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 73
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 73
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80
Not long afterward another negro ap- plied for relief at Armstrong's, getting in after nightfall. This man was quite well satisfied to remain there, and demurred to going further; but Mr. Armstrong hurried him off to Mr. Fulcher's, who lived a few miles northwest. The next morning, a posse appeared at Armstrong's and asked his wife if a negro had come to their house
EARLY HISTORY.
681
at 1 o'clock the night before. As the man had come and gone an hour or two before, Mrs. Armstrong promptly answered in the negative. Just then Mr. Armstrong entered the house and relieved the woman, who by this time began to show some little trepi- dation, and might possibly have soon be- trayed her knowledge of the negro's move- ments. The next night Armstrong took the negro's horse to Fulcher's, and the runaway was guided by Mr. Calvert nearly to Drakeville, where Mr. Calvert made the negro abandon his horse and secrete him- self in the woods, just before daylight. So close were the pursuers on the trail that the horse was found by them an hour or two afterward. This negro was a happy- go-lucky fellow, who believed himself out of danger as soon as he crossed the Mis- souri line, and would doubtless have been captured had it not been for Armstrong and Calvert.
The case of John and Archie was another notable one. These two slaves lived in Central Missouri, and had traveled 200 miles toward freedom. They had been hindered three weeks in Missouri, owing to John having been laid up with rheumatism. Archie nobly remained with him until he was able to travel again. Arrived in the woods near Armstrong's, the two negroes camped, and John's rheumatism returned as bad as before. Early on a rainy, disa- greeable morning, a knock was heard at the kitchen-door by Mrs. Armstrong, who opened it and admitted a negro. There was a neighbor in the sitting-room who did not believe in harboring colored per- sons. Just then Mr. Armstrong entered, took in the situation at a glance, and hustled the negro into the kitchen bedroom. The neighbor, having completed his call, left for home, much to the family's relief. Archie was then fed, and told the family how his companion was faring in the woods. Having ascertained where he could be
found, Mr. Armstrong apprised a trusty neighbor, and some food was sent him dur- ing the day. That night the negroes were taken to John Shepherd's, where a supper was provided for them. As Archie sat down and saw the tempting variety spread before them, he exclaimed: "My good God, John! who'd have thought we'd set down to a meal like this?" The fugitives were allowed to stay at Shepherd's all night, and were forwarded to Drakeville. Mr. Armstrong subsequently received a letter or two from Archie, one of which, in sub- stance, announced that they had reached Canada in safety, and that they were get- ting $1 a day, instead of the usual flogging. The writer added : "I hope that the good Lord will bless you for your kindness toward us, and I hope the time will soon come when we will be a people."
Here is an instance going to show that the people in Southern Appanoose were by no means unanimous on the slavery question : W. M. Cavanagh, who settled in Wells Township, probably in 1846, brought with him a negro lad, who had been pre- sented to his wife by her father. This lad was considered as a slave by the family, and as such Cavanagh paid taxes on him in Putnam County, Missouri, while that por- tion of Appanoose was in the disputed strip. About the time the land in Wells Town- ship was thrown open to entry, Cavanagh sold the boy for $600, and the proceeds were soon afterward used in entering Cav- anagh's land. When the Republican party rose, Cavanagh, it is said, identified him- self with that party ; but his father-in-law dying soon after, his wife inherited a ne- gro girl as her portion of the estate. The girl was sold by Cavanagh, and the result- ing cash applied to family purposes.
In 1862 or 1863 a family of nine fugi- tives stayed at John Fulcher's. This party was composed of an old woman, her mar- ried daughter, husband and six children.
682
HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY.
This party was hauled by David McDon- ald to Drakeville, from whence they made the remainder of their journey in compara- tive safety.
During 1862 word was sent to the station at Cincinnati that a considerable party of runaways would reach the State line on a certain date, and asking that a party be sent to help them along. A large wagon, ac- companied by three or four men on horse- back, repaired to the designated spot, but the negroes failed to appear. It transpired afterward that the party had started, but had been overtaken by a pursuing party and one of the negroes killed. Word was sent a second time for the rescuing party, who again went to the designated place. No negroes being visible, three of the par- ty rode on to Unionville, where two of the number were captured by the Missouri " Home Guard," and lodged in jail. The other was chased for two hours, but man- aged to escape. This was supposed by his pursuers at the time to be Mr. Armstrong, who had an established reputation all through Missouri, and the man or party who could produce him beforeany Missouri court would enjoy a life-long reputation for bravery and daring; for Armstrong was believed to be a giant in stature and a ter- rible fellow generally, instead of the thin, light-weight man he is.
