USA > Iowa > Union County > Biographical and historical record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa, vol. 2 > Part 41
USA > Iowa > Ringgold County > Biographical and historical record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa, vol. 2 > Part 41
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where the regiment was organized and equip- ped. Uniforms were received October 25, and arms November 21, and the companies wore mustered into the United States service December 1, 1862, by Lieutenant Brown, U. S. A. The same day the men received 825 bounty and $2 premium; and, breaking camp December 5, rendezvonsed at St. Joseph, Missouri, where they arrived December 11, and remained until December 19, when they took cars for St. Louis, arriving at Benton Barracks the next day; remaining there for a single night, they were ordered on provost duty, and were quartered in Washington avenne, opposite Lindell Ilotel.
"December 25, Christmas day, the regi- ment embarked on the steamer, C. E. Ilillman, for the South; on the 27th it landed at Col- umbus, Kentucky, where it went into camp. January 1, New Year's day, it was called into line of battle. With some it was a time of fear and trembling, this being their first experience. It proved to be a false alarm; the regiment had many such afterward. On the 7th of January it broke camp, and went on board a steamer under orders for Helena, Arkansas, at which place it disembarked, January 11, 1863, and shortly after embarked on the steamer Ruth, bound up White River to Duvall's Bluff. In this expedition the men suffered terribly from cold and exposure. January 27 it returned and went into camp, where it remained until the Yazoo Pass expe- dition, March 26, was organized, in which it took part, and also in the siege of Fort Pom. berton. After this Company H was in many scouts, and did much heavy-fatigue duty until the battle of Helena, Arkansas, July +, 1863, where it occupied an important position near the extreme right, where with the Fifth Kansas, the Twenty-ninth sustained the charges of Marmaduke's and Shelby's forces combined, and, although they were five to our one, it drove them back and occupied the field, but with the loss of some of our best men, killed and wounded.
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CRUSHING THE REBELLION.
"About this time General Steele organ- ized an expedition against Little Rock, Ar- kansas, and the Twenty-ninth was assigned to duty in the same. The hardships and suf- ferings from heat, fatigue and thiret were terrible; but the column did not arrive until after the rebels' retreat, and encamped half a mile south of the city. Shortly after, it was ordered on scouting duty toward Arkadelphia, to ent off the retreat of Marmaduke from Pine Bluffs. It marched sixty miles in two days, but failed to intercept the enemy, and re- turned November 1 to its former camp, where it remained, doing provost duty, until March, 1864. It then broke camp and started on the Camden expedition to form a junction with the forces under General Banks, with the in- tention of investing Shreveport. On account of unlooked-for obstacles and bad generalship, Banks was driven back, after severe and con- tinnous fighting, and our command under General Steels failed to connect with Dunks' forces, upon the retreat of whom the rebels concentrated on our column, which was forced to retreat to Little Rock. This retreat was accompanied with much suffering and loss. Wagons and supplies were burned, caissons and cannon were mired, mud in places was belly-deep to the cavalry horses, and the en- tire force was disheartened and demoralized. The Twenty-ninth reached its old camp at Little Rock May 1, 1864, and for thirty days rested, doing only garrison duty, until June 1, when it was ordered to Lewisburg, an out- post fifty miles up the Arkansas River, where it remained until some time in July, when it was ordered back to Little Rock, and re- mained there doing garrison duty, scouting, etc., until February 9, 1865, at which time it was ordered to the Gulf. It broke camp at once and embarked by rail to Duvall's Bluff, where it shipped by steamer for New Orleans, Louisiana, and thence to Mobile, Alabama, which was at that time receiving particular attention from Admiral Farragut and General Granger. The regiment disembarked and par-
ticipated in the investment and surrender of Fort Spanish, and in taking the city of Mo- bile. It was then ordered forty miles up the river, where it garrisoned an ontpost-Mt. Vernon Arsenal-and remained until the 1st of June, when it returned to Mobile, and about that time received the glorious news of Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court-House. It then embarked for Texas, landed at Brazos Santiago about the middle of June, and camped at the month of the Rio Graude, where the men celebrated the anniversary of national independence.
