USA > Iowa > Guthrie County > Centennial history of Guthrie county, Iowa > Part 12
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The Dean House was purchased in August by Mr. Dut- ton, who came from Dexter. Mr. D. and family are good, intelligent people, desirable neighbors, and we welcome them, but we regret to lose Mr. and Mrs. Dean. Mr. D. is here yet, but his wife is at present with friends in Mo. We hope she will return, as we cannot well spare her. She is one of the few women who have the courage to assert their in- dividuality and live accordingly; not copying Mrs. Grundy nor any of her numerous relatives. Mrs. Dean was born in Genesee county, N. Y., educated at Pembroke, same State. Though petite in stature and delicate in health, she has accomplished much good. Having no children of her own, she has always given a home to one or more homeless girls, who have found in her a mother indeed, for mother love asserts itself in good women, though they have never borne children. Discountenancing wrong, yet ever ready to forgive and lend a helping hand to the erring, she lives out the belief that " to err is human; to forgive divine."
J. P. Mcquistion, has returned to the oil regions, where he is interested in oil wells, and a Mr. Persons has opened a hardware store in the place occupied by the former gen- tleman.
J. Taylor has opened a grocery in Moulton, & Little's place, (where they kept a shoe store,,) and Mr. Moulton is editing the Locomotive, Mr. Flynn having gone to Dubuque, where he is engaged, with the editorial staff, upon the " Times."
Mr. Savage, the baker, (having married Miss Lou Dudley) has removed to Penn., and a Mr. Mack has opened a shop at the same stand.
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
The firm of Tait & Failor is changed to Tait & Zeiger.
Mr. Leonard has gone out of business, and another har- . ness shop has been opened on Division street, north of Nas- sau, by Mr. Huffman.
A new furniture store has been opened in one of Mr. Tait's new buildings, west of Walters' music store, by E. M. Cross.
We have also two new meat markets. One on the South Side, by Mr. Fox, and one on Division street by Mr. Ault- man.
There has been a change in the school, too, Mr. Marvin retiring, and Prof. Cotton taking the place of Principal. The first school the Professor attended, at Bedford, Pa., was taught by Miss Matilda Marvin, now the mother of San- key, the singer, (Moody's Sankey.)
The seating capacity of our school house is 240, and the number of pupils attending school 356. The Episcopal Chapel is used as a school room.
Another hardware store has just been opened by a Mr. Smythe.
A Loan and Insurance office by S. P. Rhoades.
CHURCHES.
The first religious service held in the county was by Rev .. Michael Hare, of Des Moines, in 1850, at the residence of Mr. Kunkle, in Jackson township. Mr. Hare was of the M. E. Church, and preached occasionally at the cabin of Mr. Kunkle, and also at the home of Mr. Bay, in Cass.
The first Church building was the historical Presbyterian Church, in Panora, which was built in 1856.
In 1852 the friends of the U. B. Church effected an orga- nization in Panora, but built no church until '61.
In 1853 about a dozen persons, who had removed from Indiana, and settled on Beaver Creek, organized themselves into a society called the Church of God, sometimes known as Winebrennarians. For several years they had no min- ister of their own, but kept up their meetings with but little-
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
preaching, until 1862, when Elder Nye settled among them.
They number at present about sixty members, and their pulpit is regularly supplied by Elder Richardson, of Dex- ter.
In some things this society is quite peculiar; having no discipline, or articles of faith; taking the scriptures as their only rule; taking no distinctive name, other than that the church was designated by in the days of the apostles, and in the washing of each others feet as a religious ordinance. In their meetings they give the largest liberty to all chris- tian people, allowing any one who desires, to take part in their exercises, claiming every christian person as a brother or sister. At Enos Miller's residence, and at the old Bea- ver school house, appointments have been kept up for twenty years.
In 1862 a Congregation of Brethren, formerly known as German Baptists, or Dunkers, was organized by Elder H. Flory, Joel Brubaker and Geo. Kinny, ministers, and Wm. Bennett and David Miller, deacons, who held a series of public meetings, and also a council meeting, at which it was decided that a love feast should be held, in June of the same year, at the residence of D. Brumbaugh.
During the progress of these meetings, all persons hold- ing letters of membership, united with the Indian Creek Church, which, at that time, embraced six or more counties.
At the time of holding the first love feast, the Congrega- tion had eight members, namely; Jacob Walters, J. W. Deihl, J. D. Haughtelin, A. H. Haughtelin, Eliza Haugh- telin, S. A Chamberlin, Catherine Walters and Lydia Brumbaugh.
