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 80
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 80
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Through poor financial management the school-house has cost about $25,000. The last bond has now been paid, however, and the district is out of debt.
The present School Board includes A. P. Berry (President), August Post, C. E. Field, J. M. Willett, J. D. Beckett and A. S. Downs. G. T. Pulliam is Secretary, and R. B. Carson, Treasurer.
PRESS.
The first paper published here was the Independent, started in the spring of 1869. The Tribune is the present newspaper.
PROFESSIONAL MEN.
The first attorney to reside here was W. F. Howell, who came in 1869 and remained several years. He stood well and had a good practice. He went hence to Cory- don, Wayne County, his present home. J. 78
C. Coad came next, and is now in practice. George D. Porter was for a time a partner of Judge Howell, and after several years removed to Centerville. Two young men named Adams also started in practice here. One is now in Clear Lake, and the other in Farmington.
Drs. Terence and Hill were the first physicians here, remaining but a short time. M. V. B. Howell came in 1869, from Orleans, Washington Township, and remained until the autumn of 1884, having a good practice. James P. Smith came also from Orleans, and is yet in practice, being the oldest resident physician. M. L. Doom was here seven or eight years, and is now in Kansas. Dr. Boal was here two years, then went to the western part of the county and is now in the State In- sane Asylum. M. Y. Sellers came about 1871, and is still here. W. F. S. Murdy studied with Dr. Howell, graduated at the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, and since 1877 has resided at Moulton. He has a very large and lucrative practice. Dr. Lemon, a homeopathist, was here in 1872 or '73 and had his office with Dr. Howell. J. D. Handkins came here from Davis County in 1884, and still remains.
POSTMASTERS.
The appointment of postmaster of Moul- ton has been held successively by Thomas McAchran, John Carey, James G. West, N. W. Edwards, Adam Swift, and J. M. Willett.
CHURCHES.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was or- ganized in 1869, the first class being formed of John Couch and wife, D. M. Norwood and wife, E. M. Carpenter and wife, Jonas Sutton and wife, Aaron Moore and wife, and a few others. The different pastors have been, Revs. Kirk- patrick, Smith, Morve, Carmine, John Free-
742
HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY.
land, J. F. Robinson, W. H. Honn, I. A. Boatman and B. M. Boydston. A house of worship was erected in 1870, at a cost of about $2,400. The building is 40 x 60 feet in size, and has a steeple and bell. The society has now 125 members. W. R. Marshall is class-leader. A. S. Downs is superintendent of the Sunday-school, which has about 120 attendants.
The Presbyterian Church was organized February 7, 1869, by Rev. William Ken- drick, the constituent members being : L. R. and Elizabeth Buck, Mrs. Sarah Cox, George and Elizabeth Singley, George W. and Mary Ann Singley, Jennie Singley, Dr. A. and Elizabeth Barker and Mrs. M. E. Kendrick. The pastors have been Revs. William Kendrick, W. J. Ballman, O. J. King, Austin Warner, R. Hahn, M. H. Dysart and A. M. Heizer. The house of worship was built in 1871 and is 30 x 45 feet in size. It has steeple and bell. A. Post is superintendent of the Sunday-school, which is attended by about sixty pupils. The mem- bership of the church is not far from forty.
The Christian Church began to build their church in 1868, and it was completed and dedicated the following year, the sermon being preached by Elder Jordan. A new church will probably be erected in the near future. Among the first members of the society were Samuel Jordan and wife, G. W. Nash and wife, Jacob Neal and wife, J. G. West and wife, John Burdett and wife. The membership is now about 175. S. J. C. Eby is superintendent of the Sunday-school, which has an attendance of about sixty. Rev. S. B. Downing com- menced his labors here as pastor in March, 1886. No regular services were held for several years previous to this date.
The Baptists and Catholics have had or- ganizations here, but are now inactive.
LODGES.
Sincerity Lodge, No. 317, A. F. & A. M.,
was organized in June, 1872, and chartered a year later. The first members were : Thomas McAchran, Worthy Master; A. P. Berry, Senior Warden ; P. H. Callen, Junior Warden ; F. S. Van Patten, Treas- urer; M. Hughes, Secretary ; A. M. Giffin, Senior Deacon; J. Bell, Junior Deacon; B. Wooldridge, Tiler; C. B. Cald- well and John Norringer. The present membership is sixty-one. A. P. Berry is Worthy Master; Thomas Morrison, Senior Warden, and S. R. Mace, Junior Warden.
Moulton Lodge, No. 297, I. O. O. F., was organized October 27, 1874, with J. P. At- kinson, W. W. Maddux, E. N. Hills, Itha- mar Moore and E. W. Walker as first members. The lodge has now about eighty members, and meets on Saturday evenings in Odd Fellows' Hall. Officers: G. C. Alden, Noble Grand; J. P. Gale, Vice- Grand; E. A. Walker, Secretary; I. Moore, Treasurer.
