USA > Iowa > Union County > Biographical and historical record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa, vol. 2 > Part 5
USA > Iowa > Ringgold County > Biographical and historical record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa, vol. 2 > Part 5
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47
COAL.
Coal is supposed to exist throughout the county, but no mines are yet in operation. The only attempt to find the desirable mineral was in 1884, when Francis Ellis, C. B. Morse, H. A. White and J. C. Askren sunk a shaft two and a half miles east of the station at Mt. Ayr. They bored through sixty feet of solid rock, and in all went 326 feet below the surface, finding a little coal, but not in paying quantities. This experi- ment cost its promoters $1,200.
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HISTORY OF RINGGOLD COUNTY.
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EARLY HISTORY
HE continuous history of lowa as the abode of white men begins with May 1, 1833. Previous to that date every acre was in the legal possession of the Indians. As a result of the Black Hawk war of 1832, a strip of land facing the Mississippi, and about fifty miles deep was opened to settlement after April 30, 1833. It was not long, of course, before the advent- urous pioneers began to encroach upon the domain reserved to the Red Men, and many an iso- . lated cabin was built in the interior in vio- lation of the laws. These were frequently removed by the use of the military. In 1836 a treaty was made, ceding another large tract for the uses of civilization, but the rights of the Indians to the lands re- served to them were very strictly guarded, no white person being allowed to settle on Indian lands. By the treaty of 1842 the whites were again prohibited from settling on the lands purchased in that year, until May 1, 1843, or even to carry an ax into the Indian country. It was by the terms
of this last treaty that the land embraced in Ringgold County was opened to settle- ment.
THE BOUNDARY DISPUTE.
The southern part of what is now Ring- gold County was involved in the famous dispute between Iowa and Missouri, which began in the autumn of 1839 and was set- tled ten years later. In the meantime the general supposition was that the strip be- longed to Missouri, or would be so de- cided.
Joint Resolution No. 7 passed in Febru- ary, 1844, recites that in the autumn and winter of 1839 an unjust claim was made by the Governor of Missouri to a portion of territory lying within the limits of lowa; that the marshal of Iowa, acting by Na- tional as well as by Territorial authority, had called for an armed posse to preserve peace and to resist the encroachment of Missouri authority within the well-known limits of lowa ; that several hundred patri- otic citizens had obeyed the marshal's summons late in 1839, marching in an in- clement season ; that an account of the ex- penses had been taken by a United States official, but had not then been liquidated. These things having been recited, Hon. A. C. Dodge, then Territorial delegate in
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GENERAL HISTORY.
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Congress, was called upon, not only to se- cure pay for the volunteers, but for the marshal's services as well, "in preserving the peace and protecting the southern boundary of lowa."
Chapter 23, Laws of 1846, approved Jan- mary 17, recites the fact of the arrest of the sheriff of Davis County by the authorities of Missouri, and the probability of litiga- tion arising from the dispute between lowa and Missouri. The Governor was, accord- ingly, authorized to draw upon the Ter- ritorial treasurer for $1,500 to defray counsel fees in cases where either the Territory or its citizens might be a party against Mis- souri.
Chapter 3, Laws of the First General. Assembly, approved January 16, 1847, au- thorizes the Governor to agree with the State of Missouri for the commencement and speedy termination of a suit in the Supreme Court of the United States to de- termine the true location of the boundary line between the two States. The sum of $1,000 was appropriated to defray the ex- penses of the same. 1
This dispute arose in consequence of two surveys having been made of the northern boundary of Missouri, the first begun at the head of the rapids in the river Des Moines, and the second at the foot of the Des Moines rapids, in the Mississippi. The dif- ference between the initial points was nearly nine miles. Missouri having elected to as- sume the northern line as her boundary, and Iowa, the southern line as hers, there was, of course, a conflict of jurisdiction over a strip of country nearly nine miles in width, it being claimed by both States. The vexed question was settled in lowa's favor, in 1850, when the boundary was established by commissioners, who had the line carefully surveyed. Posts were erected a mile apart, every tenth post being of iron. This in- creased Ringgold County's arca by one- fourth.
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
Charles H. Schooler and family, the first residents of Ringgold County, settled in the southeastern part in 1844. For two years his was the only white family in the vicinity. In 1847 Manoah B. Schooler was born, the first white child born in the coun- ty. In 1846 James M. Tethrow settled near Mr. Schooler, but for several years there- after there appears to have been no further immigration. These two families thought they were living in Missouri, until the survey of 1850 made them citizens of Iowa.