In June, 1865, 'Coon River Congregation came into ex- istence, with Des Moines river as its eastern boundary, the south line of this tier of counties as its southern boundary, and with no known western or northern boundary.
In 1871, B. E. Plaine and A. McClaren, generously dona- ted three acres of ground to the society, whereon to build a meeting house, and for a burying ground. The building
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
was erected in 1873. The present membership is one hun- drede and twenty; five ministers; two of them ordained el- ders, or bishops, and five deacons.
The church building is 40x40 feet in size, and cost $2,000.
In the winter of '55 the Friends held volunteer meetings, at the residence of David Bowles and others in Penn town- ship. After holding meetings for several months they were visited by a minister, or traveling Friend, by the name of Daniel Wood, who advised them to request for a prepara- tive meeting. This, however, was not then granted. An established meeting for worship only, was granted in the fall of '55, and a preparative meeting shortly thereafter. The volunteer meetings commenced with a mere handful of worshipers, and when their first "request" was made there were but nine families in this society. In 1856 Bear Creek monthly meetings were held here and at Bear Creek alternately. In 1865, there being a sufficient number of members, Summit Grove monthly meeting was estab- lished. Their church edifice, known as the Summit Grove meeting house, near Stuart, was built in the autumn of '56.
Spring Valley preparative meeting, in Thompson town- ship, forms a part of Summit Grove monthly meeting.
The number of families belonging to this meeting is sixty.
As most of the churches and church organizations are spoken of in the history of the different towns and town- ships, I will not give them here.
SCHOOLS.
The first school in the county was a " subscription school," taught by Spencer Catlin, in 1852. at his own res- idence, a log house, in the Kunkle neighborhood. The number of pupils was 15.
The first school house built in the county was at Panora, in 1853, and the first public school, taught by Dr. Sloan, in December, 1853.
This was a frame building, Richard Gilbert, builder, and
10
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
besides its use for school purposes, took the place of church, court house, town hall, etc.
Theophilus Bryan, M. Leinart and Richard Gilbert com- posed the first school board for Cass township.
As the county became more thickly settled, a school was taught in nearly every neighborhood, sometimes at the cabin of one of the settlers, and sometimes a house was built for that purpose.
As the townships were organized and made district town- ships, houses were built by the district.
In order to show what advancement we have made in educational matters, the old settlers interested, if any re- main in the county, will allow me to relate an " anecdote " or two, illustrative of the manner in which some of our early shools were conducted. When Highland was made a district township, it was not divided into sub-districts for some time. There was but one school house in the town- ship for several years, though there were several schools taught.
The first school taught in this township was by a Mr. McCoy, a man habitually so very tired as to sleep most of the time, and when the children thought it time to recite, they would wake him up and inform him that their lessons were ready.
Another school in Highland was obtained and conducted ·in an entirely original manner. One Morden who was sub- director for his district, induced a friend to represent him, to the County Superintendent, as being well qualified for the position of teacher. His excuse for not seeing that official in person, was urgent business in another direction.
The friend secured a certificate for him, and being sub- director, he hired himself and taught by proxy, his wife doing, or pretending to do the teaching. She began with six or seven pupils, but they dropped off, one by one, until she had but two or three left.
One day a neighbor from another district, seeing one of her former pupils running at large, asked him why he was
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HISTORY OF GUTIIRIE COUNTY.
not in school. "O, 'cause the school ain't worth a --; the school ma'am washes, cooks, sweeps and keeps school all at one time; then she doctors folks, too."
She taught in the same shanty in which the family resided, and when Mr. M. went to draw his pay, he brought in a bill for fuel, house rent, and teacher's wages.
In another sub-district, in a neighboring township, there lived one family, consisting of a man, his wife and two small children.
At a meeting of the school board, in which he represented his sub-district, he asked for a stove, with which to heat the school room, saying he would furnish the room. A war- rant was given him, with authority to purchase a stove, which he did without delay, and without delay he proceeded to set it up, in place of his old cook stove, which was worn out. He had bought a new cooking stove which should answer the double purpose of heating the school room and cooking the family dinners. The pipe ran up through the ceiling and through a low upper room, a drum being placed upon it, in this room, which was converted into a school room.
