USA > Iowa > Guthrie County > Centennial history of Guthrie county, Iowa > Part 6
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In April, 1856, Mr. Huxley moved into a log mansion 16 x18 in size, which he erected on the corner of Fifth and State streets. (Guthrie Centre, in the meantime, having been laid out.) This building now stands on Main street, two doors west of the post office, and is occupied by An- drew Hazlet, as a harness shop. I have in my possession a photograph of this building, which I shall bequeath (when photographs cease to interest me,) to the Old Settler's Association.
Mr. Huxley, ever alive to the interests of his town and county, is an honored and much respected citizen.
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
Nov. 3, 1855, Wm. Tracy and family landed in Guthrie county. There were then no houses to rent, and on a cold, bleak prairie, in a driving snow storm, wife and children weeping bitterly, what was he to do ? Of himself, he could do nothing, but Mr. Newton, who lived at a short distance from the present site of Guthrie Centre, kindly offered him the use of the loft in his cabin until he could do better. The offer was gladly accepted, and they climbed a ladder to their place of abode, Mrs. Tracy going last. When she reached the top of the ladder the loft was so full she sat down on the floor and kept her feet on the top round of the ladder.
Mr. Tracy entered the land upon which Guthrie Centre stands, and sold it to E. B. Newton in the spring of '56.
In 1857 he built the first saw mill in the township, which was afterward made a flouring mill. It is told of a miller whom Mr. T. employed, that he would float the screenings down stream for his swine, and if, perchance, a poor little fish sought a bite he would whip the water to drive the fish away. .
Mr. Tracy is a native of Belmont county, Ohio, educated at Sarahsville; commenced the practice of law in 1858. He has been editor, miller, farmer, real estate dealer and law- yer. He is now engaged in the practice of law.
In May, 1856, William Holsman came to the county, set- tling twelve miles above Guthrie Centre; in 1858 he re- moved to Panora, and in 1862 to Lynn Grove, where he owns a farm of 1,000 acres, half of which is under cultiva- tion. In 1858 he was appointed Sheriff to succeed Lee Brumbaugh. He has served as such officer for five years.
Mr. Holsman is extensively engaged in stock raising, paying considerable attention to the breeding of fine stock. His farm is well timbered and watered, and one of the best improved farms in the county.
In the spring of 1856 Guthrie Centre was laid out by E. B. Newton, (who afterward sold an interest to Capt Seely,)
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
on the east half of the southwest quarter, and the north- west quarter of the southeast quarter of section 6-79-31.
The first building erected was that of Mr. Huxley.
The next was that of Mr. Warrington, a blacksmith shop, which stood on the corner of Ninth and State streets. This was built of buckeye logs, and was used for three years, without a chimney, Mr. Warrington being unable to pro- cure the brick necessary for its construction. In the sum- mer of '57 he built a log house and moved his family into it (they were stopping with Mr. Huxley,) before there was a roof on it. In the meantime Mr. Newton had erected a frame building 16x20-the one now occupied by Godfrey Jerew. as a dwelling-the use of which he donated to the citizens for church and school purposes. The first religious service was held in September, by Rev. Mr. Meek, of Audu- bon county, who came on Saturday night, stopping with Mr. Warrington. He brought with him his own robe and pillow, and made his own bed on the ground, in the cabin. There was a very hard rain that night, and when they arose from their d(r)owny couches, one of them remarked, "if we don't grow it is not because we are not well watered."
While the minister preached to the sinners at church, Mr. Warrington shod his horse, which had to be picketed on the prairie. The divine found this such a convenient ar- rangement, saving so much time and expense, that he re- peated the practice whenever it was necessary. Mr. Meek was of the M. E. Church, South.
Blacksmith shops were not numerous in those days, and work was brought to Mr. Warrington from Audubon, Shel - by and other counties. In 1865 he was engaged by the Western Stage Company, to do their shoeing from Des Moines to Council Bluffs. His shop was then kept in a wagon, as he traveled from one station to another. If he met a stage he compelled the driver to stop while he ex- amined the shoes of the horses. Mr. Warrington has asso- ciated with him Mr. Cyphers.
The first school was taught by Louis A. Reno, in 1857.
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
The place was of course wild and new, and deer and elk were no uncommon sight. A few days after the opening of the school, four or five handsome deer came up to the door, and the little ones (Dr. Huxley was among them,) all jumped up and ran to see them. The teacher, though not a profane man, in his excitement, remarked (to himself of course,) "I be dod derned if I don't wish I had my gun."