In the spring of 1854 the population of the county was increased to nine families, and the following autumn and spring of 1855 saw a brisk immigration, four or five settlements or neighborhoods being formed, in as many different portions of the coun- ty. The names of these are mostly given further on, in the account of the organic election of the county. In the biographical department of this volume are given such personal histories of many of the pioneers as can be obtained.
CIVIL HISTORY.
The territory in Ringgold County was technically a part of Des Moines County from 1834 to 1836, under the Territorial Government of Wisconsin. Then the Ter- ritory of lowa was organized, and for some years this region remained undesignated, unsurveyed, and unsettled. In 1847 the boundaries of the county were established. and the name Ringgold given, in honor of Major Samuel Ringgold, who was mortally wounded in the battle of Palo Alto, fought a little more than a year before, in the Mexican war. For the next four years Ringgold was included within the tem- porary county of Pottawatomie. Then it was attached to the newly-organized coun- ty of Decatur.
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HISTORY OF RINGGOLD COUNTY.
By an act of the General Assembly, ap- proved February 4, 1851, John W. Ellis and Reason Wilkinson, of the county of Davis, and H. B. Notson, of the county of Decatur, were appointed commissioners to locate and establish the county seat, for which purpose they were to meet at the house of H. B. Notson. On the 26th of June of the same year, they reported to the Board of Commissioners of Decatur Coun- ty-as they were required to do by law -- that they had selected a place for the county seat of Ringgold County, and had desig- nated the location by setting a stake about four miles south of the center of said coun- ty, and that they had named said county seat Urbana. They further reported that they could not give a more particular description of the place for the reason that the land had not yet been surveyed into sections. Probably at this day no- body knows the exact location of Urbana. This first attempt to organize the coun- ty was not a success, for the reason that it did not contain a sufficient popula- tion.
On the 16th of October, 1852, the coun- ty judge of Taylor County, ordered that Ringgold County be a separate election precinct, to be called Schooler Township, and that the place of voting at the presi- dential election be at the house of Lot Hobbs. This was in the southern part of the county, where there is now a creek that bears the name of Lott's Creck, which de- rived its name from this early settler. Charles H. Schooler, Abner Smith and Jesse Harper were appointed to act as judges of this election. Charles H. School- er was elected justice of the peace, and Lot Hobbs constable of Schooler Town- ship. The latter was also appointed super- visor of roads, and one Littleton Allen, a commissioner to locate a road from the State line, in a northeast direction across the county.
LOCATION OF COUNTY SEAT.
January 5, 1855, another legislative act was approved, appointing commissioners to locate the county seat of Ringgold County. They were George W. Jones, Robert W. Stafford and George A. Haw- ley. Joel Chambers was then acting as justice of the peace in " Schooler Town- ship" (Ringgold County), and the com- missioners were sworn by him. Their obligation is in the following words, and is the oldest record in the court-house at Mt. Ayr:
State of Iowa, Ringgold County. ( s. s.
Personally appeared before me, an act- ing justice of the peace within and for the county and State aforesaid, George W .. Jones, Robert W. Stafford and George A. Hawley, commissioners appointed by the act of the Legislature of the State of Iowa, approved January 5, 1855, to locate the county seat of Ringgold County, lowa; who upon oath depose and say that they will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties assigned, to the best of their ability and judgment.
GEORGE W. JONES, R. W. STAFFORD, GEORGE A. HAWLEY.
Sworn to and subscribed this 16th day of April, 1855.
JOEL CHAMBERS , Justice of the Peace.
The report of these commissioners was made to the county judge of Decatur County, on the 18th of April, in the follow- ing terms :
"We, the undersigned commissioners ap- pointed by act of the General Assembly of the State of Iowa, approved January 5, 1855, to locate and name the seat of justice of Ringgold County, and report to the county judge of Decatur County in case there should be no county judge in said
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GENERAL HISTORY.
county of Ringgold, respectfully submit to you the following report, to wit: That we have examined the different portions of said county of Ringgold, after having been duly qualified, and have made selection of the southwest quarter of section 6, town- ship 68 north, range 29 west, for the seat of justice of said county of Ringgold, and given it the name of Mt. Ayr, and the said Mt. Ayr is by the authority vested in us hereby declared to be the seat of justice of said county of Ringgold."
