USA > Iowa > Wayne County > Biographical and historical record of Wayne and Appanoose counties, Iowa, containing a condensed history of the state of Iowa; portraits and biographies of the governors of the territory and state; engravings of prominent citizens in Wayne and Appanoose counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of Wayne and Appanoose counties > Part 55
USA > Iowa > Appanoose County > Biographical and historical record of Wayne and Appanoose counties, Iowa, containing a condensed history of the state of Iowa; portraits and biographies of the governors of the territory and state; engravings of prominent citizens in Wayne and Appanoose counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of Wayne and Appanoose counties > Part 55
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George Albertson came from Ohio in 1866 or '7, with his father, who is now a farmer near Corydon. He taught school and was otherwise occupied until 1874, when he was admitted to the practice of law. He was afterward elected clerk of the District Court. After the expiration of his term in that office he practiced a short time, and was then appointed to a clerkship in the Pension Department, at Washington, where he is now.
Martin Read was admitted to the bar at Corydon in 1864, and resided at that place until 1881, when he went to Princeton, Mercer County, Missouri. He held the offices of county judge, State senator, and' clerk of the District Court while in this county, and is now county attorney in Missouri.
The present roll of Corydon attorneys, in order of seniority is as follows: J. W. Freeland, W. H. Tedford, Lewis Miles, C. W. Steele, W. W. Thomas and W. F. Howell.
ALLERTON.
The first practicing lawyer to reside here was John L. McKamy, who came in the latter part of 1871, from Macomb, Illi- nois, whither he returned after some three years' residence. He was a good man, and possessed fair business ability.
William Clark and another man were here for some time, and made for them- selves a very unenviable record. They forged mortgages, and indulged in other reprehensible practices. Finally one dis- appeared, and so completely that no one has any idea whither he departed. The other was caught, but not tried.
J. B. Evans and Martin Read located at
528 .
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
Allerton about 1875, and practiced two or three years. Evans went from here to Princeton, Missouri. Read, who was well known as a local politician, was a fine law- yer, but not a brilliant conservator of his own financial interests. He went to Win- terset, and thence to Princeton, Missouri, where he is now in practice.
Albert Parsons hung out his sign at Al- lerton about the same time with Evans and Read. He was from Washington County, this State, and after some five years' resi- dence at Allerton went to Colorado. He is described as a first-class lawyer, young and brilliant, but dissipated and unprinci- pled. He inspired confidence in but few people.
J. Q. Work came in 1877 or 1878 from Fairfield, Iowa, and in 1885 went to Lamar, Missouri. He was a shrewd man, a good office lawyer, and made some money. Another man, named Coop, also hailed from Fairfield. After two years at Aller- ton, he left, without having achieved a reputation for brilliancy.
E. L. Hart came here in 1875 and is yet practicing, as also J. K. Danskin, who lo- cated here in December, 1885.
SEYMOUR.
John Jamison came to this place from Genoa, Monroe Township, in 1871, and has practiced law continuously since.
John Frost came the same year from Unionville, Appanoose County, and after some five or six years' residence at Sey- mour went to Deadwood, Dakota Terri- tory.
A. F. Thompson came from Centerville in 1874 and returned there five years later. He enjoyed a good practice while at Sey- mour.
L. M. McNeff taught school for a time after he first came here, and while thus en- gaged studied law. He was admitted to
the bar at Corydon, and then practiced at Seymour until 1881 or 1882, when he left.
J. C. Coad came here from Moulton, Ap- panoose County, in 1880, and after three years went to Kansas. He is now at Lin- coln Center, in that State. He was a good man, enioyed a fair practice at this place, and is referred to as a promising young man.
David H. Kerby came here in 1883, buy- ing out Coad's practice, and is still here.
John Jamison and David H. Kerby are the resident practitioners.
HUMESTON.
G. A. Crosby, from Warren County, Illinois, followed farming in Richman Township until the village of Humeston was well started in its career, and then re- moved to the town, where he remained until 1883.
J. L. Berry came to Humeston from Pennsylvania in 1876, and is yet in prac- tice, the oldest lawyer of the place.
J. W. Walker came in 1880, and prac- ticed until his death, in June, 1881. He was a promising young man, and was well liked. This was his first location as a law- yer. He had been county superintendent of schools before entering the legal pro- fession.
W. L. Livingston came here in the au- tumn of 1881, immediately from California, but originally from Illinois. He is still in practice.
R. C. Poston came in 1882, from Wa- pello County, and is still here. He has been city solicitor since his location at Humeston.