The next building erected in Guthrie Centre was a frame dwelling, by George Bike, in 1858, and though not intended for such use, was kept as a hotel. There being no hotel in the neighborhood, travellers would come and beg permis- sion to stop, and he could not turn them away, so the first thing he knew he was keeping hotel.
His sisters, now Mrs. E. B. Newton and Mrs. Dickey were keeping house for him, and though their accommodations were few and small, and their meals, of necessity, very plain, yet their kindness and cheerful efforts to make their guests comfortable, endeared them to all.
The present hotel was built by Judge De Long in 1858- George Bike doing the carpenter work-and sold to S. Reid, who kept the first "regular " hotel. In 1874 Richard Pat- terson purchased, enlarged and improved the house. In May, 1876, David Wesley took charge, Mr. Patterson retir- ing for a time to rest, he and his family having worked very hard to make the Pacific House comfortable and home-like for guests.
To continue the business Houses of Guthrie Center, James Lyons, dry goods and groceries; established in 1870.
Mr. Lyons served in the late war, enlisting in the First Iowa Cavalry. Was wounded, and discharged in the spring of '62. Again enlisted in the Twenty Seventh Iowa Infantry, as 2d Lieutenant in Aug. '62. Quit the service in 1863, having been disabled, in consequence of wounds re- ceived at Montevallo, Missouri in '62.
Stover Brothers & Motz, successors to Motz, keep a general store, in a good building 22x80, on Main street. I.
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
E. Motz is an old settler, having come to the county in 1861; business established in 1847.
Prior & Shocklin, groceries, boots and shoes; opened in '75. Both these gentlemen are old settlers, Mr. Prior com- ing to the county in June, 1856. He first settled at Bear Grove, and came to Guthrie Centre in '66. Mr. Shocklin came in June, 1858, and went into the boot and shoe busi- ness.
Woods & Headlee, groceries; established in April, 1876. David Woods served nine months in the 18th Ohio Inf.
Jones & Vancleef, groceries; successors to Jones & Lee. Mr. Jones came to the county in the spring of 1873, and R. G. Vancleef in the fall of the same year.
The latter gentleman served in the 28th Iowa Infantry three years; was in thirteen engagements and numerous skirmishes; was with the first Iowa troops who went to Washington, and the first to rout the rebels from the Shen- andoah Valley.
D. H. Brumbaugh, hardware and agricultural implements, established in 1873. Mr. Brumbaugh has a good store- building 22x70 ft., story and a half high. He occupies the entire building; has a good stock, and is doing a good busi- . ness. Attentive and obliging, he finds his way to the hearts of the people, and wins their esteem, which he deserves.
Mr. Brumbaugh is an old settler, having come to the county in 1854, with his father, Daniel Brumbaugh, senior, who settled on Middle Raccoon river, and built the saw mill in 1855.
Lenon & Bower, drugs; successors to Dr. Bower, who established the business in 1872. The present firm have been doing business since 1875, since which time it has steadily increased. Mr. Lenon came to the county in Dec., 1859, since which time he has been engaged in business in Panora, Stuart and Guthrie Centre.
Elias Costenbader, furniture; this is the first furniture store ever established in the place; opened in 1870.
S. J. Lee, agricultural implements; opened in '73.
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
Wm. Neely, bakery and restaurant; established in 76; gets up warm meals on short notice. He served in the 157th N. Y. Infantry, as color sergeant; was in a number of battles. Mr. Neely was also in the regular service, in the Mexican war.
D. Jones, livery stable; opened in '75, and is the first ever opened in the place.
Carson H. Prior, jeweler; opened in '76: is an old settler, having come to the county in '56, at the tender age of eigh- teen months.
Stephen Earle, wagon maker, 1870.
McLuen & Gibson, blacksmiths; both old settlers.
Andrew Hazlet, harness maker.
J. H. Mohler, harness maker; successor to J. L. Glasner, in 1874. Served twenty-nine months in the 92nd Ohio Inf .; was in the battles of Mission Ridge and Chicamanga, and numerous skirmishes.
H. C. Church, meat market.
E. A. Shelly, barber.
Motz & Muntz, millers; the mill was built by Hollings- worth & Williams in '65. Mr. Motz purchased in 1873 and admitted Muntz as partner in '76.
Mrs. Blanchard, millinery and dress making, opened in the spring of '75; keeps a full line of millinery goods and notions.
Miss Alice McLuen, milliner; established in the spring of '73. She is an old settler, having come to the county with her parents in 155.
Miss Crawford, music teacher.
