USA > Iowa > Union County > Biographical and historical record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa, vol. 2 > Part 43
USA > Iowa > Ringgold County > Biographical and historical record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa, vol. 2 > Part 43
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Native and English grasses flourish well. making; a luxuriant growth, and are as rich and nutritions as can be found in any part of the country. Favorable weather usually en- ables the husbandman to gather in this crop in the very best condition, and stock is casily kept upon it throughout the entire winter without the nse of a particle of graia.
Considerable attention has been paid, of late years, to the planting of artificial groves
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of maple, box elder and cottonwood, and a large majority of the farm houses in the county are surrounded by from one to twenty acres of grove, which, in an incredibly-short time, become both attractive and profitable.
Coal, although extensively prospected for both by the county authorities and also by private individuals, has never been found within our limits, and although many persons are sanguine of ultimate success, the present prospect does not seem to be particularly flat- tering for realizing their much-wished-for desiderataın,
Stock-raising must always be one of the most profitable branches of industry, the natural adaptation and advantages of this sec- tion, both for soil and climate, making it particularly remunerative; many fine herds of thorough-bred cattle are now feeding iu the county, and large investments are yearly being made in the same direction.
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS FOR 1884.
The following are the most interesting items found in the State census of 1SS5, re- lating to farms and farm products in Union County for 1884:
Average number of acres in farm, 139 ; acres of improved land, 257,234; acres in cul- tivation, 156,171; acres unimproved land, 39,042; acres in pasture, 70,686; rods of hedge, 313,943; rods of barbed-wire fener, 532,942; rods of other fence, 454,211; farms managed by owner, 1,610; by manager, 19 ; by tenant for money rent, 61; by tenant for crop rent, 800; acres of corn, 13,841; bushels harvested, 1,671,496; acres of wheat, 2,201; bushels harvested, 20,007; acres of oats, 22,612; bushels harvested, 457,544; tons of straw, 8,701; acres of rye, 1,530; bushels harvested, 19,386; tons of straw, 770; acres of buckwheat, 329; bushels harvested, 2,666; acres of broom corn, 18; tons of product, 11; acres of sorghum, 212; gallons of syrup gathered, 16,261; pounds of sorghum sugar made, 1,250; acres in planted timber, 3,035;
aeres in natural timber, 6,061; cords of wood ent in 1881, 1,617; bearing apple trees, 49,- 740; bushels gathered, 26,161; other bearing fruit trees, 7,036; bushels of fruit gathered, 1,906; trees not in bearing, 54,957; acres of vineyard, 31; pounds of grapes gathercd, 15,115; gallons of wine made, 172; vines not. in vineyard, 17,788; pounds of grapes gath- ered, 41,435; gallons of wine made, 34; stands of bees, 1,581; pounds of honey gathered, 30,455; pounds of wax gathered, 843; acres of clover, 370; tons of hay, 595; bushels of seed, 74; acres of Hungarian grass, 22; tons of hay, 31; bushels of seed, 45; acres of mil- let, 574; tons of hay, 550; bushels of seed, 1,333; acres of timothy, 31,916; tons of hay, 34,906; bushels of seed, 6,S20; tons of hay from wild grass, 7,653; acres of flax, 943; bushels of seed, 5,601; tons of straw, 271; acres of potatoes, 970; bushels raised, 89,052; acres of onions, 31; bushels raised, 2,516; bushels of beets raised, 411; bushels of tur- nips raised, 1,862 ; bushels of peas and beans raised, 685 ; thorough-bred cattle, 241; graded cattle, 1,615; work oxen, 4; milch cows, 7,054; all other cattle, 17,144; slanghtered or sold for slaughter, 3,931; horses of all kinds, 6,748; sold for export, 285; mules and asses, 380; sold for export, 38; Poland-China hogs, 11,777; Berkshire hogs, 510; Chester White hogs, 174; Duroc-Jersey hogs, 430; Essex hogs, 20; other improved breeds, 1,700; total hogs, 26,973; slaughtered or sold for slaughter, 19,195; total sheep, 1,744; slaughtered or sold for slaughter, 318; killed by dogs, 86; fleeces, 692; pounds of wool, 4,060; common chickens, 72,010; improved breeds, 8,655; other domestic fowls, 11,000; dozens of eggs, 150,750; value of fann products, $546,252; value of market-garden produce, $4,332; value of forest products, $1,061; value of or- chard products, $14,702; value of vine products, 86,388; value of small fruit, $4,616; value of hive products, $3,294; value of dairy products, 800,050; live stock sold, $122,675; poultry and eggs, $103,315; average value of
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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
farms, $3,200; average farm wages, by year, 8180; during haying, by month, 826; during Harvest, by month, 826.