John S. Sheller, of Lucas County, was the owner of the land on which the coun- ty seat was to be located, and as an induce- ment to the Commissioners he executed a bond to convey to the county the cast half of the quarter section chosen, so that he and the county would each own half of the town lots. The bond was as follows :
" Know all men that I, John S. Sheller, of the county of Lucas, in the State of Iowa, am held and firmly bound in the penal sum of $2,000, to the county of Ringgold, in the State of Iowa, to make, or cause to be made, a good and sufficient deed, with general warranty, to said coun- ty to the cast half of the southwest quarter of section 6, in township 68 north, range 29 west. Now the condition of the above obliga- tion is such that whereas the commissioners appointed to locate the county seat of Ring- gold County, Iowa, have located the same upon the land of said Sheller, to wit : Upon the southwest quarter of section 6, in township 68 north, range 29 west, he, the said Sheller, hereby obligating himself in the consideration of the said location, to convey to the said county the aforesaid premises upon the condition that the said county seat shall be laid off into lots, streets and alleys, that the said line shall consti- tute the center of the town in connection with the west half of said quarter section, making the public square one half on either side. Said deed to be executed and de-
livered on or before the ist day of May next, in witness whereof I hereunto sign my name, this, 18th day of April, A. D. 1855. " JOHN S. SHELLER."
Mr. Sheller also agreed to have the sur- veying done at his own expense, and gave a bond of Sioo for that purpose. On the 9th of June Mr. Sheller delivered to the county the following deed, the first made and recorded in Ringgold County :
"For and in consideration of the location of the county seat of Ringgold County, upon the southwest quarter of section 6, in township No. 68 north, of range No. 29 west, we hereby convey to the county of Ringgold, State of lowa, the east half of the southwest fractional quarter of section No. 6, in township No. 63 north, of range No. 29 west, and warrant the title against all persons whomsoever. Witness our hands, this 9th day of June, A. D. 1855. " EDWARD A. TEMPLE, " JANE E. TEMPLE."
This was attested in the usual form by the clerk of the District Court of Lueas County. William McCormick was em- ployed to survey the town, according to plans furnished by Sheller and Judge Ha- gans. The survey was made in the latter part of June.
ORGANIZATION OF COUNTY.
Before this, however, May 14, 1855, Ringgold County had been formally organ- ized. William N. McEfee was appointed organizing sheriff, and given instructions as to the proper mode of procedure.
Mr. McEfce was required to take the following oath before assuming the duties of his office :
" ], William N. McEfce, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the State of Iowa, and faithfully and impartially demean my- self in office as organizing sheriff of Ring-
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HISTORY OF RINGGOLD COUNTY.
gold County to the best of my ability. So help me God.
"Subscribed and sworn to before me, a justice of the peace of said county, May 14, 1855.
" JOEL CHAMBERS."
David Enyart, L. S. Terwilliger and William Lovewell were chosen judges of the election, and subscribed to the follow- ing obligation :
" We, L. S. Terwilliger, David Enyart, and William Lovewell, do solemnly swear that we will impartially, and to the best of our knowledge and ability perform the duties of judges of this election, and will studiously endeavor to prevent fraud, de- ceit and abuse in conducting the same.
"Subscribed and sworn to before me on this, 14th day of May, 1855.
" WILLIAM N. MCEFEE,
"Organizing Sheriff of Ringgold County, Iowa.
Joseph W. Cofer and Andrew S. Mc- Bride were appointed clerks, and took a similar obligation, in these words :
" We, Joseph W. Cofer and Andrew S. McBride, do solemnly swear that we will impartially, and to the best of our ability and knowledge perform the duties of clerks of this election, and will studiously en- deavor to prevent fraud and abuse in con- ducting the same.
" Subscribed and sworn to before me on this, the 14th day of May, 1855.
" WILLIAM N. MCEFFE,
"Organizing Sheriff of Ringgold County, Jowa."
Thirty-four citizens voted at this organic election, and their names are worthy of record in this place. They were:
William Barber, Hiron Imus, Reuben Morris, John A. Lesan, Nathaniel Curtis, Alexander S. Wiley, Stewart Barber, Jo- seph A. Stratton, Joel Chambers, Jacob Case, Thomas Lovewell, James Tethrow, Thomas Hughes, C. H. Schooler, Matthew
B. Brown, John Summers, Henry Rowlan, Wendell Poor, Ephraim Cofer, Solomon Lovewell, E. L. Sales, Henry Snyder, E. Imus, John Tyler, William Shoemaker, Peter Doze, James C. Hagans, Joseph W. Cofer, Henry Boston, Henry Miller, Will- iam Lovewell, David Enyart, L. S. Ter- williger and A. S. McBride.
The result of this election was: James C. Hagans, County Judge; Matthew B. Brown, District Clerk ; Joseph W. Cofer, Treasurer and Recorder; Hiron Imus, Sheriff ; Charles HI. Schooler, School Fund Commissioner. At the first regular elec- tion, in August following, ninety-one votes were polled. Judge Hagans and Mr. Cofer were re-elected ; Peter Doze was chosen Sheriff, and Wendell Poor, School Fund Commissioner. Thus the county govern- mental machinery was set running in its entirety.