"July 10 the regiment embarked for New Orleans, where it remained for a few days, while the muster rolls were being made out, preparatory to final discharge. The regiment then shipped by steamer to Davenport, Iowa, where Company HI was with the rest mus- tered out of the service of the United States. The company arrived home July 31, 1865."
OTHER ENLISTMENTS.
Numerous enlistments were made in the county for other regiments. So far as can be learned, they were:
Iu the Fifteenth Iowa-William Day, Abel Dufur, George Homewood, Elijah Kent and Enoch Kent.
In the Eighteenth Iowa-T. H. Anderson, Aaron C. Day, Leonard Homewood, Josiah Lamb, John Lamb, Joseph Milnes, S. C. Mes- senger, John Reed, Charles Stock, C. M. Stock and Eli W. Stark.
In the Seventeenth Iowa-Fred Reed, II. W. Rose and James White.
In the Third Jowa-Willis Shelby.
In the Tenth lowa-Thomas Lane.
In the Thirteenth Iowa -- Simeon Robinson. In the Nineteenth Jowa -- Albert J. A'len. In the Thirty-sixth Iowa-B. F. Martz.
In the Fourth Iowa Cavalry-G. W. Ilart.
In the Eighth Iowa Cavalry-J. Brock.
In the Fifth Kansas Cavalry-W. R. Dufur and II. F. Lamb.
In the First Colorado Cavalry-A. F. Ichis.
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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
In unknown regiments -- W. J. Bishop, G. B. Bennett. Allen Carter, J. R. Day, Asa R. Daniel, Levi Dodson, IL. JI. Hays, E. R. Ilaley, Nelson Homewood, Frank Johnson, R. Il. Jones, Martin Jessop, T. J. Lamb, W. R. Minert, N. C. Millman, Eli Russell, C. R. Rodgers and William C. Wilson.
The total number of volunteers was 275, or one in eight of the total population.
During the continuance of the war the business of the volunteers was attended to by their wives and children, the laborious avoca- tions of the farm-planting, reaping and har- vesting-being personally taken charge of by them. Thus, while the soldiers were at the front, did the noble women and children even lend a hand in crushing the greatest rebellion the world has ever known.
ROLL OF HONOR.
The following are those who, according to the Adjutant-General's reports, died or were killed while in the service:
W. J. Bishop, died at Little Rock, Arkan- sas, October 29, 1SC-t.
Ellis Ball. died at Little Rock, Arkansas, May 20, 1864.
B. D. Bilbo, was killed at Yazoo Pass, Jenkins' Ferry, April 1, 1864.
David Cooper, died at Little Rock, Arkan- sas, October 25, 1863.
James R. Campbell, was killed in battle at Pea Ridge, Arkan nr.
J. II. Duel, died at Keokuk, Iowa, August 27, 1803.
John M. Douglas, died at Memphis, Ten- nessce, April 15, 1868.
E. C. Dath, died at Little Rock, Arkansas, May 27, 1864.
M. A. Day, died at Helena, Arkansas, Feb- ruary 1, 1563.
John Il. Davis, died at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, February 3. 1563.
John B. Forgey, died at Young's Point, Louisiana, February 3, 1863.
I. B. Gripp, died at Columbus, Kentuchy, January 17, 1863.
Hiram Glasgo, died at Little Rock, Arkan- sas, January 1, 1864.
James J. Hafer, died at Helena, Arkansas, July 3, 1863.
F. S. Husband, was killed in battle at Hel- ena, Arkansas, July 4, 1863.
II. R. Hutchinson, was killed at Fort Span- ish, Alabama, March 31, 1865.
Frank Johnson, died at Little Rock, Ar- kansas, December 19, 1864.
Frank Jackson, died at Afton, October IS, 1863.
D. Katzenbarger, died at Helena, Arkansas April 16, 1863.
James L. Killion, died at Rolla, Missouri, December 15, 1861.