LINEVILLE.
The only attorneys who have resided at Lineville are G. Taylor Wright and C. W. Bolster, who have now been in practice about five years. They commenced about the same date.
.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
529
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
HE members of the profession of medi- cine who are now practicing are given full biographical men- tion in the main por- tion of this work, and in this chapter it is pro- posed to make some record of those who were once well known as physicians in this county, but are dead or living in other localities. The first physician at
CORYDON
was Daniel Payton, who was prominent in the early history of Wayne County. He came to Corydon in an early day from Missouri, though a na- tive of the South, and practiced for two or three years before he was elected recorder and treasurer of the county. He next held the office of county judge. All this time he was continuing the practice of medicine so far as the duties of his office would per- mit. About 1862 he went to Linn County, Oregon, where he resides now.
The second physician was S. T. Kirk (brother of M. T. Kirk), who came from
Ohio and settled first at Bethlehem. He afterward located at Corydon, and a few years later returned to Ohio, where he died.
A. G. Fields, a native of New York, came here first in 1851. He entered a quarter- section on the edge of Corydon (or what was to be Corydon) at the same time that in the name of Wayne County he entered, at the land office at Chariton, the quarter- section on which was laid out the county seat. Fields afterward made an addition to the town plat. He went to New York and there took his degree in medicine, tak- ing up his residence permanently at Cory- don in 1859. He practiced a few years and then removed to Des Moines, where he now resides.
George Hay, a native of Kentucky, came here from Sangamon County, Illinois, in 1855. In 1858 and 1859 he studied with Dr. Kirk, and then he attended lectures at Keokuk for a year or so. On the breaking out of the war he entered the service of the Government, in his professional capac- ity. Returning to Corydon, he died three or four years after the war. He was a skillful physician, and was considered the best then here. He had an excellent prac- tice.
William H. Weir came in 1855 or 1856
530
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
from Pennsylvania, and practiced two or three years'at Corydon.
H. S. Rogers came perhaps a little ear- lier and practiced several years. He was school fund commissioner for one term. After leaving Corydon, where he was in partnership with either Payton or Weir, he practiced for a time in Appanoose County, and then settled at Seymour, where he now resides.
George W. Purcell came in 1855 or 1856 and moved away at the same time with Weir, whose daughter he married.
Jeremiah Brower came to Corydon about 1854 or 1855 and after three or four years moved into Jefferson Township, where he died some years ago.
WV. D. Everett came to the county about the same time, settling first at Cambria, Washington Township. He afterward removed to Peoria, Benton Township, and finally came to Corydon, where he died. He has two sons now practicing medicine in this county-F. M. Everett, at Corydon, and Burris S. Everett, at Allerton.
John B. Hatton, a brother-in-law of Dr. Payton, practiced here two or three years, about war times, and then moved away.
John Boswell came in 1862 from Vir- ginia and went with Dr. Payton to Ore- gon, where he now lives.
Elijah Glendenning, now of Lineville, practiced here about a year during the war.
Harley Clark came after the war, from Genoa, this State, though a native of New York. He practiced at Corydon about two years, then went to Seymour, and thence to Keokuk, where he died.
Jesse Hawes camė here from Illinois in 1866 or 1867, practiced two or three years, then went to Greeley, Colorado, and is now in that State.
L. D. McKinley, who was elected clerk of the District Court, in 1860, practiced medicine during and after his term of of- fice until 1866 or 1867, then went to Beth-
lehem, this county, and finally to Missouri Valley, Harrison County.
W. T. Kelley, who was reared in Wayne County, studied medicine and commenced practice at Corydon early in the " seven- ties." He was here a few years, and then removed to Leon, Decatur County.
Other physicians were P. D. Silvernail (who died here in 1879), Dr. Newman, Drs. Flower and Lamb (partners, of the homco- pathic school), and I. N. McCoy.
The physicians now resident here are Drs. F. M. Everett, E. J. Dickinson and J. R. Linley.
ALLERTON.
The first member of the medical profes- sion to fix his residence here was H. V. Nichols, who came here from Waukesha, Wisconsin, and practiced until 1882, when he removed to Trenton, Missouri. His health failed and he now retired from prac- tice. He made an excellent reputation here, as a man and as a physician.
R. F. Parsons came here from Brighton. Iowa, and dealt in drugs at the same time that he practiced his profession. He re- sided at Allerton about six years, then went to Colorado. He afterward returned here, but soon went to Brighton, where he is now.