SETTLEMENT WITH TAYLOR COUNTY.
It will be remembered that up to this time, since 1852, Ringgold County had formed a township of Taylor County. Ou the 29th of June, 1855, the judges of the two counties met and made a settlement of financial accounts. There was in the hands of the Taylor County judge, $19.96, which had been collected by Charles H. Schooler for the following purposes: County tax, $5.00; State tax, $3.26; school tax, $6.35; bridge tax, $5.35 ; total, $19.96.
The warrants outstanding on account of Ringgold County at this time were as fol- lows : D. B. Wilson, SS.16; James M. Teth row, $1.02; William Barber, $1.37; Joel Chambers, $2.96; James M. Tethrow, $5.00; total, ŞI8.51.
The net capital with which Ringgold County began business was therefore, $1.45.
FIRST TERM OF COUNTY COURT.
The first formal meeting of the county officers was held at the house of Ephraim
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GENERAL HISTORY.
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Cofer, about six miles south of Mt. Ayr, July 2, 1855. There were present James C. Hagans, County Judge; Matthew R. Brown, County Clerk; Hiron Imus, Sher- if ; and Joseph W. Cofer, Treasurer.
The first business taken up was to extend the time of Peter Dozc, Assessor, to enable him to complete his work. He was given until July 16.
Levi S. Terwilliger was appointed a jus- tice of the peace in and for the civil town- ship of Ringgold County, Iowa, until the first Monday in August next, and until his successor is chosen and qualified.
The county was then divided into quar- ters by the range line between 29 and 30, and the township line between 68 and 69. Each of these quarters, comprising four townships, formed an election precinct, or township. The northeast precinct was numbered 1, and named Sand Creek. The house of Stanbury Wright was designated as the place of holding elections, and Stan- bury Wright, Levi S. Terwilliger and Spencer Dady were appointed judges of elections. .
The northwest precinct was numbered 2, and named Platt. The house of Garrett Bird was designated as the place of hold- ing elections, and Garrett Bird, Norval Bridges and Rowland Andrews "be and they are hereby appointed judges of elec- tions."
The south west precinct was numbered 3, and named West Fork. John McGaughey's house was named as the place of holding elections, and John McGaughey, Joel Chambers and William Lovewell were chosen judges of elections.
The southeast precinct was numbered 4, and nam.cd Lott's Creek. Joseph Strick- land's house was selected as the place of of elections, and Joseph Strickland, Will- iam J. Merritt and Ephraim Cofer were named as judges.
Charles II. Schooler resigned as school
fund commissioner. Harvey Waugh was appointed in his place, but failed to qualify.
The next entry on the judge's record is really funny:
" It appears that the judge has received as fees, 81.75, and the clerk has received, 25 cents, and the recorder has received, $7.60, total, $9.60.
" The dividend being struck, cach offi- cer's share is $3.20."
What would the officers of the county think to-day of adding together the fees of all the officers and then dividing the same, share and share alike?
A regular election for county and town- ship officers was ordered held the first Monday in August, and the election returns were directed to be taken to the house of Ephraim Cofer, to meet again at which place the court adjourned.
SUBSEQUENT PROCEEDINGS.
July 13 the report of Peter Doze, As- sessor, was received and he was allowed $45 for assessing, being employed thirty days.
August 7 it is recorded that no appeals were made from the assessment. Each of the four precincts was declared a road dis -. trict, and entitled to a supervisor.
August 8 the only business transacted. besides appointing Wendell Poor school fund commissioner, was fixing the bonds of various officers as follows: Justices, SI,- 000 ; constables, $500 ; treasurer and sheriff, $5,000 cach.
September 4 the fees were again pooled. The judge contributed $8.75 : the clerk, $1.00 ; and the recorder, $7.00 : total, $16.75. Each officer was awarded $5.58, which, added to his former dividend, made $8.78. The record adds, " leaving a bal- ance due each office from the county for the quarter's service, ending August 8, 1855, of $3.56.
October i the tax levy was fixed as fol-
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HISTORY OF RINGGOLD COUNTY.
lows: County purposes, four mills on the dollar; State purposes, one and one-fourth mills on the dollar; school purposes, one- half mill on the dollar ; road purposes, one- half mill on the dollar ; road poll tax, $1.00; poll tax, 50 cents.
On petition of, Mary Imus George W. Lesan was appointed guardian of the minor children, Daniel, Clark, Seth, Andrew, Luke, Sarah, Leonard O., Lewis B. and Luther N., of Horatio M. Imus, deceased.