Rev. H. S. Fish, dentist; came to Guthrie Centre in Nov., 1875. Mr. Fish received his literary and theological educa- tion at Lima, N. Y .; was ordained a minister in the Bap- tist Church in 1843.
W. H. Stiles, attorney; is a native of Ohio, was educa- ted at Western, Lynn county, Iowa; came to Guthrie Cen- tre in 1873.
A. K . Updegraff, attorney; is a native of York county
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
Pa., was educated at the Fairfield Union Academy, Ohio. He came to Panora in 1868, where he commenced the prac- tice of law; removed to Guthrie Centre in 1874. May 6, '61, Mr. Updegraff enlisted in company E, 2nd Iowa Infantry.
Wm. Tracy, attorney; (history given in the beginning of the chapter.)
J. B. Carpenter, attorney; was born in Plymouth, Vt., August 13th, 1837, and received a common school and aca- demical education in that State and Massachusetts. At the age of eighteen he emigrated to Illinois, where he read law and was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of that State in 1859. He practised law in Illinois and Texas until the year 1867, when he was appointed by the General Gov- ernment, one of the District Judges of the last named State. At the expiration of his term of office he engaged in the practice of his profession in Texas until 1873, when he re- turned north. March 1st, 1875, he came to Guthrie Centre, and now devotes his whole time to the practice of law.
Elbert W. Weeks, attorney; was born in Lake county, Ohio, Oct. 7th, 1851. Graduated from the law department of the Iowa Sate University, June 24, 1873. He came to Guthrie Centre in May, 1876, where he expects to remain. He has practiced his profession three years. Mr. Weeks is an old settler, if not of Guthrie county, at least of Iowa, having been in the State for twenty years.
John Bower, physician and surgeon, is a native of Pa., was educated at Penn. College, Philadelphia. He came to the county in the spring of 1868, settling at Panora; re- moved to Guthrie Centre in the autumn of the same year. The doctor has practiced his profession for thirty years.
C. E. Huxley, physician and surgeon, is a native of No- ble county, Ohio; was educated at Ann Arbor, Mich .; has been engaged in the practice of medicine since 1874. The doctor is an old settler; he came with his father in 1855.
J. Y. Hopkins, physician and surgeon, was educated at the "Medical College of Ohio," at Cincinnati. Emigrated to Iowa in 1853, and to Guthrie Centre in 1869, where he
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
has practiced his profession ever since. I am unable to give the doctor's nativity, as he was born upon the briny deep during the voyage of his parents from Ireland to America. He is improving a nice farm one and a half miles north of town, to which he has given the name of Forest Home.
Ira P. Wetmore, bank, abstract and real estate office. This bank was established in 1872 in Panora, and moved here in May, 1874; has a complete abstract of Guthrie coun- ty. The bank building is a good two story frame, 18x32, with good office rooms above; fire-proof vault, of solid stone wall on the outside and brick inside, with air cham- bers between. The floor is solid masonry three feet thick. Hall's best burglar and fire-proof safe.
Mr. Wetmore came to the county in '66. He is a native of Galesburg, Ill., where he was educated. Dec., 1861, he enlisted in the 13th Illinois Cavalry; served one year as corporal, sergeant, and was detailed by General Boyd as scout. One incident of his army life has deeply impressed him with " man's inhumanity to man." His comrade, one Church, a scout, was overtaken and his horse shot from under him; in falling, his leg was so crushed he could not move. The rebels carried him into a building which had been used by our boys as a commissary store room, chained him to the wall, and,-inhuman wretches, -- fired the building. Mr. Wetmore is the possessor of three fine farms, the one just east of town being one of the finest in the county.
A novelty in agriculture, is Mr. Wetmore's "potato patch." It is a mound, or rather block of earth four feet square, built of sod on the outside, and filled in with loose dirt: the potatoes are put in near the surface. This is cer- tainly a combination of the useful and the ornamental, as its object is to save room, and I am sure it looks pretty.
F. A. Mann, editor and proprietor of the Beacon Light; came to Guthrie Centre April 18, 1874; Mr. Mann purchased the half interest in the Journal, owned by Henry Hess, and in conjunction with H Kautzman enlarged and changed the
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
Journal to the Beacon Light, issuing the first number of the latter on the 20th of May following. In March, 1875, F. A. Mann purchased the interest owned in the paper by H. Kautzman, and from that time to the present, the patron- age and circulation of the Beacon Light has been steadily increasing. Mr. Mann was born Aug. 17th, 1839, at Mt. Pleasant, Hamilton county, Ohio. Came to Davis county, Iowa, June 3d, 1856. Railroads were then scarce in Iowa, and the western and northwestern portions of the State were unsettled. In 1862 he moved to Guthrie county, lo- cating on a small tract of wild land in Beaver valley. Here he remained until 1874, when he entered the newspaper business.
