USA > Iowa > Jackson County > Annals of Jackson county, Iowa, Vol 1-6 > Part 8
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less than an hour, 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 telepbones 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 to 5 hands 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 [ 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 hands, all of them ladies, except one old man who carried water. The field lay hard by the road.
The old lady that drove the machine hailed me as she turned a corner fuily 25 rods from the road, (Hey Mr. hold. hold.) She now quickly threw her ma- 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 hear it from every direction. I said the news came this morning that 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 sted- ding tears freely, she asked me whe i .. er there were many killed. I said , it was a surrender. After hearing tois she began shouting praises to God. now began to be interested and v .- tured to ask her the cause of her s !- den emotion. She replied, Oh my de sir, All my boys are there, three of them, and may God preserve them. 7 this time the proprietor also arrit with a pail of water and joined in ask- ing questions, as did also the jun : members of the family. I now ast ?? the husband and father how he m .- aged to raise so large and fine a ci? with labor so scarce, he replied, I : 1 not able to do much, my wife and tho 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 Orr :1 delighted in fine horses). That 0:10 morning he brot in his horses from ta pasture, while it was yet dark, and ti them to an adjacent fence while he we to the house to get his breakfast B upon his return he found one horse miss . ing, and after examining the hook where he had it tied he found the little end of the halterstrap still in the hook, but we ; cut square off. He now easily knew what had become of his horse. And a. 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 begening only 4 rods from where the horse had been tied. Ard here the trees were tall and the unde '- brush dense, but they succeeded in foi lowing the trail until Pine creek Wir reached. Here the horse was led in'a the stream and downward evidently for the purpose of causing the pursuers 1. loose track,
After continuing the search thruov: the day without succes, it was now b
49
lieved 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 had now been swelled to seven each one armed 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 'e crossed the stream and at the out- ome 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. Cosley 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 niet in his lair till the splashing on the opposite side would indicate the theif.on 1 's way. It was now 10.30 p. m. when ( me splash splash splash, and every man quietly raised to his feet ready for tl e onslanght, but to our great chagrin te expected horse thief turned cut tobe :. belated cow which we allowed to pass p. r picket line without molestation But ve continued in our position most of tre night without hearing or seeing { y thing of the thief or horse. But it v is afterwards discovered that half a mile from the river was a large cave in i e rocks of Pine creek where there was Wenty of room to hide several horses, :d that this cave had actually been s ed for this purpose, there were abun- ut marks left to indicate this fact. this cave was only a short distance from e occupied by a gang of countereifters ich I described in a former commu- ation. It was also discovered that an ganized gang existed, beginning at town of Bellevue thence west as far 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 here to say that these two commitees did theis work thoroly and well. "And that the land had rest for many years". LEVI WAGONER,
Removal of Col. Cox's Remins.
At the last meeting of the Pioneer and Old Settlers, Society held in Maquoketa July, 1. 1904, 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 1844. 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 dissapcared 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 rye. 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 trustees of the Mt. Hope Cemetry to donate a
50
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 McNear 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 relies 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 damiter 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 aboat 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 ISth, 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.
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Almost A Linching.
Written by D. A. Fletcher for the Jackson County Historical Society.
In the fall of 1858, 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 eighteen 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 ; no one could swear that the money he paid ont was ever in Burleson's drawer. For the defense, I was able abundant!y ... 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 gamblin ; purposes handfuls of dimes and ha !! dimes. There was really no evidence to
51
C
.
justify holding Harvey for the larceny aud the justice discharged him.
After his discharge, about ten o'clock at night, I took him to my office for the important business of settlement for my services, and while thus engaged I heard unusual noise on the street
We both went down to find out what was going on. The street was full of excited people. The Burlesons were everywhere stirring things up. There was abundant talk of lynching Harvey. There was a rush around the old Goode- 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 sat tht head of a crowd that pro- pored to ;) up stairs and bring the mad dox: for the purpose of speedy Jemrice. ( harlie Dunbar was a justice at the pea; and full of the dignity of That high : fice. He got on the stairway boye Vo onrg and read him the riot bet. "Yo tre a pretty fellow ain't, you, Bil Vosb: g, Marshal of the city of Ma- vorn to preserve the peace un dicta- order of this city-and hear 11. a10 ading a mob. Ar'nt you yourself. Justice of the rbid you from coming up
' Ca.fl
Instead of being here, go treet and quoll this distur-
vas cowed. He had never nity of the law fully exem- re. He and his crowd re- the meantime Harvey was his shoes in the room up- ter some conference a com- 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 Denbar kept the crowd back until Harvey was placed and ready. "Go" said Dunbar, and Harvey fed 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 but 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 have neither time nor space.