Reuben Madden, died in prison at Camden, Arkansas, in August, 18641.
Joshua Moores, died at, Memphis, Tennes- see, March 13, 1863.
Abraham Moore, was killed at Ringgold, Georgia, November 29, 1863.
James H. McCullock, died at Helena, Ar- kansas, March 8, 1863.
Augustus Norris, died October 20, 1863, at Afton, Iowa.
G. W. Parker, died at Memphis, Tennes- see, September 28, 1863.
John Rankin, died at Helena, Arkansas, January 26, 1863.
J. W. Reasoner, died at Helena, Arkansas, February 14, 1563.
J. W. Ricedorff, died at Duvall's Bluffs, September 1, 1803.
Samuel M. Riggs, died at St. Louis, Mis- souri, February 15, 186S.
William R. Reese, died May 17, 1861, at Bridgeport, Alabama.
John A. Smith, was killed at Lookout Mountain, November 10, 1863.
Charles F. Scott, died at Jefferson Barra cks, Missouri, February 7, 1863.
Lewis Schwantz, was killed in battle at Helena, Arkansas, July 4, 1862.
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4
CRUSHING THE REBELLION.
691
Reuben Showers, died at Little Rock, Ar- kansas, July 17, 1864.
Daniel Thurlo, died at Little Rock, Arkan- sas, December 19, 1864.
R. M. Thompson, died at Helena, Arkan- sas, June 6, 1863.
James HI. Wright, died on his way home, in February, 1863.
James Welsh, was killed in battle, at Cam- den, Arkansas, April 15, 1864.
T. C. Wycoff, died at Little Rock, Arkan- sas, September 9, 1864.
R. P. Witt, died at Memphis, Tennessee, March 31, 1865.
RESIDENT EX-SOLDIERS.
Besides those now living here who enlisted from this county, there are many ex-soldiers who have located here since the war, and who were credited to other States and counties. No record has been made of these. There are probably 400 ex-soldiers now in Union County.
47
692
HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
E PRESS.K
IIE pen is mightier than the sword is a saying that is so trite that one is almost ashamed to quote it, yet it is worth urging upon the atten- tion of unalcomment non. ple that the rapid progress of humanity in the nineteenth century is due, more than to any other one agency, to im- proved facilities of travel and communication. Railroads, mails and newspapers have become necessities to man- kind, though many are now living who are older than the oldest railroad, and to whom a daily paper once seemed a nseless extravagance. Even now changes are made yearly, and improvements discovered of such moment that the future value and function of the newspaper cannot yet be esti- · mated.
Types were first used to reproduce only the Bible, and sneh books as were demanded in large numbers. Then came the periodical and pamphlet. The reviews and magazines increased in number and frequency of publi- cation, and then the weekly newspaper was established, to be supplemented in time by the daily journals. At first only large cities conld support papers, now it is a poor village
that cannot have one or more, and a small county that has not its half dozen. One of the most important changes in the develop- ment of the country newspaper occurred from 1860 to 1870. Before the former date home news, locals and correspondence were not considered worth printing, but the roading matter was composed of reprints from the great journals, news from Europe, procced- ings of Congress, and heavy editorials on national politics. Now these are supplied by the large city papers, which are brought to every village by those annihilators of dis- tance, the railroads, and the home paper is largely filled with home news. The best county paper now is the one which gives the most space to town and county news, corres- pondence from every postoffice, and the pro- ceedings of local organizations.
In Union County, to-day, are published eight newspapers, while more than as many more have been issned that are now defunct, by change of name or suspension. Generally speaking, the editors have been men of intel- ligence and enterprise, while to-day the mem- bers of the press are conceded to be far above the average in ability and scholarship.
First, we will mention the papers of
AFTON.
Ilere there have been one or more papers published for over a quarter of a century.
693
THE PRESS.
Usually one had the whole field, until 1871, since when two have been published most of the time.
