USA > Iowa > Guthrie County > Centennial history of Guthrie county, Iowa > Part 7
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
Mr. Johnson owns a farm of five hundred and sixty acres, being the largest farm in the township.
The first school was taught by a Miss Chantry, in 1857, at her brother's house, and numbered ten pupils. In 1860, the neighbors built a log cabin school house, wherein was held a subscription school. This cabin, which was built at Stanfield's grove, answered the double purpose of school house and church.
The creed of these faithful worshippers was that of United Brethren.
Casey-a description of which is given in another place -- is situated in this township.
Among the " solid " farmers are E. B. Newton, E. A. Porter, J. A. Porter, D. L. Chantry, W. A. Jefferson, G. N. Driggs, M. N. Chantry, S. B. Chantry, W. M. Ander- son, A. S. Miller, W. W. Stanfield, S. P. Thompson, H. H. Jones, and others.
E. A. Porter conducts a large dairy for the manufacture of butter exclusively, in which he uses the milk of two hun- dred cows.
83
HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
Mr. E. B. Newton, one of the early and prominent set- tlers, came to the township in 1869; to the county in July, 1853 ..
He first settled at Panora, which, at that time, contained one house. The first thing he did was to look up the county judge, whom he probably expected (?) to find in his office, dressed in his best broadcloth, and lounging in an easy chair. Instead, he met him on the road, in the dress of a laboring man, and carrying a " shaving horse" on his back. The county offices, in those days, were not fat enough to keep their holders in broadcloth. Mr. Newton lived in Panora about a year, when he moved to Jackson township, two and a half miles south of Panora, where he remained a year, when he removed to Guthrie Centre, at which place he remained until his removal to Thompson township, where he has a beautiful home, surrounded with"every comfort. His home is not only beautiful and comfortable, but hospi- table, as his friends can testify. Mr. Newton is also a real estate dealer with an office in the town of Guthrie, which is distant from his home about three miles. The farm upon which he resides contains over four hundred acres. Mr. Newton is the principal founder of Guthrie Centre, of which, as well as his connection with the mail route through the county, mention is made in another place.
Mr. S. W. Cole, another settler, now a resident of Casey, came to Guthrie county in 1858.
In that year occurred one of the worst floods ever known in this part of Iowa, unless we except that of '51. It com- menced raining the 12th of May, and rained almost continu- ously until the 13th day of June. Mr. Cole brought a load of goods here in the spring, returning to Iowa City for his family in July. The only bridge on the route, that had not been swept away, was the old Scott bridge, over the Des Moines river, at the " Fort."
Mr.Cole had a large family, and had also some fine stock with him. Mr. Scott, the proprietor of the bridge, and one of Polk county's old settlers, looked at the " outfit " a mo-
84
HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
ment, and asked him where he was going. "To Guthrie county, sir." "Let him pass, said he to his man; " any man who takes a family of that size, and such stock, to a new county, ought never to pay toll." They followed the stage road, and when they reached Dale City, they found it impossible to cross, so they were obliged to go up to Brushy, where a temporary bridge had been erected. The stages crossed the river at Dale City in a boat.
Mr. Cole first settled near Guthrie Centre; but in the spring of '59, moved to a large farm of 480 acres, in Beaver township, where he engaged extensively in the raising of fine stock, in which he has been very successful. The best beef and butter we have ever had, during a twelve years' residence in the county, came from the herd and dairy of Mr. Cole. In 1859 and '60, he run a threshing machine, and during that time he hauled wheat to Des Moines, and sold it at 22} cents per bushel.
Thompson township is being rapidly settled, and in a few years there will be no wild lands; all will be made into farms. Some parts of its surface are rough, but most of it is desirable farming land. Middle river is its principal stream.
VALLEY TOWNSHIP
was organized in 1872, and lies west of Jackson; embracing Tp. 79-north of Range 31, west.
The first settlement was made by A. G. Weeks, in 1851, being a part of the farm of Mrs. Willy and family. Mr. D. E. Willy, husband of Mrs. Willy, settled in this town- ship in 1855, on a farm of six or seven hundred acres of land, being one of the most desirable locations in the county.
Mr. W. J. Revell is also one of the early settlers of 1854; resides upon the same farm he at first located, which is one of the largest and best improved in the county.
George Headlee and the Swan family, early residents, settled in the same vicinity in 1856.
85
IIISTORY OF GUTIIRIE COUNTY.