Prairie Gem Encampment, No. 80, I. O. O. F., was instituted very soon after the estab- lishment of the lodge, with J. H. Mitchell as Chief Priest; J. G. West, High Priest; J. P. Smith, Treasurer; A. Wells, Scribe. The other charter members were E. W. Walker, James May, J. W. Moore and George D. Porter. The encampment has now fifty members, and meets on the sec- ond and fourth Tuesdays of each month. A. M. Lind is Chief Priest; G. G. Seal, Senior Warden; E. A. Walker, Scribe, and J. P. Smith, Treasurer.
Welcome Lodge, No. 91, Daughters of Re- becca, was instituted in the autumn of 1876, and the lady charter members were: Mrs. M. D. West, T. C. Campbell, Eliza Nash, Nancy Jane Cowell, Rebecca Wells and R. J. Walker. Mrs. Elvina Moore is Noble Grand; Mrs. R. J. Walker, Vice- Grand; Miss Orion Pendleton, Secretary; Mrs. F. Kimes, Treasurer. The lodge has about sixty members, and meets the first and third Thursday of each month.
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VILLAGES.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
The business firms of Moulton, in 1886, are:
C. E. Field and Brunk & Stockholm, dry- goods; Mace & Berry, G. W. Blosser and C. A. Powers, drugs; M. Johnson, B. B. Burchett and Montgomery Brothers, gro- cers; A. E. Kennel, A. Harn and - Hough, restaurants; S. C. Sloss, hardware; W. B. Alexander and McClure & Samuels, furni- ture; Harbert Sisters, Guile Sisters and Miss Buford, millinery; W. D. Powell, Tribune; Buford & Fleming, agricultural implements; Thomas Morrison and A. J. Cowell, blacksmiths; Beard & Eikenberry, livery; I. Moore, hotel and livery; I. A. Coffman, mill; Croft & Mathews, mill and woolen factory; E. A. Walker, marble; Richard Shelton and H. P. Powers, shoe shops; Downs & Buck, wagon and carriage factory; Cole & Caine and R. B. Carson, lumber; R. B. Carson, agricultural imple- ments.
MORAVIA.
Moravia was laid out by Joseph Stauber, Theophilus Vierling and Ephraim Conrad, and was surveyed June 27, 1851. The location is on the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 4, town 70, range 17. The plat was recorded July 15, 1851, in book A, page 158. These three men emigrated with their families from North Carolina, in 1849, and stayed in Jefferson County during that win- ter. In the spring of 1850 they came to Appanoose County, and Mr. Stauber bought a claim held by a Mormon, and which, the following year, became the site of the present village of Moravia. One of the Mormon trails leading from Nauvoo westward, in 1846, passed directly through where Moravia now stands, thence along the ridge through Iconium, and so on west. This was subsequently adopted as a public highway, and there is hardly a
road in Iowa more closely bordered with farm dwellings-so close, as one expresses it, that a stone could be almost thrown from one house to another.
Moravia grew rapidly during the first ten years of its existence, and, just prior to the building of the Burlington & Missouri Railroad, there were six or seven stores in the town, as well as other business places. The town held on pretty well till about 1870, when a newspaper called the Messen- ger, was established. The first store opened in the place was by Solomon Long, proba- bly in 1851. Ed. Reich was the first post- master, and the mail was carried from Un- ionville once a week, by Joshua Sumner. The first school taught in the vicinity was by Harvey McCoy, in the winter of 1850 -'51, in a log cabin, one mile southeast of the town. This was attended by children from the families of Daniel Cummins, Seward Sumner, E. Conrad, Mr. Weir- ing and J. Conrad. The first marriage was that of Captain Cummins to Miss Stauber, probably in 1852, and the first death, that of Isabel Sumner about the same time.
A small flouring mill was built in 1877, to be driven by wind-power, but this being insufficient, steam was substituted in 1878. This exploded in 1882, when operated by E. Cummins, and was rebuilt a year later. It is now run as a saw and corn mill by R. I. Peatman.
Moravia has suffered severely from the devouring element, having had three fires of some magnitude within a few years. The first was in 1873, when the business house of J. O. Hunnell was burned, and the business and dwelling of E. Powell. In the last days of 1880 seven buildings on the west side of the square were burned. These were: J. T. Harn's harness shop, D. M. Brazil's dry-goods store, L. S. An- gell's general store, Reich Brothers' gro- cery, E. K. Ellis's hardware, S. A. Hayes's
744
HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY.
furniture store and L. W. White's hard. ware establishment. The loss by this con- flagration was estimated at $20,000, but this was largely covered by insurance. The third fire occurred in June, 1883, and destroyed the Union Hotel and a frame structure containing two stores. One was Reich Brothers' general store, and the other was C. L. Hoffman's drug store.