It is of interest to state here that the first advertising done by Afton merchants was in the Iowe Homestead. at. Des Moines, in 1558 or '9. The county agricultural society had just been organized, and J. F. Bishop, its secretary, took to Des Moines advertising cards from abont a dozen of Afton's mer- chants.
AFTON KAGLE
as the first piper pa blished in Union County, it being established in the spring of 1860, by Morris & Ryan. It was Democratic in polities, supporting Stephen A. Douglas for President. In the fall of 1860 L. Raguet bought Ryan's interest, changed the name of the paper to the
ATTON PEUTHALF;
eschewed politics, and devoted its columns to the upbuilding of the material interests of the connty. In the course of the year Morris sold his interest to Raguet and enlisted in the Fourth Iowa Infantry. J. F. Bishop relates that Morris, who was a fine fellow, and well liked by his comrades, was made a Sergeant in the company. He was ambitious of pro- motion, and while in Southern Missouri tried to enlist a company for the Sixth Missouri Cavalry, having been promised a Lieutenancy. Failing in this, Morris beeune very despond- ent, and suddenly was missed. Only his cap was found, and many were the conjectures as to his probable fate. Most agreed that he was dead. Years after, Bishop, while editing the News at Afton, wrote a romance extend- ing through a large series of numbers, en- titled the " Lost Lieutenant." He made a pretty good story of it and increased his list of readers very materially ; but afterward it trans -- pired that Morris had deserted, and probably entered the ranks of the enemy. This ignoble character ill fits that given him in the ro- mance, and Bishop feels that the joke is on him.
Mr. Raguet was sole proprietor of the Reveille a short time, and then took as a partner Samuel M. Riggs, Jr .; the partner- ship lasted but a few months, when Riggs "stepped down and ont." Hle afterward died in the army. A brief interval elapsed, when James W. Stevenson took an interest in the paper, but his health failing, he, after a few months, retired, and Riguet was again the only man at the helm. Stevenson was afterward chilled to death in Grand River. For a while, but just at what period is not now remembered, Robbins & Cornelius con- ducted the paper, but, after a brief experience, gave up the ghost. Raguet then took posses- sion, but soon finding an opportunity to sell he disposed of the office to HI. S. Erman, who conducted it in the interests of the Republican party. A year afterward the office once more fell into the hands of Raguet, who continued to manage it, with occasional intervals, until he sold out to W. R. Roberts, who changed the name to the
AFTON TRIBUNE.
Mr. Ragnet is in the mercantile business at Atton. Cornelins is dead. Of the other old editors of the Reveille, Erman was last heard of as publishing a Democratic paper in South- eastern Iowa, and Robbins, a Baptist minister, by the way, was editing the Baptist Beacon, at Des Moines.
Mr. Roberts ran the Tribune as a radical Republican paper uatil 1876, when Ira Seeley became proprietor. He continued it as a Republican organ for one year, and then sold to W. II. Robb, who published it two years in the interest of the Greenback party, and thea, in 1879, removed it to Creton and changed its name to the Independent Ameri- can, which is still published there by him.
AFTON NEWS.
This paper was established in 1871 by Moorehead Brother. , as an independent jour- nal. Six months later they sold to Baxter
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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
604
Brothers. Isaac Baxter soll his interest to : ton, and six are now published. The first George P. Wilson, and T. J. Baxter became was known as the a partner of Wilson, who, later, sold his share in the establishment to J. F. Bishop. Two CRESTON HEADLIGHT, years later Mr. Bishop became sole proprietor. Mr. Wilson is now Judge Wilson, of Creston. and John Baxter is part proprietor of the Enterprise.
Mr. Bishop published the paper for several years as a Republican piper. Becoming dis- satisfied with Grant's administration he supported Tilden for the Presidency in 1876. Mr. Hayes' conciliatory policy toward the South, however, and the establishment by the United States Supreme Court of the prin- ciple of State control of railroads, reconciled Mr. Bishop, who returned to his Republican allegiance, and has since published a purely Republican paper. Not long after this he purchased the
NEW TRIBUNE,
which had been established in opposition to Mr. Robb's Greenback Tribune, and re- christened his paper the
TRIBUNE-NEWS,
its present name. In October, 1885, he sold to Chapman & Thrall, but they failed to make stipulated payments, and the proprietorship reverted to Mr. Bishop, in June, 1886. The Tribune-News is published on Wednesdays, at $1.50 per year, and is in size an eight- colminn folio.