Capt. Thomas Seely, a native of Wayne county, New York, is doubly entitled to his title, as, previous to his com- ing west he " navigated" Lake Superior as captain of a steamer, and was also a captain in the war of the rebellion. He came to Guthrie when it was wild and new, and, with an abiding faith in the future greatness of our county and State, he has ever been steadfast in his devotion to their best interests. He was appointed county surveyor in 1854; treasurer in 1855; a member of the Constitutional Conven- tion; register of the State Land Office; agent to select our swamp lands; County Supervisor; and has filled all these, with all other places of trust to which he has been called, with honor to himself and satisfaction to all. He came to the county in 1853; lived at Panora, Bear Grove, and Guth- rie Centre until the year 1859, when he removed to his present farm, two miles southeast of Guthrie Centre. This is a beautiful farm of four or five hundred acres, a fine orchard, and nice artificial groves.
Elwood Brown, an old settler in this part of the county, came, I believe,'in 1856. He was a native of Pennsylvania; was a " veteran wheel horse " in the Whig, Free Soil, and Republican parties. He was an original thinker and writer; was kind, generous, and charitable; unobtrusive, yet firm in his convictions and steadfast in principle. In September, 1869, he departed this life, and we all felt that a great sorrow had fallen upon us. A true friend had left us; a good man was gone.
One son, Webb, who, in the late war, had been in every battle and skirmish in which his regiment engaged, and es- caped unhurt, when about the last shot was fired, fell by a rebel bullet.
Another son Howard, a gentleman of fine intellect and liberal education. full of generous impulses and true to his trust, whatever it might be, died in 1874, at St. Joseph, Mis- souri.
Mrs. Brown is still living, I believe with their only daughter, Mrs. Harlan.
6
86
HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
In 1856, G. W. Harlan came from Pennsylvania, where he had been engaged in the dry goods trade; but meeting with misfortune, he concluded to come west and "try his fortune." He owns a fine farm, about three miles south of Guthrie Centre. Mr. Harlan was elected County Treasurer in 1867, and has taken a warm interest in the welfare of the county.
Another settler of 1856, is Major Farnsworth, who lives near the east line of the township. He has been engaged in the nursery business, in which he has been unfortunate, though he is cheerful, and goes on the try, try again plan.
Speaking of the comparatively easy times now-a-days, he said: "It is true, the hail storm of last fall (1875) de- stroyed 43,000 trees for me, beside a bearing orchard of 2,000 trees, but that's nothing. I have plenty to go on yet; but when, in '57, I had but few cattle, and most of them died, and I had little else, I almost had the blues. Not only myself suffered, but my neighbors as well. There were no land marks by which we could go from one place to another, and we had to stay indoors and eat hominy, which we made by boiling corn in lye, which process hulled it; then we cooked it, and, if we happened to have salt, we seasoned it; if not, we didn't."
The Assessor, in 1857, reported one family in twenty as having coffee in the house.
The winter of 1849-50, was excessively cold and stormy. As an offset to this, the next winter, '50-1, was mild and pleasant. On the 20th day of May, 1851, it commenced raining, and rained for forty days and nights, without a single intermission of twenty-four hours. The streams were so swollen as to be impassable, and the crops were much injured.
In 1853, cattle lived out doors nearly all of the time until the last of February, when there was a deep snow fall, that lay on the ground until April.
From "The Guthrie Sentinel," I see that snow fell in
87
HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
December, 1856, to the depth of many inches, drifting to the depth of fifteen feet in some places.
The winter of 1856 was very severe, stunting the cattle to such a degree that they did not sufficiently recover to en- dure the winter of 1857, which is referred to by the old set- tlers as " the hard winter." Much of the stock perished from insufficient food and shelter.
The snow was so deep, the men made snow shoes, and went to mill and to the grocery with hand sleds.
In the summer of 1858, Guthrie was visited with another flood, commencing on the 12th of May, and rained almost continuously until the 13th of June.
Among the prominent citizens of Valley township, not already mentioned, are, Mr. Harmon Reed, father and bro- thers, who, though not of the earliest settlers, are good, substantial citizens, and valuable acquisitions to the county.
Thomas Henderson and brother, sons of Judge James Henderson, came at an early day, and are men of consider- able means and excellent taste, as their fine farms, fine groves, good orchards, and pleasant homelike homes tes- tify.
At a meeting of the Board of Supervisors, in October, 1875, it was ordered that the township boundaries be changed, to conform with the congressional townships. Cass and Jackson being dissatisfied with the change, it was ordered, at the June session, 1876, that their boundaries re- main unchanged. The above change gives us two new townships. Seely, Baker and Centre are no more.
VICTORY AND UNION TOWNSHIPS.
Victory township was organized in 1871. The first set- tler in this territory was John Vanorder in 1851.
Among the early settlers, are, Thomas Moffitt, A. H. Haughtelin, the Reeds and the Vandeventers.