Mr. Armstrong, during 1864 or the fol- lowing year, had three horses stolen from his barn, which is believed in the neighbor- hood to have been done by Missourians out
of revenge for his help to the slaves leaving that State ; but this is only a matter of conjecture. It is quite as likely that they were stolen by men who cared nothing whatever about the slavery question, but a great deal about the cash value of a good " hoss."
It is said that at one time, so bitter was the feeling toward Cincinnati by the Mis- souri people, the town was threatened with destruction by fire. Detectives often ap- peared in the neighborhood, and would stay about for days at a time in search of slaves or of evidence that would implicate any citizens in the vicinity of Cincinnati in the disappearance of so many ebon-hued chattels.
On one occasion, toward the close of the war, a message was sent from Putnam County, Missouri, which always had a con- siderable antislavery population, that a party of Missourians were coming across the line to exterminate the Armstrong fami- ly and leave his habitation desolate. The rumor spread into Wayne County, and, in a few hours, forty or fifty armed men ap -. peared to defend his family and home. It was soon ascertained that the invasion was a myth, and Armstrong's friends returned home. An arrangement was made, how- ever, with the authorities of Putnam Coun- ty, so that if any mischief was meditated a message should be sent in regular form, which would avoid the annoyance of false alarms thereafter ; but the message never came, and no trouble ever arose.
CIVIL HISTORY.
683
CIVIL HISTORY.
APPANOOSE CREATED-FIRST ELECTION .-
ECTION 2 of Chapter 34, Laws of 1843 approv- ed February 17, reads as follows:
" SECTION 2. That the following boundaries shall constitute a new county, to be called Appa- noose, to wit: Beginning at the northwest corner of Davis, and running west to the township line dividing townships 70 and 71 to range 20 west; thence south on said range line to the Missouri State line; thence on said line to the southwest corner of Davis County; thence north to the place of beginning, which county, with that of Davis, and all the territory lying west, shall be attached to Van Buren County for judicial, revenue and election purposes."
Section 12 of the same act required the commissioners of each organized county to have the boundaries of attached counties surveyed, which survey was to remain good until surveyed by Government au- thority.
Section 13 authorized the Governor to
appoint as many justices of the peace in the newly created counties as he might deem necessary, and each justice so appointed had the power to designate two constables.
Section 15 required the new counties to refund the expenses incurred in the pre- liminary survey of their boundaries.
Section 13 of Chapter 122, Laws of 1844, approved February 15, attached Appa- noose to Davis County for election, reve- nue and judicial purposes.
By virtue of the above act the commis- sioners of Davis County erected Appa- noose into a voting precinct, and the first election was held at the house of J. F. Stratton, April 1, 1844, at which only nine votes were polled. The judges were J. F. Stratton, William Money and Joseph Crow; and the clerks, William Crow and John Stratton. The electors were Willian Crow, Joseph Stratton, John Crow, Ste- phen Trimble, William Money, John W. Clancy, J. F. Stratton, Samuel Trimble and Jehiel Troxell.
Jonathan F. Stratton was elected justice of the peace for the county, which was Precinct No. 5, of Davis County, and Joseph Stratton and William Money were chosen constables. The duplicate poll list
684
HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY.
of this election was carefully preserved by Mr. Stratton, who stated that there were at the time not more than two or three other voters in the precinct, exclusive of those who lived south of the line claimed by Missouri. It is probable that the Man- sons and some others had not yet returned to their claims.
THE COUNTY ORGANIZED.
Chapter 60 of the acts passed by the Territorial Legislature of 1846, approved January 13, reads as follows :
" AN ACT for the organization of county of Appanoose.
"SECTION I. Be it enacted by the Coun- cil and House of Representatives of the Terri- tory of Iowa, That the county of Appa- noose be and the same is hereby organized from and after the first Monday in August next, and the inhabitants thereof shall be entitled to all the privileges and rights to which, by law, the inhabitants of other counties in this Territory are entitled; and the said county of Appanoose shall con- stitute a part of the First Judicial District of the Territory.