F. W. Flower, a homeopathic physician, came from Davenport to Corydon, and thence to Allerton, about 1877. In 1885 he went to Carthage, Missouri.
B. S. Everett came about the same time, and is yet in practice, as is W. L. Bullis, these two being the only regular physi- cians here.
J. A. Brown came here in 1882 from Louisa County, and in 1886 went to Hay Springs, Nebraska.
William Duden, a homeopathist, practiced for many years in the country (being one of a pioneer family), and in 1885 located at Allerton, where he now resides and prac- tices.
5.3 1
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
SEYMOUR.
W. H. Ernest, from Virginia, located at Seymour in the first year of its history, 1871, and is still in practice.
The second to fix his home here was Harley Clark, who came from Genoa, in Monroe Township, and resided at Seymour three years. He died in 1874. while attend- ing lectures at Keokuk. He was young at that time (about thirty-five years old), but had acquired the reputation of being a most skillful physician. He was known and sent for by families in every direction for many miles.
G. W. Rightenour, a " botanic" doctor, came here from Illinois and after five or six years went to Montana.
Hugh McCoy came to Seymour in the spring of 1875, and has been prominent as a physician. Of late he has devoted him- self partly to his drug store, as well as con- tinuing in practice.
A. Hollingsworth, who was reared near Centerville, practiced at Numa, Appanoose County, for a time, and came to this place in the spring of 1875. He left for Nebras- ka in 1885. He was a good physician, and an excellent surgeon. He had a good practice, and when he left sold his good will to
George A. Morrison, who has now been at Seymour about a year.
Edgar H. Jones came here from Numa in August, 1884.
The present practitioners are Drs. W. H. Ernest, Hugh McCoy, George A. Mor- rison and Edgar H. Jones.
HUMESTON.
The pioneer physician of this place is Dr George McCulloch, who is still in prac- tice. He came in 1873, from Poweshiek County, and though still a young man he is one of the most prominent citizens of Wayne County. He is a partner in the banking house of Hasbrouck & McCulloch. 53
M. F. Trowbridge came here from La Grange in 1876, and returned there after a stay of one year.
R. R. Arnold, the present postmaster of Humeston, came in the spring of 1877 from Monroe County, and has practiced since.
A. P. McCulloch, from Poweshiek Coun- ty, practiced here from 1880 to 1882, and then went to Carlisle. He made a good reputation here.
T. M. Fortney came in 1881 from New York, in this county, and is still in prac- tice.
T. M. Wall came here in 1881 from Wel- don, Iowa, and is yet a resident.
G. H. Weary, of the eclectic school, came here in 1883 from Bethany, Missouri, and has practiced since.
LINEVILLE.
B. F. Purcell came to this vicinity from Missouri in an early day, and practiced medicine until 1880 or 1881, when he died at his residence near the village. He was · not particularly well read, but was a good physician, and had a fair practice.
Elijah Glendenning, formerly from Pleas- anton, has practiced at Lineville continu- ously since 1856, except a year and a half at Corydon.
D. W. Carlisle studied with Dr. Glen- denning and commenced practice about 1865, retiring a few years since to go into the dry-goods trade.
A. W. Prather studied with Dr. Carlisle while the latter was at Bethlehem, this county, and after several years' practice at Lineville went to Oregon in 1885.
Drs. Browning and Wall were each here about one year, at different times.
I. A. Hill, from Missouri, has practiced for some ten years, and is the only resident physician besides Dr. Glendenning.
PROMISE CITY.
Dr. Simmons, now of Chariton, came to
532
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
this vicinity soon after the war and prac- ticed until 1879.
He sold his practice to Dr. Greenlee, who remained until 1882 and then went to Weldon.
King Trainer studied with Dr. Simmons and practiced medicine two years before going to Kansas.
J. H. Graham came from Cedar Rapids about 188; and went to Burlington, Kan- sas, in 1884.
J. W. Ferguson came in 1881, and W. H. Everson in 1884. Both are now in practice.
OTHER PHYSICIANS.
J. N. Dicks is the only physician of Cambria, where he located about the year 1877.
John Boswell, L. D. McKinley, William Prather and a Dr. Townsend were early practitioners at Bethlehem.
Powell Gibbens is among the oldest prac- titioners in Wayne County, and has resided always in Wright Township. Drs. Blakely, Sr. and Jr., practice at Confidence and vi- cinity.
IVA
VA
533
MISCELLANEOUS.
MISCELLANEOUS
ARAILROADS.»