He next hired his wife as teacher, and two or three times a day she went up to the school room, by climbing a lad- der, little thinking she was climbing the "ladder of Fame;" it was the very necessary and almighty dollar that prompted her. She, too, charged for fuel, rent and wages.
This last story comes from Union township, which fur- nishes another interesting school item.
One of the sub-districts contained but one family, yet the township had furnished them a house. As in the other cases, the man hired his wife to teach the school, which was composed of her own four or five little ones. Teachers wages at this time were $30 per month.
One warm day she carried a large basket of wool to school-it was not Mary's little lamb-and set the pupils picking it.
The work was progressing finely and all seemed happy;
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
she was, no doubt, revolving in her mind, the problem of how many yards of flannel it would be necessary to make, in order to clothe that school, when a shadow fell across the floor. Great Heavens! Poe's Raven cast not a blacker shade than this to her. There stood the County Superin- tendent!
Whether he drilled that school in the intricacies of wool picking, tradition saith not. Neither does tradition say whether any of the above teachers went to Congress. They certainly deserve well of their country.
In 1856 there were but four townships in the county, viz: Cass, Jackson, Bear Grove and Dodge.
In 1863 there were eleven districts in the county and forty- five sub-districts. No. of school houses, three brick and twenty-three frame.
The earliest report on file in the County Superintendent's office, is for the period between October 5, 1865, and Octo- ber 4, 1866. From this report we have
No. district townships. 12
Sub-districts .. 52
No. persons between the ages of 5 and 21, males, 832; females. 804
No. schools in the county. 51
No. pupils attending in the county. 1341
No. teachers in the county, males, 38; females. 43
Average compensation for teachers per week, for males, $8.25; for females $5 95
Average No. days taught, for winter, 2743; for summer. 2704
Average cost of tuition per week, for each pupil is, for winter, $ .64; for summer.
$ 52
Aggregate amount paid teachers during the year is ... $7 781 02
Amount of teachers' fund in hands of District Treasurers. 861 47
NO. OF SUB-DISTRICTS.
Cass 8 Penn. 4 Dodge 3 Union 1
Centre 8 Orange 4 Beaver 1 Bear Grove ..... 2
Jackson. 8 Thompson 5 Highland 1 Panora, Ind .... 2 Total
12-52
During this period James L. Grandstaff was Superin- tendent, the first in the county.
G. C. Miller, our present very efficient Superintendent,
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
reports in 1875, a school population of 3,633, and 126 schools.
District townships, in 1875, were 15; Independent dis- tricts, 3.
(Penn and Jackson townships have since organized Inde- pendent districts.)
No. teachers employed, 95 males; 116 females.
Average paid teachers, $30.15 males; $29.61 females. Between the ages of 5 and 21, 1,930 males; 1,703 females.
No. school houses, frame, 114; brick, 4.
Value of the same, $57,875.
Value of the apparatus, $1,599.
Volumes in library, 39.
Teachers' fund on hand at last report, $4,436.82.
School house fund, credit $16,517.65.
Contingent fund, credit $5,638.56.
Guthrie county has the honor of being the first county in the State, to comply with the Act of the Legislature in its session of 1874, creating County High Schools.
At present, the school is being taught in the old Court House, at Panora, but the contract has been let for build. ing a new brick building, the people having voted a por- tion of the Swamp Land Fund to that purpose.
A brief history of this fund will not be out of place here. The swamp land fund of Guthrie county, originated from a donation of the swamp and overflowed lands of the State of Iowa, by the United States, under an Act of Congress, passed in 1850. The Legislature of Iowa conveyed to the different counties of the State, such of these lands as lay within the limits of each county.
The county of Guthrie ordered the selection of the swamp lands, in the spring of 1855; the agent, Capt. Thos. Seely, who was appointed by Judge James Henderson, selected and returned to Commissioner of the General Land Office, in July following, 11,700 acres.
Of this amount, all with the exception of 720 acres, had
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
been sold by the United States, previous to the approval of the selections, made by the county agent, by the Commis- sioner. Of the last named amount, 400 acres have been patented to the county, and the Government has indemni- fied the county for 2,400 acres, sold for cash, amounting to $3,000, and 4,440 acres in scrip which was located in Car- roll county. By the sale of this last named amount, the county has realized $22,000. Estimated value of land now owned by the county, is $2,000. Total, $27,000.
The county has still a claim of about 5,000 acres, for which the Government has not given indemnity, and 3,200 acres in controversy with the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad.