"SEC. 2. That the first general election in and for said county shall be held on the first Monday in August next, at which time the county officers for said county shall be elected; also such number of jus- tices of the peace and constables as may be ordered by the clerk of the District Court of said county; said clerk to have due regard to the convenience of the people.
"SEC. 3. That it shall be the duty of the clerk of the District Court, in and for said county, to give notice of the first gen- eral election in and for said county, grant certificates of election, and in all respects discharge the duties required by law to be performed by clerks of the Board of Coun- ty Commissioners in relation to general elections, until a clerk of the Board of
County Commissioners for said county may be elected and qualified.
"SEC. 4. That it shall be the duty of the clerk of the District. Court in said county to perform and discharge all the duties required by law to be performed by sheriffs in relation to general elections un- til a sheriff for said county shall be elected and qualified.
" SEC. 5. That the term of office of the county officers elected at the first general election, under the provisions of this act, shall expire on the day of the general elec- tion for the year 1847, and the term of of- fice of the justices of the peace and con- stables elected, as aforesaid, shall expire on the first Monday in the month of April, 1847.
"SEC. 6. The clerk of the District Court for said county may be appointed at any time after the passage of this act.
"SEC. 7. In case of a vacancy in the office of clerk of the District Court for said county, it is hereby made the duty of the sheriff of Davis County to perform the duties required by this act to be performed by said clerk.
" SEC. 8. That there shall be no assess- ment or tax levied by the authorities of Davis County within the limits of said county of Appanoose, for the year 1846, but such assessment may be made by the county assessor elected at the first general election in said county of Appanoose, which assessment may be' made at any time prior to the first Monday in the month of October, 1846.
"SEC. 9. That it shall be the duty of the Board of County Commissioners of said county to hold a meeting on the first Monday of October, 1846, at which time they shall examine the assessment roll re- turned to them, and levy such a tax for county and Territorial purposes, upon such assessment for the year 1846, as may be required by law.
CIVIL HISTORY.
685
"SEC. IO. That the time for the treas- urer of said county to attend to each of the township precincts, for the purpose of collecting revenue, according to the pro- visions of the thirty-fourth section of an act entitled ' An act to provide for assess- ing and collecting public revenues,' ap- proved 15th of February, 1844, shall be during the month of November, and he shall attend at his office, at the county seat of said county during the month of De- cember, to receive taxes from persons wishing to pay the same, for the year 1846.
"SEC. II. That all actions at law or .
equity in the District Court, for the county of Davis, commenced prior to the organi- zation of the said county of Appanoose, where the parties, or either of them, reside in the county of Appanoose, shall be pros- ecuted to final judgment, order or decree, as fully and effectually as if this act had not been passed.
"SEC. 12. That it shall be the duty of all justices of the peace residing within the county aforesaid to return all books and papers in their hands pertaining to the said office, to the next nearest justice of the peace which may be elected and qualified for said county, under the provisions of this act; and all suits at law, or other offi- cial business, which may be in their hands and unfinished shall be prosecuted or com- pleted by the justice of the peace to whom such business or papers may have been re- turned, as aforesaid.
"SEC. 13. That the judicial authorities of Davis County shall have cognizance of all crimes or violations of the criminal laws of this Territory committed within the limits of said county prior to the first day of August next; provided prosecution be commenced under the judicial authorities of Davis County prior to said first day of August next.
"SEC. 14. That said county of Appa- noose shall have cognizance of all crimes
or violations of the criminal laws of this Territory prior to the first day of August next, in cases where prosecution shall not have been commenced under the judicial authorities of Davis County.
" SEC. 15. That the territory or coun- try west of Appanoose be and the same is hereby attached to said county of Appa- noose, for election, revenue and judicial purposes.
" SEC. 16. That the clerk of the District Court in and for the said county of Appa- noose, may keep his office at any place in said county until the county seat thereof be located.
" SEC. 17. That William Whitacre, of Van Buren County, B. P. Baldwin, of Washington County, and Andrew Leach, of Davis County, be and the same are hereby appointed commissioners to locate and establish the seat of justice of said county of Appanoose. Said commission- ers, or a majority of them, shall meet at the office of the clerk of the District Court in and for said county on the first Monday in the month of September next, or within thirty days thereafter, as they may agree.