HE county was with- out these wonderful aids to a country's development until 1871. Late in 1870 the Chicago & South- western Construc- 3 tion Company built a rail- road through this county, entering it from the east, and running nearly west until just east of Clio, where it turns and runs nearly southwest. Line- ville is the only point on this road in Wayne County that existed before the building of the line. The other villages, Clio, Allerton, Harvard and Seymour, are all railroad towns. Kniffin is a station, not yet a village, between Harvard and Sey- mour. This road was built without any local aid, except the donation of depot grounds, etc., at several places. Soon after construction the line was bought by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Company, and it is now part of the main line from Chicago to Kansas City. Very many trains are run on this road, so that the traveling portion of the community find it a great
convenience. Wayne County is thus brought within six hours' ride of Kansas City, and fourteen hours' of Chicago. There are twenty-eight miles of this road in Wayne County, which is assessed at $5,000 a mile, and the county gets about $3,000 a year tax from it. The principal parties inter- ested in the construction company were Judges Love and Johnson, of Keokuk; George Gillespie, of Ottumwa, and Judge Aller, of Leavenworth, Kansas. It was in honor of the last named that Allerton was named. The first passenger train to enter Wayne County came over this road March 29, 1871, and crossed the line at 10:49 A. M. The engine was No. 150, familiarly known by the boys as " old dollar and a half," and is still drawing freight trains over the road.
The Chariton branch of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad was built in 1872, and crosses Richman Township in a diagonal direction. The township voted a 5 per cent. tax to aid the road. The construction of this line was the oc- casion of Humeston's coming into existence as a village. Humeston is the only station of the Chariton branch in this county. There being but six miles in Wayne Coun- ty, the latter's share of its taxes is not large. The lack of any railroad at the county
534
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
seat, Corydon, made a considerable portion of the people of the county desire a re- location of the county seat, Allerton being the most formidable competitor. After some agitation the question of removal was submitted to a vote in 1874. While the result was a majority for Corydon, still the latter's citizens became justly alarmed, and to make sure of retaining the county seat permanently, the building of an east and west line through Corydon was agitated. A construction company was organized at Corydon, with Lloyd Selby as president, and Lewis B. Boyle as secretary and treasurer. The capital stock was fixed at $100,000, and this was raised, partly by a 5 per cent. tax in Corydon and South Fork townships, and $50,000 by subscrip- tion. With the means thus obtained, the right of way was secured, and the road graded and tied from Corydon to Center- ville in 1879. Then, by previous arrange- ment, the company turned it over to the Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad Com- pany, of which F. M. Drake, of Centerville, was president. This company ironed and equipped the road, and extended it west to Humeston, receiving by way of aid a tax in Richman Township. In 1883 the road was leased to the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad Company, which operated it two years. That curious aggregation of roads began to disintegrate in 1884, and in 1885 this road was returned to its owners, the Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska Company, who operate it at this writing. .
In 1880 the Humeston & Shenandoah Railroad was constructed by the Wabash and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail- road companies, connecting at Shenan- doah with an old line to Council Bluffs. This makes a very direct and desirable line from Keokuk across the State to Council Bluffs. It is now owned by three different companies, none of which has the means to make it a first-class road. The best in-
terests of the county will be conserved by the entire line being purchased by and oper- ated in connection with some eastern line, and this solution will probably be arrived at some time in the near future. Under the management of the Wabash Company a passenger train and a freight were run each way daily ; but at present there is but one train a day each way, and that is a mixed. It takes three hours to go from Corydon to Centerville, twenty-eight miles. Travelers make much complaint of this, but, poor as the service is for passengers, it yet makes as low rates as any road in the State, and the facilities offered to shippers are as good. It is worth a great deal to the county and to Corydon, Humeston and Promise City, stations along its line, and will sometime be worth much more than now. This much is certain: It has insured to Corydon the county seat. There are twenty-six miles of this road in Wayne County, assessed at $2,000 a mile.
WAYNE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
This was organized in 1857, at Corydon, and the first fair was held the same autumn, inside of a rope stretched in the form of a circle in the square. Soon after the society bought five acres of land, of William Miles, three-fourths of a mile northeast of the pub- lic square. This was improved moderately, and used with varying success until 1876. In that year Allerton proposed to give forty acres if the fairs would be held at that place in future. The directors of the society decided that they would make no change if the people of Corydon would make a liberal proposition. The latter then leased fifteen acres more of William Miles, adjoining the first five, inclosed the whole, improved it suitably and made it a very good ground.