The program was very generally carried out as arranged aad 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 them 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 1844-being the only living survivor of Iowa Terri- torial officials ; Hon. Charles Aldrich of Des Moines, Pioneer lawmaker and Cu- rator Historical department of Iowa. Hoa. Theodore Carstensen, member of present house. Hon. John Wil- son, of Walker, Linn county, member lowa House from Lamotte in 1866; Ma- jor S. W. Rathburn, Editor Marion Register; Jas. Young, Onslow, pioneer in the 40's.
The unveiling of the monument was the work of Mrs. Josie Dorchester, daughter of W. A. Warren, pioneer lawyer of Bellevue.
52
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
Mary Forbes Ellis, Wis
53 53
William Trout, Penn
41 54
Will Cuudill, Iowa
55
55
A J Phillips, Ohio
32
37
A J Riggs, NY 32
37
Wm Current, Iowa
45
1 .:
Mrs Jack Conery, Ohio 42
45
E F Weeman, Michigan
36
45
E Taubman, Isle of Man 32
. 53
Geo W Farnsworth, Ohio 31
54
Robert Ward, England
41
52
I McPeak, Ill 37 46
A Carter, England 46 58
R A Davenport, III
62
70
E E Collipriest, Jackson Co 62 62
J N Nims, Jackson Co
46
16
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 Ço 42 J A Fairbrother, Jackson Co 47 Mrs L Taft, Ohio 24
45
Auna Lovelee, N Y 43
67
L'S Lovelee, N Y 38
67
A Struble, Ohio 41
52
Mrs A Hutchins, Ohio, 16
52
W. B. Sutherland, born in N. Y.
1 ..
HI Reid, NY 12
63
Mrs L A Reid, Mich
47
51
J Glaser, Germany
38
56
C Blanchard, N Y 31
3
E Johnson, Iowa 73 73
G H Conery, Maquoketa 61 61
W MePeak, Jackson Co
70 70
J O Seeley, Penn
33 56
G A Hess, Germany
49 68
Mrs D Farr, Canada
21 54
HI S Farr, Canada
53 51
Mrs. E. J. Gesner, Iowa
60
60
Mrs E D Taylor, N Y
18 53
Mary A Prindle, Michigan J S Thompson, Penn
30
51
Mrs J S Thompson, Penn
37
51
Mr James Young, Va
43
58
Mrs James Young, Va
43
58
Wm Fox, NY 07
Chas M Collins. lowa 67 Emma A Morey, NY 28
John Cook, England 41
Mrs John Cook, Penn
44
A Bertlesen, Germany 32 5.
G K Miller, Penn 32
M J Murray, Penn 29
Miss Mary Shaw, Iowa 48
W B Swigart, Iowa 57
W C Gregory, Wis 44
Wm Salter, NY 21
Chas Aldrich, NY 28
J W Ellis, Ind
18
The list of old settlers who died during the past year:
Mrs. Dr. J. A. Carson, Born in ] ingham, Ohio, in 1846, came to lo 1868, died in 1904.
Mrs. Mary H. Van Gorder, boi Penn. came to Iowa in 1853, and di . . . 1804.
Mrs. F. J. DeGrush, born in Kent .. : in 1841, came to Jackson county in : died Oct., 1904.
Mrs. A. G. Fischer, born in Pent 1830, came to Iowa in 1854, died in
Carolne E. Bowman was born in ginia, Nonv. 9, 1834, came to Iow : 1855 died Jan. 15 1905.
30, 1834, came to Iowa in 1857, died 22, 1905.
John L. Sloan, born in Ohio in came to Maquoketa in 1856, died 24, 1905.
Mrs. Henry Lockwood, born in Wa " (? county, N. Y., May 6, 1828, cant Iowa in 1854, died Jan. 31, 1905.
Wm. D. Kitts, born in Ripley cou : v. Ind., March 14, 1839, died March 4,1 was an old settler of Jackson cor and a veteran of Civil war.