ENTERPRISE.
The Afton Enterprise is an independent weekly, established January 8, 1880, by Bax- ter & Claussen, the present editors and proprie- tors. It was at first five columns in size, is now six, and is soon to be enlarged to seven columns. The subscription price is $1.00 per year.
AT CRESTON.
Something like a dozen different papers have been founded in the busy city of Cres-
of which J. L. King was editor and proprie- tor. He was succeeded by J. Faye, who, after a few months' editorial experience con- cluded to seek other fields of labor, aud accordingly sold out to J. W. Ragsdale, who changed the name to the
CRESTON TIMES.
After a short sojourn he disposed of his inter- est to Captain Dilley, who, in turn gave up the attempt in a few months and immigrated with the press and material to Adel, Dallas County, lowa. The city was then without a paper until C. C. Bartruff, in the winter of 1872, established the
CRESTON JOURNAL.
a seven-column folio, Republican in politics; but the year following he decided that the field was not yet ripe for profitable journalism, and removed to Ringgold County, where he became publisher of the Mt. Ayr Journal.
In the autumn of the same year (1872) while the Journal was still running, W. H. Iloxie, of Corning, started thic
UNION COUNTY INDEPENDENT,
with one Wells as editor and publisher. As its name indicates, it was independent in political matters. It received a fair patronage, but in July, 1873, Wells was killed by the cars at the Maple Street crossing, and A. H. Sluss assumed the role of editor-in-chief, which he filled with much acceptance until the winter of 1875, when he died. He was succeeded by S. N. Hamilton, a gentleman of ability and culture. Not finding the business remunerative, he resigned the position of editor after a few months and went East. Shortly after W. H. Hoxie, the owner of the press and material, sold the same to a stock company. They leased it to George P. Wil- son, who started the
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THE PRESS.
CRISION DEMOCRAT.
Mr. Wilson (now Judge Wilson) was suc- ceeded as editor in the summer of 1876 by S. R. Davis. The Democrat in time succumbed to adversity, as did another paper subse- quently attempted, by the same name.
The oldest paper now published here, and the largest in the county, is the
CRESTON GAZETTE.
This was founded by J. B. Ilarsh and C. M. Schultz in the spring of 1878. After a few months Mr. Harsh retired, and C. M. Schultz was sole proprietor for a short time. Ile coon tock as partner W. M. Oungst. The latter shortly sold out to J. H. Robison. After some other changes of ownership C. J. Colby organized a stock company, including him- self, J. D. llarsh and others. In August, 1SS0, the issue of a daily forin was begun. First it was an ovaning popor, and then an at tempt was made to publish a morning paper, adopting the usual features of a city daily. Much money was sunk in this adventure, and while the result was a good paper, the returns did not justify the outlay, and the evening 1 style was resumed. In the meanwhile the company had become financially embarrassed. Mr. Harsh advanced some needed money; this the company was unable to repay, and early in 1884 Mr. Harsh found himself owner of the daily and weekly Gazette, which he has so managed as to yield a profit without de- tracting from the quality of the paper or its contents. It is the oldest daily here, and is one of the chief papers in Southern Iowa, as well as one of the most influential Republican papers in the State. Twenty-two hands are employed on the Gazette-more than are supported by any other one institution in' Creston, excepting, of course, the railroad : company. II. W. Lewis is business manager, and II. A. Gregg, eity editor. The weekly edition appears on Thursday, at $1.50 per year. The daily is furnished to subscribers at- $6.00 per year, or 50 cents a month.