In February, 1883, the county organiza- tion was disbanded, being considered a failure. Some years no premiums were
535
MISCELLANEOUS.
paid, and often the premiums were scaled down 25 or 50 cents. There were other radical weaknesses, and so it was deemed best to organize the
WAYNE COUNTY JOINT AGRICULTURAL SO- CIETY.
with individual stockholders, liable for all claims, and guaranteeing full payment of premiums. The grounds were turned over to the new society for gratuitous use as long as county fairs should be held, Thomas Elder being appointed as trustee for the eighteen acres owned by the original or- ganization. This tract was appraised at $1,100. The new society expended $2,100 in purchasing seventeen acres more land, and $6,000 in improvements of a permanent character.
The first fair under the new regime was held in 1883 ; all premiums were paid and $600 was applied as a dividend on the stock. In 1884, $1,200 was cleared; and in 1885, $600 in spite of a rainy week. Thus the new management is a financial success. The grounds are considered among the best in Iowa. This good showing is due, more than to any other man, to the energy and careful judgment of Humphrey West, who was president of the old society dur- ing its last two years, and has held that office in the new since its organization. It was through him that the change was made. W. L. White is Vice-President, Lewis Miles, Secretary, and Hartley Brace- well, Treasurer.
A CALL FOR JUDGE LYNCH.
A few years since one " Bill" Lyons re- sided in the south part of Wayne County, and was considered a dangerous character. He was supposed to be connected with a band of Missouri thieves. One day some men were pursued by the band, and he was recognized among the latter. He was ar- rested soon after, and put in the jail at
Corydon. On the Saturday night follow- ing a mob came into Corydon, visited a convenient blacksmithy and obtained sledge hammers, with which they pro- ceeded to the jail. Breaking into this, they took Lyons out, tied his feet together, placed him on a horse, and marched four miles south of town, where they hanged him to a post-driver, on land then belong- ing to S. L. Vest, of Allerton.
The people of Corydon were evidently anticipating this event, and were in sym- pathy with this method of speedy justice. Lyons had an intimation of what was com- ing, and requested the sheriff to protect him, but the official found it convenient to be absent. Some spectators followed the lynchers some distance into the country, but were told that their company was not desired. After the mob had completed its work, and had ridden away, whooping and hallooing, the observers went up, ob- served the spot, and then returned to Cory- don to notify a justice. The body was cut down the same night, and a coroner's in- quest held the following day.
BANK ROBBERY.
One of the most exciting incidents in the history of the usually quiet community of Corydon occurred in the summer of 1872. Henry Clay Dean was making a railroad speech at the Methodist church, and a good part of the population was there assembled. A party of four strangers ap- peared in town and made preparations to rob the county treasury, in which was at that time about $40,000. Two of these men went into the treasurer's office (the others keeping guard in the street) and in- quired for Mr. George W. Dean, the treas- urer. A lady in the clerk's office adjoining, informed them that he was out and she thought he was at home. One of the men then went to Mr. Dean's house, and there learned that he was at the speaking. The
536
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
party then started for the church, but on their way happened to pass Mr. Ockabock's bank, in which, as they hoticed, there was but one person, Mr. Ockabock. They walked in, and drawing their revolvers compelled the banker to produce the vault key, unlock the vault and hand out the sum of $6,000.
After securing the money they coolly mounted their horses and rode off. Pass- ing the church they waved their revolvers, whooping and yelling, and called out, " We've robbed the bank ; catch us if you can!" Striking out toward Missouri, they told everyone they met that they had plenty of money, and were the lords of cre- ation. They called out to a farmer work- ing in a field, "That's right, work away ; we've got plenty of money and will settle with you when you're done!"
In the meantime, the Corydon people turned out en masse and pursued the un- welcome strangers. They were a motley throng, mounted in every fashion and armed with shot-guns, old pistols, or nothing at all. They soon came in sight of the advent- urers, who, being well mounted and armed, did not seem to anticipate any serious trouble. They would allow their pursuers to approach within a short distance, and then tantalizingly gallop across a field, or ride on just fast enough to keep away. Thus the chase was kept up until its futility was demonstrated to the satisfaction of all, and then abandoned.
About a year later a detective named Westfall, from Chicago, captured Clel. Mil- ler in Missouri, and brought him to Cory- don to be tried. He was recognized by many reputable people, but justice was de- feated by Missouri witnesses, by whom he proved an alibi. Miller, who was afterward shot in Minnesota, was one of the famous James gang, and there is no doubt that the Corydon bank robbery is one of the long list of crimes chargeable to those outlaws.
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