" SEC. 18. Said commissioners shall first take and subscribe the following oath, to wit ; ‘ We do hereby solemnly swear (or affirm) that we have no personal interest, directly or indirectly, in the location of the seat of justice of Appanoose County, and that we will faithfully and impartially lo- cate the county seat of said county, taking into consideration the future as well as the present population of said county ;' which oath shall be administered by the clerk of the District Court, or any other person authorized to administer oaths within said county, and the officer administering said oath shall certify and file the same in the office of the clerk of the District Court of said county, whose duty it shall be to re- cord the same.
"SEC. 19. Said commissioners, when
71
6S6
HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY.
met and qualified under the provisions of this act, shall proceed to locate the seat of justice of said county, and as soon as they have come to a determination they shall commit the same to writing, signed by said commissioners, and filed with the clerk of the District Court of said county, whose duty it shall be to record the same and for- ever keep it on file in his office; and the place thus designated shall be the seat of justice of said county.
" SEC. 20. Said commissioners shall each receive the sum of $2 per day for each day they may be necessarily employed in the discharge of the duties enjoined upon them by this act, and $2 per day for each day traveling to and from said county of Ap- panoose, which shall be paid out of the first proceeds arising from the sale of town lots in said seat of justice.
" SEC. 21. This act to take effect and be in force from and after its passage."
The name which had been bestowed in 1843 and retained in 1846 was that of a minor Sac chief, who was well known to the settlers in the counties east. He re- moved to the reservation at Agency, in Wapello County, where Keokuk, Wapello and himself were each given a farm. Here he lived till his death, in 1845, and was buried near his cabin ; he was well liked by the whites.
Joint Resolution No. 15, passed by the Legislature, and approved June 11, 1845, provided that the county of Appanoose should receive fifty copies of the laws of the session in that year.
Chapter 37 of the Laws of 1846 provided that Appanoose and Kishkekosh (now Mon- roe) counties should be entitled to one delegate in the forthcoming convention to frame a State Constitution.
Joint Resolution No. 13, approved Janu- ary 17, 1846, authorized William G. Coop to procure a full set of seals for Appanoose County.
NAME OF COUNTY SEAT CHANGED.
Chapter 5 of the First Iowa Legislature, approved January 18, 1847, reads :
"SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa, That the name of the town of Chaldea, in Appanoose County, be and the same is hereby changed to that of Centerville."
The name of Chaldea had been bestowed at the suggestion of Mr. Stratton ; but a month or two after, at a house-raising in the town or vicinity, Rev. Mr. Manson proposed that the name should be changed to " Senterville." Mr. Manson was a Ten- nesseean, an ardent Whig, and a loyal ad- mirer of Governor Senter, long distin- guished in the annals of Tennessee. Mr. Manson pressed his argument with so much eloquence that the assemblage, who com- posed at least one-third of the county's voters, concurred in his suggestion, and Mr. Manson at once drew up a petition to the Legislature, asking that the name be changed to suit his idea, which was signed by the voters present, and in due course forwarded to Iowa City. The Solons on the appropriate committee had no objection to recommending a little bill like that ; but, concluding that Mr. Manson was not quite up to the mark in the matter of spelling, they sagely changed the initial letter of the name, and the town became Centerville.
The name of Chaldea, it is said, was not on the postal directory, and on this account had at first been considered quite appro- priate. Mr. Stratton was a Democrat, and, while sorry that his name had been dis- carded, he had yet a feeling of lively satisfaction that his Whig neighbor had also failed to name the town.
ACTS OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
The first Board of Commissioners, com- posed of Reuben Riggs, George W. Per- kins and J. B. Packard, met at the store of
CIVIL HISTORY.
687
Spencer Wadlington, on Monday, October 5, 1846. The office of clerk being vacant, J. F. Stratton was appointed to the posi- tion, who entered upon his duties at once.
The next day Jonathan Scott filed his assessment roll, whereupon the board ordered a levy of 5 mills on the dollar for county purposes, 50 cents on each poll, and 3 mills for school purposes.