In February, 1876, by a vote of the people, this fund was decided to be used in the construction of a Court House and a High School building.
The County High School was organized in January, 1876, with M. M. Wagner, as principal, and C. E. Peterson, assistant. The school opened with sixty pupils, and the daily average has continued about the same.
The school boardfis composed of G. C. Miller, president; .L. J. Pentecost, secretary ; Dr. John Bower, treasurer; Jas. Foster and W. T. Conner, trustees.
G. C. Miller, County Superintendent, is a native of In- diana; came to Guthrie in 1870; was elected to the office in 1873, but his duties began in January, 1874. Mr. Miller was educated at Des Moines.
Mr. Wagner was educated at the State Normal at Pots- dam, N. Y., his native place.
Mr. Peterson, who came to Guthrie 'in 1856 (conse- quently an old settler though a young man), is a native of Sweden, and was educated at the Agricultural College at Ames.
Under the present management, Prof. F. C. Wildes, a native of Bath, Maine, where he was educated, takes the place of Principal of the High School, the other two gen- tlemen acting as assistants.
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
Mr. Wildes came to Iowa in 1869, settling at Burlington, where he remained but a short time; he then removed to Danville, where he resided four years, then to New Lon- don, where he remained three years, and came to Guthrie in September, 1876.
On the 8th day of May, 1876, each of the High School boys set out, upon the school grounds, a Centennial tree. May the trees, as well as the boys, "live long and pros- per."
As sketches of the schools of the different towns are given in the descpription of the towns, I will not repeat them here.
Every effort is being made to improve our schools, and to raise the standard of qualifications of our teachers. The educational system of our State, while inferior to none, far surpasses in excellence, that of many older States.
Our intelligent people believe, that expenditure in pro- viding schools of the highest order, is economy, and econ- omy is wealth. They appreciate that a close connection exists between intelligence, honesty and a "worldly com petence," while ignorance and vice go hand-in-hand with poverty. They believe with Daniel Webster, that "if we work upon marble, it will perish; if we work upon brass, time will efface it; but if work upon immortal minds, if we imbue them with high principles, we engrave upon these tablets, something which no time can efface, but which will brighten to all eternity. The teacher in the common school or the Sabbath school may, with the sunlight of truth, photograph upon the tender minds committed to his charge, a thousand forms of holy beauty."
The contract for building the High School building at Panora, has been let to Jackson & Garlow of that place.
Dimensions of the building are: basement, 58x37, with two wardrobes, 10-2x12-8 and 11-10x11-10; two school rooms in the basement. First floor about the same as the basement. High School room occupies the upper story, and is, in size, 50x34. Main hall, 28x14.
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HISTORY OF GUTIIRIE COUNTY.
I have obtained, through the kindness of Prof. Wildes, the course of study, introduced by that gentleman and adopted by the High School Board.
GUTHRIE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
COURSE OF STUDY.
PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT.
First Term.
Second Term. Third Term.
Reading,
Physiology,
Physiology,
English Grammar,
English Grammar,
English Grammar,
Arithmetic,
Arithmetic,
Modern Geography,
Algebra,
Algebra,
Algebra.
REGULAR COURSE.
SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, LANGUAGE.
FIRST YEAR.
First Term. Second Term.
Third Term.
Natural Philosophy,
Natural Philosophy,
Chemistry,
Geometry,
Geometry,
Geometry,
German or Latin,
German or Latin. German or Latin.
Physiology. Lecture every three weeks.
SECOND YEAR.
Chemistry,
Chemistry,
Geology,
Or Latin
Trigonometry,
Trigonometry,
Eng. Literature
position.
General History, or French or Greek,
General History, or French or Greek,
French or Greek,
German or Latin.
German or Latin.
German or Latin.
THIRD YEAR.
Geology, Or Latin
Astronomy, Or Latin
Astronomy, Or Greek
Prose Com-
Eng. Literature Prose Com-
position.
Eng. Literature 5 Prose Com-
Eng. Literature
position.
Rhetoric, or French or Greek,
position. Rhetoric, or French or Greek,
German or Latin.
German or Latin.
Constitution of U. S., or French or Greek, German or Latin.
Prose Con-
General History, or
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
FOURTH YEAR.
Zoology, ) Or Greek Prose Com-
Zoology, } Or Greek Prose Com-
Botany, S position. Botany, S position. Botany, or Ancient Geo-
Physical Geography, or French or Greek,
Physical Geography, or French or Greek,
German or Latin.