On the following day a settlement was made with Charles H. Schooler, collector, appointed by Judge Low, of Taylor Coun- ty, to collect taxes of Ringgold County for 1853 and 1854. He was charged with $104.46, and credited with $80.46, leaving $24 cash on hand. This term of court was the first held at Mt. Ayr.
November 5, appears the following entry :
" The first business taken up was the disposition of certain property in the hands of Peter Doze, belonging to the Indians, to wit : Three guns and sixteen steel traps. It is therefore ordered that the sheriff, Peter Doze, after giving legal notice thereof, make sale of said property for cash or county orders, and pay the proceeds into the county treasury, to be applied on the payment of county expenses for removing said Indians from said county in the year 1855. Which said sale is to be on the first Monday in December, 1885, at Mt. Ayr."
November 6, the first marriage license was issued from the County Court, to James O. Lockwood and Lucy A. Goer.
The estate of Horatio M. Imus was in- ventoried at $2,471.91.
December 24, the second marriage li- cense was issued, to Josiah Turner and Eliza Ann Scott. The ceremony itself was performed by Judge Hagans, on the same dav.
February 27, 1856, a license was issued to William Cavin and Mary Imus.
March 4, 1856, Township No. 5 was
created in the center of the county and named Mt. Ayr. It comprised sections 1, 2, 3, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, township 68 north, range 30 west ; sections 36, 35, 34, 25, 26, 27, 22, 23 and 24, in township 69 north, range 30 west; sections 31, 32, 33, 28, 29, 30, 19, 20 and 21, township 69 north, range 29 west ; and sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17 and 18, in township 68 north, range 29 west.
CIVIL TOWNSHIP.
At different times within the next three years Middle Fork, Washington, East Fork and Jefferson townships were organized, so that there were nine townships when the government of the county passed un- der the control of the Board of Super- visors. In 1869 a re-arrangement was made, and each civil township made to comprise exactly one congressional township. This is the present and permanent division, ex- cept that Mt. Ayr Township (making sev- enteen in all) is carved out of Poe and Rice. It is two square miles in extent. It is coincident with the corporation of Mt. Ayr. The townships are named as follows: Union, 70 north, 28 west; Tingley, 70 north, 29 west ; Jefferson, 70 north, 30 west ; Lincoln, 70 north, 31 west ; Grant, 69 north, 31 west; Washington, 69 north, 30 west ; Liberty, 69 north, 29 west ; Monroe, 69 north, 28 west ; Athens, 68 north, 28 west; Poe, 68 north, 29 west, except section 6 and the northwest quarter of section 7; Rice, 68 north, 30 west, except the east half of section I and the northeast quarter of section 12; Benton, 68 north, 31 west ; Clinton, 67 north, 31 west; Middle Fork, 67 north, 30 west ; Lott's Creek, 67 north, 29 west; Riley, 67 north, 28 west; Mt. Ayr, section 6 and the northwest quarter of section 7, township 68 north, range 29 west, and the east half of section I and the northeast quarter of section 12, township 68 north, range 30 west.
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GENERAL HISTORY.
As to the naming of the several town- ships: Monroe, Washington, Jefferson, Lin- coln and Grant were named for the Presi- dents; Benton for the illustrious Senator, Thomas H. Benton, of Missouri ; Clinton, from Clinton Addington, an early settler ; Rice, from Captain Rice, of the Fourth Infantry, and one of Ringgold County's gal- lant volunteer soldiers; Middle Fork, from the creek of that name; Tingley, from the postoffice of that name (the postoffice was named for a person); Liberty and Union were common names for townships formed during and soon after the war; Poc was named for Edgar Allen Poe, the poet ; Lott's Creek was named for the creck, and that derived its name from an early settler ; Athens was named in admiration of the ancient seat of learning, the capital of Greece ; and Riley was named for L. D. Riley, a member of the Board of Super- visors.
SLAVES IN RINGGOLD COUNTY.
One authentic instance is known of slav- ery in this county. L. P. Allen, a native of Buncombe County, North Carolina, came to this county in the spring of 1852, and settled in what is now Middle Fork Town- ship. He possessed at that time and for six months after two young negroes-a boy and a girl, aged about fourteen and sixteen respectively. In the autumn he sold them to a man from near St. Joseph, Missouri, for $1,100. William Fletchall, now of Worth County, Missouri, was a witness of this sale, and saw $600 of the money paid. Allen lived in Ringgold Connty thirteen years, removed to Jackson County, Missouri, became insane, and af- terward died in an asylum.
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