Mr. Mann was educated at Farmer's College, College Hill, Ohio, formerly Cary's College. Of this College Freeman Cary was President and founder, and Hon. S. F. Cary Treasurer. Mr. Mann's mother was a school-mate of Alice and Phoebe Cary; his grandmother occupied a conspicu- ous place in Alice's " Clover Nook," of which the village of Mt. Pleasant is the original. Mr. Mann's father, Dr. Horace C. Mann, was the first Free Soil candidate for Con- gress in the Cincinnati District, and received thirty odd votes. A great grand father was one of the first settlers in the Miami Valley, Ohio, at the beginning of the century, receiving from the Government a large tract of land near Middletown, for his services in the Revolution.
Mr. Jno. E. Parrish, foreman in the Beacon Light office, and first editor in the county, (editor of the Guthrie Sentinel in '56,) is a native of Cambridge, Gurnsey county, Ohio. He came to Guthrie in 1855, remained until the winter of '57, when he moved his printing press to De Soto, Nebraska, where he edited the Pilot. In 1864 he returned to Panora, remaining only a short time, when he went to Oregon and California: Finding no better place than Iowa, he returned in 1870 to Guthrie Centre.
Jas. H. Rogers, our present Recorder, was born in Essex county, N. Y .; was educated at St. Lawrence Academy,
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
same State. He came to Guthrie county in 1870; taught school and read law until October, 1873, when he was ap- pointed Deputy Auditor. Mr. Rogers was elected County Recorder in 1874, has been nominated for re-election in 1876, and will in all probability be elected.
H. K. Dewey, County Auditor, was born in Royalton, Windsor county, Vermont; educated at the same place, and at Commercial College, Hartford, Conn. He came to Ill. in 1865, and to Guthrie county in 1869. Previous to his election to the office of Auditor he was engaged as a farmer. In Illinois was engaged in the drug business.
Guthrie Centre was made an independent district in April, 1876. Principal of the school, H. E. Long; assistant, Miss Mary Bower. The latter was educated at the University, at Iowa City, the former at Knoxville. The schools num- ber about one hundred pupils; the houses are small, but the contract has been let for building a new and commodious brick building during the centennial year.
The M. E. Church was organized in 1856 by Rev. Mr. Anderson, with nine members, three of whom are still mem- bers. The present membership is ninety. The church building was erected in 1870.
There is also a Baptist Church, of which I unfortunately did not obtain the history. Rev. H. S. Fish is the Baptist minister. There are five organizations of this denomina- tion of christians, and two church buildings in the county.
Masonic Lodge was chartered in 1858, with ten members. It now has a membership of fifty, with Dr. J. Y. Hopkins, Master; Senior Warden, H. K. Dewey; Junior Warden, Levi Cyphers; Treasurer, A. K. Updegraff; Secretary, F. A. Mann.
There is also an Odd Fellows Lodge.
· The Post Office, the general history of which is given elsewhere, was made a money order office in July, 1875. No. of orders issued is 587; paid out, $6,285, and deposited $5,895; making an average of about $1,100 per month.
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
Average number of letters daily 150. Chas. Huxley, post master.
Mr. Huxley kept the first post office in the old log build- ing, which he put up in 1856. He has been post master most of the time since.
E. J. Reynolds, County Treasurer, came to Guthrie with his father, Gillam Reynolds, in June, 1852, settling on the hill southeast of Panora, where he entered the S. W. ¿ of section 5-80-30, and much more in the same farm. The father died in 1857. When they first came, there were twenty- four of them, (two or three uncles and their families,) and they all lived in a cabin 18x20. A " goods " box was their table, and the floor their chairs. They went to mill near Winterset, going as had been their wont in the east, when- ever they were nearly out of bread-stuffs. Here it was all corn. In December they went to mill, remained over night, and started back in the morning. In the afternoon of the first day it commenced snowing, and continued to snow and blow all the next day. It was with difficulty they traveled at all. They went all day long, and into the night without a mouthful to eat. Blinded by the snow, hungry and al- most frozen, they were about giving up in despair when they heard the bark of a dog. They followed the sound, which led them back a short distance in the direction from which they had come, and finally up to a cabin. They went to the door to beg permission to stop, when lo, they found themselves at home. It was then eleven o'clock, and they had passed the house, and were only saved by poor old Towser.