German or Latin.
Civil Government,
graphy,
Moral Philosophy, or French or Greek,
German or Latin.
Music.
Drawing .- One lesson per week.
Classes of the Preparatory Department, and of the first and second years of the regular school, have compositions and declamations each, once in three weeks, alternately.
Classes of the Preparatory Department, and of the first, second and third years of the regular school, have spelling aud definitions once a week.
Written examinations every four weeks, and also at the close of each term of twelve weeks, upon the work of the term. Upon the last examina- tion depends promotion to higher grades.
Pupils who pass satisfactory examination, will be admitted to the school at the beginning of each term.
At the beginning of each term, a so-called normal class is formed for the benefit of those young ladies and gentlemen who expect to teach at the close of the term. But we expect after this year to extend the normal course to at least one year, and have, as requisites for admission, the completion of the High School course, or satisfactory examination upon the work included in that course.
This will furnish the county with at least partially educated teachers, and will necessarily bring the schools to a much higher grade than they at pres- ent have.
Teachers of the school at present:
F. C. WILDES, Principal. C. E. PETERSON, M. M. WAGNER.
POST OFFICES.
Previous to 1852 the few pioneers of Guthrie received their mail matter at Panooch, and Mckay, in Dallas county.
In 1852 a petition was sent to the Post Office Department, for a post office at Panora, (the petitioners did not ask for a mail route, as they knew they could not get it,) which was granted, and John Anderson appointed post master. The citizens paid the expenses of carrying the mail, which was done by any person who might be going either way.
15S
IHISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
The post office was an old straw hat, suspended by a piece of twine from the rafters of the cabin, and when any- one wished to ascertain if the " dear ones left behind " had remembered them, they had only to tip the hat and ex- amine its contents. Mr. Anderson was then living on the Hosier place.
At the expiration of the year, or in 1853, Judge Bryan was appointed post master, and kept the office at his cabin. Valentine Leinart, a lad of eleven years, carried the mail weekly, to and from Redfield, at twenty-five cents a trip; Richard Gilbert's pet pony "Old Phil," figured in this ex- tensive mail arrangement, as he carried the boy. Valentine was regular and prompt, and understood the responsibility of his position. A little girl one day ran after him, hold- ing a letter in her hand, which she wished him to carry to the office for her mother. "No, sir," said he emphatically ; "you don't come that on me; you take that letter to the post office, and if he gives it to me, I'll carry it."
In 1852 a post office was established in Jackson town- ship, and called Allen, in honor of B. F. Allen, of Des Moines; Hoyt Sherman was then post master at the "Fort," and on the 16th day of August, 1852, J. W. Cummins was commissioned post master. He kept the office at his cabin on the Mount place, until he sold to Mr. Mount in '54, when he resigned and James Mount was appointed.
After Fairview -- since Morrisburg-was located, in 1855, the office was moved there, and James Moore appointed post master; he served a short time, when J. J. Morris was appointed.
In May, 1856, a post office was established at Guthrie Centre, and Mr. Charles Huxley, the present incumbent, appointed post master. The office was kept in a little log house on the corner of State and Prairie streets, built by Mr. E. B. Newton, and used as a dry goods and grocery store, as well as a tailor shop; the latter being kept by the post master.
This office was kept up by private means, the citizens,
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
Capt. Seeley, E. B. Newton, Wm. Tracy and Chas. Huxley, hiring a man to carry the mail to and from Allen post office at Fairview, a distance of thirteen miles. Mr. Huxley car- ried the mail on horseback, when a horse could travel, and upon his own back when the roads were too bad for a horse.
In July, 1856, a mail route was established from Adel to Magnolia, and the contract for carrying the mail awarded to a Mr. Maddox. This contract was for two years; in the winter of '57, Mr. W. W. Newton, brother to E. B., bought the contract of Mr. Maddox. The next contract (for four years, from July, '58 to July, '62,) was let to Downs & Butler. The next four years (from '62 to '66,) was let to E. B. Newton.
Previous to the establishing of a mail route, these offices were supplied weekly; afterward, semi-weekly. There are now twelve post offices in the county, seven of which have daily mails, namely: Stuart, Guthrie, Casey, Dale City, Panora, Guthrie Centre, and Dalmanutha ; while Bear Grove, Dodge, Moffitt's Grove, Tuttle's Grove and Advance, have a weekly, or a semi-weekly mail.
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