THE IMPLEMENT AMERICAN
is an eight-page. fifty-six column weekly Paper, published by W. HI. Robb as editor and proprietor. This paper was established in February, 1877, at Afton by Mr. Robb. It was moved to Creston in the fall of 1879, and after- ward enlarged from a four-page folio to its present form and size. It was originally the Afton Tribune. the office being the oldest newspaper office in the county. As indicative of the growth in popularity and value of the paper, it might be stated that Mr. Robb pur- chased the office originally for $1.500, and every addition made to its material and stock has come from the revenues derived from the business. In April, 1885, Mr. Robb sold a half interest to Hon. R. A. Dagne, of Os- ceola, an old and experienced newspaper man, for $3,000. In the spring of 1856 he repur- chased Mr. Dague's interest and is now the bule owner. The paper has grown from a small country sheet to be one of largest and most influential in the State, and has a large and growing circulation. It is National Greenback in politics, making a specialty of the labor problems, and is strongly "Anti- monopoly." Subscription price, $1.50, pay- able in advance.
THE CRESTON ADVERTISER
is a daily and weekly paper published by S. A. Brewster. Mr. Brewster, who had been in the employ of the Gusette and the Democrat, and had then started a job office on Maple Street with material purchased on eredit in Omaha, issued the first number of the Adver- tiser July 1, 1879. It was designed purely as an advertising scheme, in view of the ap- proaching " Fourth," and 2,000 copies were printed for free distribution. Some of the merchants who patronized Mr. Brewster's little venture suggested that he " keep it up," and he accordingly did so. It appeared every week as a four-column folio (afterward as a six-page paper) for free distribution daring seven months, growing in favor. At the end
696
HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
of this time he enlarged the paper to a six- column folio and put it upon a subscription basis, at $1.00 per year. A few months later it was enlarged to seven columns, its present size. The day of publication was Saturday until 1SS5, and is now Friday. It is entirely a local paper, no " plates" being used. The daily issue was begun December 5, 1881. In this form it is a five-column folio. It is a member of the Evening Telegram Company, and receives regularly the United Press re- ports. The subscription price of the daily is 84.00 per year, 35 cents a month, or 10 cents a week. In politics it is independent. In con- neetion with the printing office is a blank- book manufactory. From fifteen to eighteen hands are employed in the establishment.
THE CRESTON COMMONWEALTH
was established October 19, 1882, by A. P. Leech, the name of the paper then being the Commenter. M .. Leech conducted it just one year, when he sold the paper to W. A. Page, who associated with himself S. R. Davis, the firm name becoming Page & Davis. The next week after its purchase its name was changed to the Commonwealth, its present name. It is the only Democratie paper published in Union County. It advocates a revenue tariff, a legal-tender treasury cur- reney instead of national-bank issues, and the control of common carriers by Congressional and State legislation. S. R. Davis, present postmaster of Creston, is editor. The paper appears on Friday, at $1.50 per year.
EVERY SUNDAY MORNING
is a society paper, started in May, 1883, by IIunsaker, Shultz & Co. It is a five-column quarto, printed on tinted paper, at $1.50 per year. For the first eighteen months the sub scription price was 82.00. W. J. Hunsaker was editor until June, 1885, when he became sole proprietor, by purchase of the partner- ship interests, and sold the whole to J. A. Leens and Nixon Waterman. Mr. Water- man has the active management of the office and is editor.
THE CRESTON MONITOR
is the most recent of the defunct journals. It appeared until a few months ago as a prohibi- tion weekly, and was the venture of J. W. Graves, now of Portia, Arkansas.
THE WORKINGMAN'S ADVOCATE,
the youngest member of the circle of journals published at Creston, is not a local newspaper, but the organ of the Knights of Labor, and circulates over many States. It was founded in March, 1885, by Typographical Union, No. 131. In the autumn of 1885 the paper came into the hands of O. W. Ilicks. In February, 1SS6, the management of the paper was given to Steffey and ITorrell. I. J. Ilorrell is the editor, and has filled that position from the start. It is the only exclusively labor paper in the State, and is published on Saturdays, at $1.00 per year.
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