The first death was that of Mrs. Jacob Vanorder.
SS
HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
Middle 'Coon and Brushy Fork drain the township. (The original name of the latter stream was East Fork, but ow- ing to the brushy nature of the timber along its banks, it has been christened Brushy Fork.)
The surface is generally rolling, except that portion lying north of 'Coon river, which is level. This is well adapted to grain and stock raising. The high, rolling prairie be- tween the two rivers presents one of the finest views to be found in the west, and, with its fine, rich land, makes it one of the most desirable locations for a home the heart could wish.
Brushy Fork has but little timber. Middle 'Coon, which runs through the township from east to west, is well lined with all the kinds of timber common to Iowa. There is one good saw mill on this stream, with several good mill sites, which will probably be improved al no distant day. Some of the most desirable farming land in the county is found in Victory. There are many fine farms and a number of fine orchards, that of A. H. Hanghtelin, numbering one thousand bearing trees; said to be the best in the county. Mr. Dunley has six hundred trees, nearly all in bearing. There are also others, smaller, but quite good orchards.
The farmers as a class-mostly " Buckeyes " and "Hoos- iers "-are hospitable and kind, and their efforts to bring their schools up to the highest standard of country schools, attest their intelligence.
The widow McClaren is an old settler in this township. Judge Thomas Moffitt settled at Moffitt's Grove in 1852. He has been County Judge; is now post master of Moffitt's Grove post office, and is seventy-five years old.
Union township was organized in 1862, with thirteen voters.
The first settlement was made by John Frost, in 1854. The first birth occurred in Mr. Frost's family in May, '55.
The first death was that of Peter Luckinbill, who lived and died on the farm now owned by Robert Harron. He died in the winter of '57-the winter the old settlers will
89
HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
never forget -- and lay dead for six weeks before he could be buried, on account of the storms and deep snow. The snow was so deep and drifted, they could get to no burial place; and if they could, the ground was frozen so deep and hard, they could not dig a grave. His eldest son died the same year.
The first church organization was effected in 1858, by Rev. Jas. Carrie, of Panora, who held religious worship every three weeks, at the residence of E. D. Ivers. This was a Methodist organization.
In June, 1858, a subscription school was taught by Miss Philena Jordan, in a log cabin, built for the purpose by the patrons of the school. Whole number of pupils enrolled was twelve.
In 1859, a grant was made for a school district, subject to the school board of Centre township, and a school house built by the same in 1860. Miss Jordan continued teach- ing for some time after the school house was built.
The population of the township now is 286. Voters, 70.
This township possesses desirable farming land, and, except a lack of railroad facilities, has many inducements for farmers seeking new homes. It has timber sufficient for practical uses, while groves are being planted for shade, protection from storms, and for prospective fuel. Water privileges, too, are sufficient for the demand.
Among the prominent farmers are C. B. True, T. Johnson, M. A. Collins, L. Ansberry, C. C. Nesselroad, J. Stewart, and others.
Mr. Nesselroad is an old settler.
HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP.
On the second day of April, 1860, there was filed, with the county judge of Guthrie county, a petition, asking that the territory, known as 81-30, be formed into a civil township, and the same be called Highland. The petition was granted, and in the following November the township was organized by electing A. Littlejohn, County Supervisor; Wm. McCoy,
90
HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
Township Clerk; J. W. Arrowsmith, Justice of the Peace; John McCoy, J. A. Clearwater and W. R. Clearwater, Trustees. Highland's share of the road fund for 1860, drawn from the County Treasurer, amounted to $16.18.
The first settlement made in the township was by Richard Squires and family, who moved from Illinois, and settled upon and improved the s. e. } of Sec. 20, 81, 32. This was in 1853. One of his sons, W. B., settled upon the n. w. } of Sec. 21, and another son, N. J., improved the s. e. } of of Sec. 15, all in the summer of '53. In the autumn of '53, a Mr. Lamb settled on Sec. 18; William Hill and Samuel Caming on Sec. 35, east of Willow Creek.
In 1854 the following settlers came to the township: Alex. Littlejohn. who came from Indiana; Jacob Clear- water, also from Indiana, and his two sons, J. A. and W. K., and Thomas Wilkison. In 1855 came J. W. Arrow- smith and Moses McCoy. In 1856 Charles and William Bowers came from England, and settled upon Sec. 30. Patrick Toole and Patrick McDonald, the latter the father of ex-sheriff M. McDonald, settled upon Sec. 19.
Mr. McDonald afterward bought and improved the e. ¿ of Sec. 6, and is the wealthiest farmer in the township.