·
Geo. II. Kimball, born in Mass., 1 died March 3, 1905, old settler.
10
55
Ira A. House, born near Bridger March 30, 1868, died March 5, 1905.
Milton Winterstein, born Dec. 1 died March 22, 1905, an old settler veteran Civil war.
53
Julia Oneill, Jackson Co . 62 62
42
47
Mrs. Mary A. Miller, born in Penn., pril 29, 1827, came to Iowa in 1872, ed March 16, 1905.
Wm. Cundill, Sr, born in England July 7, 1816, came to Iowa 1850, died arch 28, 1905,, a pioneer and enthus- .. stic member of the society
Joseph Zook, born Oct. 8, 1823, in Onio, and came to Iowa in 1851, died on Sarch 22, 1905.
D. A. Wynkoop, born in Chemung county, N. Y., in 1840, came to Iowa in : 55, died April 3, 1905.
Mary M. Coffee, born in Penn., Dec. 5, 1842, died April 17, 1905, an old set- Hor of Jackson county.
D. C Clary, born in Georgia, Ver- wont, Jan. 31, 1821, came to Iowa 1847, ed May 7, 1905.
Amanda J. Shinkle, born in Ohio, Jan. 16, 1836, came to Iowa in 1838,died /.pril 26, 1905.
Mrs. Sophia Cornell, born in Ohio April 14, 1822, came to Maquoket+ in 1: 54, died April 37, 1905.
William Shinkle, born in this Co , Au- rast 1, 1870, died May 12, 1905.
Josie Goodenow, born near Maquo- Rata June 24, 1864, died in California ay 20, 1905. Daughter of a pioneer. Sarah E. Harp, born in Ohio Feb. 29, 26, died in Maquoketa May 22 1905, i old settler.
Sendol Sears, born in Maquoketa Nov. 1855 died in New York City May 23, 05.
John Hoot, born in Penn., Sept. 27, 1 29, came to Iowa in 1852, died May 27, 1 05. Pioneer.
Eunice Decker, born in N. Y. Au- ist 4, 1812, died in Delmar June 17, 1 05, an early pioneer of Maquoketa lley.
Mrs. Julia Brown Dunham born in N, 1. Nov. 14, 1811 came to Maquoketa in 48, died in Des Moines June 16, 1905, pioneer and a noble woman.
Letters irkarMen 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 and 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 Jacksou county, to all officers of the Historical Department of lowa, to the officers of the Iowa State Historical So- ciety, to the surviving children and grand-children of Col Cox, and 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 invi- tations Among those received by letter were the following :
From the Governor of Iowa :
Executive office, Des Moins Iowa.
June 24th, 1905.
Mr. Harvey Reid,
Maquoketa, Iowa
My dear Sir: I beg to acknowledge your invitation to attend the exercises connected with the unveiling of a monn- ment to the Hon. Thomas Cox, one of the pioneers of the west. It would give me great pleasure to be present upon so
and to express for those noble
51
men and women who langhe 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 Lieutonant 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. [ sincerely regret my inability to be pres- ent on this occasion. I desire to offer my congratulations to you and the good people of Jackson county on perpetual- ing the memory of the pioneers, who, by their personal bravery, patriotism, and wisdom, laid the foundation of our state so broad and deep 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 1868 :
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 Iowa has steadily advanced her present prosperity and distinction among the states of the Union. These lines they laid down have given us a state unsurpassed in public morality, in intelligence, in general education, an ' in freedom from the taint of "graft. Iowa is adapted by nature for agricu ture, and has become the garden spot c the Union. She is not adapted to man ufactures, and will never be degraded let us hope, by the centers of vice ant 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 fortunes and speculative ventures, The time will come when such a state can save the Union from demoralization and failure by the force of her example and the quality of her leadership
I beg to express my sympathy with your effort to preserve the memory of pioneer and patriot, Thomas Cox.
Very cordially yours, JOHN A. KASSON.
5
From Ex-Governor Larrabee, State Senator 1868-1882 :
Clermont, Ia., 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 early 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. O., 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
It would be a great pleasure to be present on that occasion to join in pay- ing tribute to the memory of the dis- tingnished pioneer in whose honor the monument has been erected, and to meet my long time friends who are to participate in this memorable event.
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