UNION COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
This was organized January 30, 1858, with seventeen members, and John D. Wright as president ; J. F. Bishop as secretary, and Cyrus Slotts as treasurer. Among the direct- ors were A. C. Cooper, of Pleasant Township; J. S. Lorimer, of New Hope ; William Groes- beck, of New Hope; S. M. Lee, of Sand Creek; Dr. J. A. Day, of Highland, and N. W. Rowell, of Afton. Three fairs were held in the village of Afton, the public square being used for this purpose. The court-house was headquarters. The receipts of the first fair were $61, and the amount paid in pre- minis 844. There were then sixty-five mem- bers. Thomas Robinson was the next president, the other officers being re-elected. At the second fair $67 was awarded in premiums. The war coming on attention was distracted from the quiet enterprises of peace, and the society was not re-organized until 1869. In the revival Dr. J. T. Beebe and abont a dozen others were most active. For ten years twenty-five acres were leased from William Schwantz, one mile south of Afton. Then funds were raised by the sale of life-member- ship certificates, at $25 each, and thirty-two acres purchased, a mile southeast of Afton, on which fairs are now held. The fair of 1886 is the eighteenth, from the re-organiza- tion. The society has a light debt, and is on the whole in a prosperous condition. Pre- miums are usually paid in full. A good track is on the grounds and some excellent racing is seen each year. At this writing Dr. J. T. Beebe, is president ; R. J. Biggs, vice-presi- dent ; D. Davenport, secretary ; Theodore F. Shunk, treasurer.
CRESTON FAIRS.
From 1SS2 to 1885, inclusive, fairs were held also at Creston, on forty acres of land
owned by W. A. Page, a mile north of town. These were entirely under the direction of Mr. Page, whose management was a success. Sufficient interest not being taken to warrant its continuance, however, no fair was held in 1SSG.
RAILROADS.
But one railroad corporation, the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, is as yet represented in this county. With that company the history of the development of the county is intimately connected. As soon as the line was opened from Chicago to Burlington the company an- nounced that it designed building a road from the Mississippi to the Missouri, on some avail- able route.
In May, 1855, a grant of public land was made " to the first company who should build a railroad from Burlington to the month of the Platte River;" the grant boing cach alter- nate section numbered odd within nine miles of each side of said road, with the privilege, if sufficient public lands could not be found within the prescribed limit, to extend the selection to fifteen miles on either side.
As soon as this act became a law, Eastern speculators, anticipating rich returns, entered the Government lands along the proposed line by wholesale. Much of this county was located with Mexican land warrants, while other extensive tracts were taken by pre-emp- tion or entry.
Another large tract here was known as the School and University land, selected under the 500,000 acre grant made in 1841. This land had been selected by a Mr. Whitaker, of Des Moines County, who, accepting his ap- pointment from the State authorities, pro- ceeded to make what proved to be valuable selections.
He traveled with an ox team, camping out for weeks at a time, and examined every tract carefully before selection. These lands were mostly sold to the first settlers at Government price, 81.25 per acre (one-fourtb cash, balance
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in ten years at S per cent.), by Isaac P. Lamb, first school fund commissioner.
In the summer and fall of 1855 the first reg- ular survey for a railroad was made by Chief Engineer HI. Thielson, of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Company (a creation of the Chicago, Burlington & Quiney Railroad Company), assisted by Engineer Hebard.
Various lines were run through the county, and it was entirely uncertain where the new railroad would be built; but its completion was confidently anticipated by the inhabitants within a few months at furthest; the com- pany completed their survey, and adopted the necessary measures to secure the land grant from the Government. Work was begun on the eastern end of the road, but it was not until about the year 1867 that anything defi- nite was done toward locating the road in this county. In that year the present line was selected. Two surveys had been made through Union County. One was that finally utilized. The other, and the more economical ronte, was to enter the county near its southeast corner, run west to the valley of the Twelve- Mile Creek, half-way across the county, and then turn toward the divide in Highland Township. Representative citizens of Afton, who proceeded to Burlington in the interests of the county seat, were informed that the northern ronte would cost 8100,000 more than the southern. Maps and profiles were shown them in support of this statement. The company, however, would adopt the northern route if Afton and its friends would subscribe for 820,000 of stock and give the right of way across the county, and also depot gronuds at Afton. This proposition was cer- tainly a fair one.