Dempsey Stanley, Sebastian Streeter and William Crow were appointed to lay out the Territorial road established by the Legislature in 1844. They were ordered to meet at the house of J. F. Stratton, on the Ist of November following, and to make their return by the Ist of January, 1847.
The same day it was ordered "that the seat of justice of the county of Appanoose, this day located and designated by Andrew Leach and William S. Whitaker, Commis- sioners, appointed by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Iowa, to locate said seat of justice, shall be known by the name of the town of Chaldea."
The next morning J. F. Stratton, County Surveyor, was ordered to lay out and plat the town as soon as practicable, according to a plan exhibited by him.
The next business was to allow Andrew Leach $12 and W. H. Whitaker $16 for their services in locating the county seat, "to be paid from the proceeds of town lots in the town of Chaldea."
J. F. Stratton, Clerk of the District Court, was allowed $39 for his services in estab- lishing precincts, organizing the county, etc., and Jonathan Scott was allowed $22.50 for the assessment of 1846.
February I the board met in special session. The plat of the town of Chaldea was approved and ordered to be recorded. The board then made an appraisement of the value, and appointed George W. Per- kins, one of their number, to sell one-quarter of the lots facing the public square, and
one-quarter of the residence lots. He was also to advertise that another quarter in each class of lots would be sold at auction on the first of April following. The terms of sale were to be one-fourth down, and the remainder in semi-annual payments. One- half of the first installment could be paid in warrants.
Four precincts were established on the same day the above action was taken.
Precinct No. I was bounded as follows: Beginning at the northeast corner of the county ; thence west to the northwest cor- ner of section 1, township 70, range 17; thence south to the southwest corner of section 1, township 68, range 17; thence east to the county line ; thence north to the place of beginning. The polling place to be at the house of Christian Zuck.
Precinct No. 2, beginning at the north- east corner of section 2, township 70, range 17 ; thence west to the northwest corner of the county ; thence south to the southwest corner of township 70, range 19; thence east to the southeast corner of section 35, township 70, range 17; thence north to the place of beginning. The country lying west, and now composing the northern part of Wayne County, was attached to this precinct for election, judicial and revenue purposes. The polling place was estab- lished at the house of Arthur Switchfield.
Precinct No. 3, commencing at the north- east corner of section II, township 68, range 17; thence south to the southeast corner of section 14, township 68, range 17; thence west to the southwest corner of sec- tion 18, township 68, range 19; thence north on the west line of the county to the north- west corner of township 69, range 19; thence east to the northeast corner of section 2, township 69, range 17 ; thence south to the southeast corner of section 14, township 68, range 17. The territory lying west, and now comprising the southern part of Wayne, was attached for election and other
688
HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY.
purposes. The election was "to be held at the office of the clerk of the Board of County Commissioners."
Precinct No. 4 included the remainder of the county, " the election to be held at the house of Mr. Summers, on the west side of the Chariton, at the crossing of the old Mormon trace."
February 16 the clerk appointed the fol- lowing as school inspectors: Precinct No. 1, Christian Zuck, James Wright, Andrew Morrison ; No. 2, Henry Allen, Isaac Riggs, Andrew Jackson ; No. 3, William S. Man- son, Daniel P. Sparks, Spencer F. Wad- lington; No. 4, R. M. Davis, I. A. Packard, Moses Walker.
Soon afterward, report was made from Precinct No. I that the number of persons therein between the ages of five and twenty- one was 118; No. 2, there were 77; and in No. 3, 75. No report was furnished from No. 4. The amount of school money in the treasurer's hands was $32.09, and was distributed as follows: No. 1, $14.02; No. 2, $9.55 ; No. 3, $8.49.
May 5 Reuben Riggs filed his bond as prosecuting attorney ; and, on the 16th, William S. Manson qualified as clerk of the District Court.
July 5, 1847, Andrew Collins was granted a license to keep a ferry-boat on the Chari- ton River, four miles east of Centerville and a little below the mouth of Cooper Creek. The boat was to be at least thirty- five feet long and eight feet wide, and pro- vided with sufficient oars and poles. He was also required to keep a man employed to assist him. The ferry rates to be charged were: Wagon and team, 40 cents; each additional horse or ox, 5 cents ; horse and buggy, 25 cents; man and horse, 10 cents ; loose horses or cattle, 21/2 cents each ; sheep or swine, I cent cach.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.