The village was without a railroad until ISSI, when it acquired two at once. The Centerville, Moravia & Albia was built from Centerville to Albia, and this line is now operated by the Missouri, Iowa & Ne- braska. At the same time this line was building the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, built to this point from Albia, intending to prevent the construction of the other line. In this, however, the great Burlington cor- poration failed, and more than that, having built its own line to Moravia, it did not know where to build to as a terminal point; and so Moravia is the present terminus. No passenger trains are run on this branch, but' on Tuesdays and Fridays a freight train runs down from Albia and picks up some stock and other freight. The Mis- souri, Iowa & Nebraska runs two trains daily each way. The depots of these roads are about a half a mile west of the village. At present writing (spring of 1886), the St. Paul is building its Kansas City extension through Moravia, the depot being prom- ised near the northwest corner of the square. Moravia may soon expect a more substantial prosperity than it has yet en- joyed.
The population of the village is now about 350.
No lawyers reside at Moravia, but three physicians practice here-H. Hoffman, Joshua Richardson and J. H. D. Lathrop. Among the doctors who have resided here were: H. Clay Sanford, here before the war, moved West and died; P. Reeder, here during the war, since went to Kansas
and is now in Arkansas ; H. Wolford came before the war and died here since the war ; John Harvey, here four or five years and died ; and two Blakelys, one of whom is dead, and the other is located in Confi- dence, Wayne County.
The postoffice has been in but few hands. E. Reich held it from 1851 to 1864; H. C. Sanford, 1864-65 ; E. Cummins, 1865-'85 ; S. G. Cox, appointed in 1885.
A school-house was built in 1853, by members of the Moravian church, which was used three years and then burned down. The commodious, two-story build- ing now standing in the public square was built in 1867, under the authority of the township district. Two teachers are usually employed. The enrollment in the winter is from 115 to 120; in spring half that num- ber. The School Board in 1886 is : William Croft, President; Z. T. S. McFateridge and R. I. Peatman. E. Cummins is Treas- urer and Wilson Sharp, Secretary.
RELIGIOUS.
The Moravian Church, members of whom founded this village, has not been active since 1878.
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized December 17, 1853, the constitu- ent members being: T. W. Patrick, Jane Patrick, Jonathan Davenport, W. M. Bid- dle, Eunice B. Biddle, James Reatty, Rob- ert Patterson, Nancy L. Andrews, Priscilla R. Hayes, Lementine A. Hayes, Rosetta A. Hayes, Charlotte Cook, Lucinda Daven- port and Rebecca Cuppy.
The pastors have been : £ Revs. Law- rence, Wheelers, Hawks, George S. Adams, Levi Hewitt, Smith McCall, H. Welker Zents, H. Lester, J. W. Russell and O. C. Hawkins.
The construction of the house of worship was begun in 1874 and finished in 1876. It is 28 × 42 feet in size, and cost $1,500. The dedicatory sermon was preached October
...
VILLAGES.
745
7, 1877, by Rev. W. F. Baird, of Burling- ton.
The society has eighty-two members.
E. B. Horner is superintendent of the Sunday-school, which has about thirty at- tendants.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in 1853, or the year following. The class was composed of Mr. Shinn and wife, William Elswick and wife, with a few others.
Some of the pastors have been : Revs. Manson, Delay, Clark, Morrison, Thorn, K. P. Morrison, Morton, Ashbaugh, John Orr, McFadden, Carrier, Daley, H. E. Wycoff, J. H. Armacost and Robert G. Wilson.
The church-house was built in 1867, at a cost of about $1,500.
The society has at present about seventy- five members. N. D. Ensley is superin- tendent of the Sunday-school, which has an average attendance of about fifty.
SOCIETIES.
Antiquity Lodge, No. 252, A. F. & A. M., is the oldest society of Moravia. The dis- pensation for this body was issued Decem- ber 16, 1868, by Reuben Mickel, Grand Master. Pickering Tarr was Worthy Mas- ter; F. M. Sharp, Senior Warden ; J. B. Anderson, Junior Warden. There were ten other members. The present member- ship is forty-three, and the officers are : V. Fuller, Worthy Master; J. S. Graham, Senior Warden ; A. Hayes, Junior Warden ; J. T. Harn, Treasurer ; D. H. Will, Secre- tary. The lodge meets the Saturday even- ing on or before each full moon.