In 1868 a concerted effort was made to comply with the terms offered. At most but $14,500 of stock was taken. This with the right of way made about $20,000 contributed by Union County, and the railroad company accepted this, although less than the amount stipulated.
Afton is almost exactly half-way between Ottumwa and Conneil Bluffs, and the com- pany desired to make a division terminus here or near here. It then seemed impossible to give this honor to Afton, on account of its elevated situation and the lack of water. Af- ton is now a good watering station, but the facilities now at hand had not then been ap- plied. One survey was made two miles east of Afton, on Star branch, but this was deemed unsuitable. Afterward a site was selected two and a half miles west of the county seat, on Twelve-Mile Creek .. This latter site, the Longstreth farm, possessed every advantage the company could desire. Accordingly its representative here was authorized to pur- chase the Longstreth farm of 800 acres, for $12,000, $1,000 being put up as a forfeit.
As soon as it leaked out that a division station was to be made thus threateningly near to Afton, the citizens sent a most earnest petition to the railroad company to spare the county seat, and save it from annihilation. The company heeded this prayer, and its agent then looked up the thousand-acre tract of wild land which had been entered in 1854. by a man not afterward heard from, either as a tax-payer or otherwise. Mr. Sigler, of Osceola, was dispatchied to Pennsylvania, where he found the owner and purchased the land at $1 an aere. This is the tract where Cromwell is located. Cromwell was laid out to be a division station, and in 1869, after Afton had been the terminus of the road nearly a year, the tracks were extended west- ward. A large hotel and a score of buildings were put up at Cromwell.
A new election of officers of the railroad company, however, brought a new cuterie of land speculators into power, who were not in- terested in Cromwell. A new tract of land was purchased, on which Creston was built. The vexed question was now settled, to the disappointment of some, and the relief of others. Afton cannot well complain, and had she foreseen the future dimensions of
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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY,
Creston, she would have seen it to her manifest 1 interest to have not opposed the selection of the Longstreth farm. The little town of Afton could have been moved up to it. if de- sirable, in one season's time. The county at that time owned no creditable buildings at Afton.
The stoel taken in this county was gener- ally parted with at 25 cents on the dollar or some such low rate. It is now a good way above par.
here to feed. About 300 men are employed in the offices, freight-house, yards and on the road with headquarters here, where most of them have residences, in addition to those employed in the shops and round-house, and on an average $60,000 is paid out by the com- pany here each month, which is distributed in the city.
The main offices of the Chicago, Bur- lington & Quincy are in Chicago, . The present officers of the road are: C. E. Per- kins, President, Burlington; T. J. Potter, Vice-President, Chicago; H. B. Stone, Gen- eral Manager, Chicago; J. D. Besler, General Superintendent, Galesburg, Illinois; W. F. Merrill, Superintendent Iowa Lines, Bur- lington.
The principal enterprise upon which the business of Creston at present mostly depends is the extensive interests of the Chicago, Bur- lington & Quincy. This is a division station, and probably always will be. Here the com- pany has a mammoth sixty-stall round house, one of the largest on the continent, equipped The Creston & Northern Railroad Com- pany was organized in 1875, under the au- spices of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Company. A road was built from Creston to Fontanelle, Adair County, and recently extended to Cumberland, Cass County. The line is now known as the Creston and Cum- berland branch of the "Q." It crosses portions of Highland, Lincoln and Spaulding townships in Union County, and the latter two gave financial aid to the construction. with all modern conveniences. A large $100,000 machine shop was added to its in- terests in 1884. which is equipped with all modern improved machinery, and is now in use. Four hundred men are employed in the machine shop and round-house, on an average the year round. A fine $25,000 store-house is also used, and extensive car repair shops are kept constantly running, overhanling cars. In the machine shops engines are overhauled and rebuilt. One hundred and twenty-five The Creston branch was built in 1873, Douglas and Platte townships aiding. It runs to Hopkins, Missouri, and there con- neets with an extension built from Kansas City and St. Joseph to meet it. engines are in nse on the road running in and out of Creston, and about 135 engineers and 135 firemen employed on the road make their headquarters here. Four engines are em- ployed in the extensive yards here, switching The main line is assessed at $13,500 per mile; Creston branch at $3,500; and the Creston & Northern at $2,000. night and day. The Chicago, Burlington & Quiney has a branch southwest to St. Joseph and Kansas City, Missouri, and one The stations in Union County are six in number. Thayer is 379 miles from Chicago, 172 from Burlington, eight from Afton, seventeen from Creston and 119 from Coun- cil Bluffs. Afton is 387 miles from Chicago, from Creston, and 111 from Council Bluffs. cabooses and crews being changed. Extensive : Creston is 396 miles from Chicago, 102 from Council Bluffs, forty-four from Hopkins and fifty-one from Cumberland. Cromwell is 403 north to Greenfield in Adair, and west to Cumberland, in Cass County, which makes Creston an extensive freight-distributing point, and makes a large amount of transfer business for the railroad at this point. No : 180 from Burlington, between nine and ten trains pass through Creston without engines, stock yards are located here, and most all stock in transit over the " Q." stops over
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miles from Chicago, 196 from Burlington sixteen from Afton, seven from Creston and ninety-five from Council Bluff's. Kent, on the Creston branch, is six miles from Cres- ton, and Spaulding, on the Creston & North- ern, is eight miles from Creston.
