreement, the "Academy" owning the ground floor, and Mr John E. Goodenow owning one-half of the second and third stories and Mr. C. Miller the other half. The expectation was. that students would be at- tracted from far and near to the advantages of the "Academy, " and so the two upper stories of the building was divided up into rooms for the espec- ial use of such students.
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