From the hunting stories that are told, they must have done some hunting in this township. Two old settlers, T. and N., went out to follow the trail of a deer; they saw him run into the brush, and it was agreed that T. should go through the brush and N. would go round it. Pretty soon he started up close to T., who stood, gun in hand, watching for him. " Here he is, here he is, come quick, or he'll get away." He- forgot that his gun was loaded.
HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
They tell of a snake hunt too, in which two brave printer boys were concerned. A snake had gone into a hole in the ground, and the printers, with a brave old English captain to command them, commenced war upon his snakeship. The captain, with a spade, threw out the ground, while typo stood with a hand-spike ready to kill him as soon as he should be brought to light. He was just telling what he'd do if he saw the snake, when the captain gave the command to strike; he did strike-for home as fast as his heels would carry him, yelling at the top of his voice, "take him off, take him off!" Typo number two ran also, but not so fast as number one.
I have just learned an item about the first hotel keeping. They placed a board on tressels for a table, and sat on the floor instead of chairs; in course of time they took this ta- ble for a bench, upon which to sit, and made a higher bench on the same plan, which answered the purpose of a table.
The first agricultural society was organized in 1859, with E. B. Newton, President; Thos. Seely, Secretary; J. J. Groom, Treasurer. The first fair was held in Guthrie Cen- tre, and all articles, except live stock, were exhibited in the school house.
The race track extended around one entire block.
On the 15th of June, 1875, an old settlers' meeting was held at Guthrie Centre, for the purpose of effecting a per- manent organization. J. W. Cummins was President, and F. A. Mann, Secretary.
Permanent officers were selected by committee as fol- lows: J. W. Cummins, President ; Thomas Seely, Vice- President; Wm. Tracy, second Vice-President; John Cline, Corresponding Secretary; and Wm. Holsman, Treasurer.
Thos. Seely, E. B. Newton, and Wm. Holsman, were ap- pointed a committee to draft a constitution and by-laws.
The constitution and by-laws of the old settlers' associ- ation of Scott county, with slight alteration, were adopted.
To go back to Guthrie Centre-it is situated in the south 'Coon valley, surrounded by prairie ridges and wooded
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
slopes. You can trace the river up and down, for a consider- able distance, by the timber, which skirts its borders. To the west and north you behold those beautiful undulations which so charm the eye, and in the distance look so like the billowy ocean. A little west of south, you see Dalmanutha, while, seemingly, in a direct line east of, and at a distance of what seems to be a quarter of a mile, but is really one mile, stands a grove of some dozen trees, which look like so many sentinels, placed there to guard some hidden treasure. This is the site of Gopher station. Here and there the prairie is dotted with a herd of cattle grazing quietly ; here and there a grove and a farm house.
As you come down middle 'Coon and Brushy valleys, you behold scenery equal in beauty to that found in any part of the State. At this season of the year (June) the prairie is one continuous carpet of flowers, while the trees and the grass are of the greenest green.
Guthrie Centre has no railroad; but, then, to her credit be [it said, she has no saloons. She may lack some ad- vantages, but, happy Centre, she has soft water in her wells. This, to the ladies (gentlemen don't care; they don't have to scrub and wash, and spoil their hands; they're a careless lot, any way), is of untold value, and they can forego many. of the so-called advantages of the hard water towns for the sake of this great luxury. Casey, too, has soft water.
THOMPSON TOWNSHIP.
Thompson township was organized in 1858, and is the second from the west line of the county, in the southern tier. The first settlement was made in 1853, by Aaron Cop- poc and A. E. Porter. In 1854, Mr. Coppoc laid out the town of Dalmanutha, and John Betts kept the first stage station, which was then the most important business of the place.
The site of Dalmanutha is on high, rolling ground, about six miles north of Casey, on the old stage route, which was also the original Mormon trail. Though it has gone to de-
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HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
cay -- nothing being left but the residence of Mr. Porter and the post office-it once contained three hotels, three black- smith shops, and a dry goods and grocery house.
In 1855, Rev. J. C. Johnson came to the county, settling four miles west of Casey. There were then but three or four families in what is now Thompson township. Like all the rest of the early seitlers, they were obliged to bring their corn and other necessaries from Adel and Des Moines, and sometimes even as far as Keokuk.
" The groves were God's first temples;" so thought these worthy pioneers, who, during the summer of '55, held relig- ious service in Stanfield's grove, protected from the wind and sun by the friendly trees only. Mr. Johnson was as- sisted in his clerical labors by Rev. Aaron Coppoc, a cousin of the Coppoc whose soul commenced its celestial march with poor old John Brown, or shortly thereafter.
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