INCIDENTS,
The following incidents were taken from Colby's " Atlas:"
For several years after settlement began in Union County, the only houses built were composed of logs; a good hewed log house being a first-class residence. To raise these buildings the neighbors would gather for eight or ten miles round and help each other. On one occasion a German, who lived not far from Afton, proposing to build a house, was informed by an imaginative gentleman who was also a strong admirer of distilled corn juice, " that nobody would come to the rais- ing without which, was furnished." Acting on this suggestion the honest Teuton pro- cured a keg of the best he could find, and bid his neighbors to the "raising bec."
They came from far and near, but the hap- piest one of them all was the wag whose ad- vice had secured the liquor, which was handed around in a large water bucket, free to all.
Working on one of the corners, every few minutes he would call out, "more whisky on the c-o-r-n-e-r-s." The house was raised, the crowd was jubilant, and when they left at night the keg was empty, a good share of its contents having been " got outside of" by our friend who stood " on the corner."
In the year 1853 or 1854 several persons living near Petersville, who did not get along very harmoniously with Judge Norman Nun, concocted a plan to get him out of the neighborhood.
Nun, at the time, was living on a piece of land as a squatter, and loaning his money at good rates of interest. In pursuance of this plan, William M. Lock visited Judge Non
and borrowed a sum of money which he im- mediately used in purchasing the land where Nun lived. No sooner was this done than war was declared. Lock and Stark were in- dieted on complaint of Nun, and the case was tried at the spring term of the District Court. The testimony was in, the pleas made, and the case given to the jury, who retired to a log cabin, owned by Mrs. Peters, to make up their verdict; but after some hours of wrang- ling they could not agree, and the bailiff was sent to procure supper. Mrs. Peters con- sented to feed one-half the jury, and the ac- commodating officer wended his way to the next neighbor. Smith. for the purpose of pro- curing the necessary supplies for the other half.
But sad to relate the lady of the house, who was a friend of Stark's, proved obdurate, and, steeling;her heart against the wants of the six hungry jurymen, she screamed at the top of her voice, " go back and tell that jury that not one mouthful to eat or drink can they get at my table until they have cleared Stark and convicted Loek."
All attempts to argne the case with her only resulted in making her still more bellig- erent, and the bailiff' was at his wits' end what to do; to return to the jury withont the necessary provender was hard, but it seemed to him that to procure it here was much harder. Finally an ally appeared on the seene in the shape of a grown daughter, who, becoming wearied with her mother's frantic ravings, and possibly sympathizing with her "feller" starving on the jury, proposed to get the meal herself. but the old lady being still as impenetrable as an iron-elad, objected forcibly, so therenj.on the young lady, calling to her father, exclaimed, "here, Dad, yon hold Mam while I get these fellers their supper," and they got it.
In the year 1565 the county went into the liquor traffic, appointing one Marens Bald win, county agent, giving him "850 to be expended in purchasing liquors for Union
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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
County,"and made annual settlements with him for some time thereafter.
1
Many fine cattle are yearly fattened in our county, but it is seldom that as good a yoke can be found as were fed by John Iekis about 1857: their weight being four thousand six hundred pounds; they were sold at 14 cents per pound.
When William M. Lock kept the hotel at !
At one time, probably about 1855, a zealous Pisgah, he was given to cracking jokes at the | brother who thought he had a call to preach, expense of his guests, to whose inquiry for accommodations he would tell them, "Yes, if you can put up with wolf meat and whisky," and so soberly would he make this reply that 1 the inviting meals prepared by Mrs. Lock would be a real surprise to the weary trav. eler, who actually supposed the hill of fare would be that announced by the landlord.