Samuel Sumner Post, No. 392, G. A. R., was mustered in September, 1884. J. J. Cree is Commander; Levi Broshar, Senior Vice- Commander ; W. D. Kinser, Junior Vice- Commander ; T. A. Neal, Adjutant ; Robert K. Johnson, Quartermaster ; Sanford Hoff- man, Chaplain ; D. H. Wills, Surgeon.
The post meets the Saturday evening after each full moon.
Camp No. 65, Sons of Veterans, was or- ganized November 25, 1885, and was mus- tered by Division Quartermaster Fred. S. Whiting, of Des Moines. The charter members were: M. R. Worthington, G. T. Harn, E. H. Shutterly, Z. L. Main, J. H. Schriner, I. W. Detwiler, H. E. Peach, George Johnson, W. M. Cree, B. F. Sharp, H. F. Neal and W. R. Cummins. The offi- cers chosen at organization were: I. W. Detwiler, Captain; E. H. Shutterly, First Lieutenant ; George Johnson, Second Lieu- tenant; W. M. Cree, E. H. Shutterly and I. W. Detwiler, Camp Council. The staff in- cludes W. M. Cree, Chaplain ; H. E. Peach, Outside Sentinel; H. F. Neal, Q. S .; W. R. Cummins, C. M .; B. F. Sharp, S. G .; M. R. Worthington, C. S .; J. H. Schriner, C. G .; Z. L. Main, P. G. The name of the camp is Robert Stephenson, in honor of Dr. Robert Stephenson, of Centerville. The camp is in a flourishing condition and has a membership of seventeen.
The Moravia Cornet Band was organized five years ago with eighteen pieces. This number is now reduced to ten. Major Cree has been the leader since the begin- ning.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
The firms doing business at Moravia in 1886 are: Z. T. S. McFateridge, insurance agent; J. D. Cox, R. Woodmansee and R. I. Peatman, blacksmiths; L. White, hard- ware and general store: Reich Brothers, W. Sharp, F. M. Thomas and E. Cummins, general stores; William Johnson, grocery; H. D. Wills, drugs; S. A. Hayes, furniture; Rissa Hayes, millinery; R. I. Peatman, mill; Cox and Strohl, grocery and meat market; Thomas A. Neal, Union House; Samuel Cox, Moravia House.
UNIONVILLE.
Unionville is located on the east half of
I
746
HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY.
.
section 33, township 70, range 16. It was surveyed by J. F. Stratton, April 5, 1849, and recorded September 5, the same year, in book 2, page 13.
Unionville is on or near the ancient dra- goon trail, described at the beginning of the county history, and consequently on the well-beaten road traveled by the Mor- mons, when fleeing from their settlement on Grand River to escape the visible wrath of the Gentiles surrounding them. This is also the point where the fugitives from Nauvoo diverged from their ancient trail to seek a route westward in 1846, and hence the recollection of the later flight is quite vivid in this neighborhood.
The first school-house in the township was built near Mr. Clancey's house, in the summer or fall of 1846. It was small in size, and built of round logs. A school was taught the succeeding winter by Al- bird Thompson, whose pupils were from the families of John W. Clancey, Leven Dean, Mr. Albertson and Mrs. Eaton. Meetings were held here during the same winter, and a class of the Methodist Epis- copal church was organized, undoubtedly the first religious society formed in the county.
Unionville grew quite rapidly, for a fron- tier town, for two or three years after be- ing laid out, and Mr. John Lankford, of Centerville, says that in 1850 the town was decidedly ahead of Centerville, both in business and in population.
The first store started was John Miller's, in 1850, and Mr. Hunt and Dr. Udell estab-
lished themselves in business here not long after.
The town remained practically stationary from 1856 till 1871, when the building of the Rock Island Railroad added consider- ably to its population and business. Sur- rounded, as the town is, with an excellent farming district, and being at a consider- able distance from any other railroad town, the indications are very favorable for fur- ther growth. The present business interest is represented by two hotels, two or three stores, drug store, two physicians, and several shops, and the appearance of the place betokens a sound condition of busi- ness.
The Methodists, Baptists and Presby- terians have been organized here from an early day, and also a lodge of Masons.
OTHER VILLAGES.
Brazil is a mining village in Bellair Town- ship, of recent growth. Numa is a small point in the same township. Exline is a postoffice in the same township. Dennis is a station, but no village, on the M., I. & N. Railroad, north of Centerville. Iconium is an old point in Chariton Township. Hibbs- ville and Livingston are postoffices in Franklin Township. Griffinsville and Mil- ledgeville are in Independence, and Plano is a station on the M., I. & N. Railroad, in Johns Township. Cincinnati is an old point in Pleasant Township. Kirkwood is a post- office in Sharon, and Maine,in Taylor Town- ship. Walnut City is in Walnut Township, and Dean, in Wells Township.
FINIS
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DEC 11 1931
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