In March, 1851, a fine-looking gentleman. well-mounted, rode up to the door of Lock's honse, at Pisgah, about the middle of the afternoon and engaged food and shelter for several herders and a drove of cattle, a short distance behind him.
The necessary arrangements being com- pleted, the stranger inquired of Mr. Lock the distance to the next house, and was answered, "Forty-five miles." Turning a look of in- credulity at Unele Billy. he answered, "That's ad-d lie! I don't believe a word of it. sir. You want to keep me here all night; but you can't do it." He rode on. The next day, at noon, a traveler bound east stopped for din- ner at Pisgah, and related that he had seen a man nearly frozen that morning -- it being the traveler of the previous day -- who had been compelled to sleep on his horse all night. in the middle of the big prairie of Adair Coun- ty, being afraid to travel for fear of losing his way. Hle doubtless had ample time to repent of his profane language and ungentlemanly treatment of the Pisgah landlord.
:
The first district court held in Afton (E. II. Sears, Judge; James Thompson. Clerk; N. Thompson. Sheriff), was at the house of Elbert I. Smith. The building was of logs -an old-
fashioned chimney built of clay and sticks being laid up on the outside thereof. A heavy rain coming on, the clay moistened, and, while the honorable Court was in session, the whole chimney suddenly collapsed and came to the ground of its own weight. This unforeseen occurrence compelled the immediate adjourn- iment of court, ment con .- smoked out.
putting his belief into execution, gave out an appointment at Cooper's old school-house ; he supposing. in his modesty, that only a few near neighbors would attend. But as the time drew nigh, what was his surprise, not to say dismay, wheu, on proceeding to his ap- pointment, he beheld a large congregation gathered, besides more coming on foot, on horseback, by ox-carts and other modes of pro- gression then in vogue among the early set- tlers.
The good brother's courage failed him as from a little distance he witnessed the gather- ing, which so far exceeded anything previously witnessed in the settlement, that he was com- pletely dumbfounded. Pride and duty both urged him to go forward and fulfill the ap- pointment, but as often as he essayed to walk toward the school-house, his trembling limbs refused to obey their office.
After several ineffeetnal attempts to "face the music." he turned away in sorrow, con- cluding that the ministry of the Word was not his special vocation, and the rest of that after- noon he took refuge among the tall timber of Grand River, leaving the expectant congrega- tion to muse on the mutability of everything in general, and amateur preachers in par- · ticular.
In the year 1553. Benjamin Lamb was dig- ging a well at his house, on section 26, Pleas- ant Township, and on reaching a depth of fifty-three feet the workmen brought up a piece of sawed oak plank. one foot long by three to five inches broad, also a piece of & China tea enp and a lady's tuck comb; all in
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a good state of preservation. How they came there is a question that has never been satis- factorily answered.
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After considerable settlement had been made in the county, and some of the dealers had violated that section of the code which tonehes upon the sale of intoxicating liquors. a number of temperanec men proposed to go before the Grand Jury, soon to convene, and enter complaint against the offending parties. This coming to the ears of the foreman of the jury, about the hour that court called, he anxiously awaited developments. On the proper organization of the Grand Jury he at once proceeded to business, and as no jury- man was conversant with any infraction of law, and no persons were present to enter complaint, the foreman at onee suggested an immediate adjournment, which was carried, and the members dispersed to their homes. Some hours after the complaining witnesses put in an appearance, to testify, and, much to their chagrin, found themselves too late for business, and the druggist happy for another six months, thanks to the good offices of the friendly foreman, who, doubtless, had been there, and knew how it was himself.
Sometime about 1856 or 1857 a register was kept of all liquors sold, and for what pur- pose obtained ; and persons, unless well vouched for, could not obtain a supply. This register was examined by the Grand Jury, at their semi-annual sessions. On one occasion, while examining the register, one of the jurors said to another, " II ---. where is all the whisky you have bought during the last six months !" " Don't use nor buy the stuff." said JI -- , "and if you will find my name in that register I will treat the jury." A few pages more were examined, when lo! there was the name of Juror HI ---- , "ore quart whisky." A laugh was at once raised on him, and the treats were called for vociferonsly, to which he, of course, acceded. It subsequently transpired that & worthless fellow, who hal worked for HI -- , on his farm, failing to se-
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