The first frame house was built in 1859 by H. J. Smith, on Sec. 20. Previous to Mr. Smith's leaving for Pike's Peak, he sold the house to the township trustees for a school house. They moved it from the e. ¿ n. e. } Sec. 20, to the e. ¿ of n. w. } of the same section. This was the only school house in the township until the fall of '66, when it caught fire and was burned to the ground.
It was in this house the first election was held. The number of votes cast at said election was seventeen. After the destruction of the school house, the remainder of the term was taught in an old house belonging to R. J. Patter- son. During this term of school a new departure was inaugurated, that of teaching on Saturday and having no school on Monday, " so the big girls could do the washing without staying out of school." This practice is still re-
91
HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
tained in some of the townships in the north-west part of the county.
Previous to 1867 the township was not divided into sub- districts, the whole being one district. During the earlier years of the township's existence, one of her treasurers bought some hogs of a neighbor, promising to pay for them in a few weeks; the time expired, but the money was not forthcoming.
" Well," thought the seller, "he'll go to Panora pretty soon to draw the school fund, and I think I'll go too, and see that he gets it." Accordingly, when Mr. Treasurer went to Panora to make a draw on the County Treasurer, his neighbor accompanied him, and without a warrant drew from the sub-treasurer the pay for his hogs.
The first church was organized in 1860, by Rev. Adair of the M. E. church.
The first temperance lecture was delivered in 1866, by W. H. Garnes. An old settler says, that since that lecture they drink more buttermilk and less whisky, and in fact are thoroughly reconstructed, as the township can boast more temperance men than any other township in the county. A temperance society, which numbers forty mem- bers, was organized in 1875 by Mr. Garnes.
The first school was taught by Wm. McCoy.
There are two church organizations, the Methodist Epis- copal and the Christian, or New Light, each with about thirty members. There are also two Sabbatlı-schools, the Methodist Episcopal and a union school, both well at- tended.
Religious meetings are held in school houses No. 5 and No. S. There are, in this township, ten sub-districts and seven schools, about eighty voters and three hundred and forty inhabitants.
Out of sixteen Granges of Patrons of Husbandry in the county, but four remain. One of these is in Highland.
This township has an abundance of both coal and timber
92
HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
for all practical purposes. The timber consists of oak, walnut, hickory, ash, elm and maple.
There are two coal banks opened, one on the farm of Mr. . W. H. Garnes, and another on Section 28. Iron ore and sand stone are also found, the latter good for building pur- poses. The coal mined here is of excellent quality.
Middle 'Coon river and Willow Creek furnish water power for manufacturing purposes, while these, with nn- merous spring branches, furnish water for live stock, the year round. The general surface is rolling, except in the north, above Willow Creek, where it is low. For produc- tiveness of soil, beauty of scenery, purity of water and healthfulness, Highland can well compare with the other townships, while in hospitality and general " mind-your- own-business." her intelligent people cannot be excelled.
Among the " substantial " citizens not already mentioned, are W. H. Garnes, Richard Patterson and M. McDonald.
Mr. Garnes came to the county in 1865, settling where he now resides. No greed of gain has induced him to gather up all the acres within his reach, neglecting, thereby, to make his home comfortable for his family, but instead, he has made his place a home, in the true sense of the word. He has built a good, comfortable farm-house, planted a grove and an orchard, beautified his door yard with ever- greens, built him a good, large barn, with all the necessary out-buildings, has his farm thoroughly cultivated, and with his amiable and intelligent wife, believes that happiness can be more easily attained by the cultivation of the head and heart, along with the cultivation of the soil.
R. J. Patterson, who resides near Mr. Garnes and Chas. Smith, now deceased, came from Cincinnati in 1856, stop- ping a short time in Panora. They then went up on Brushy, a distance of twelve miles, now in Orange township, where they camped out, living in a tent during the day and sleep- ing in the wagon at night. This way they lived for six weeks, when they moved into a house on Mr. Smith's place, about six miles further up, which they had in the mean
93
HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
time built. And here, in a little log house, the two fam- ilies, consisting of fifteen persons, lived until the next winter. When they were on their way from Panora to their camping ground, Mrs. Patterson was anxiously look- ing for the residence of Isaac Parrish, who had sold them their land and who lived near it. Tired with watching and waiting, she was giving up the hope of ever seeing it, when suddenly coming to the top of a hill, she caught sight of a building and joyfully exclaimed, "O, there's the hen house, any way! I presume we will soon see the house." " Yes, certainly," replied Richard, provoking man, for when they came up, lo and behold, it was the very house itself.
The winter of 56-7 was the very hard winter, when so mnuch stock perished.
The ground was covered with snow and sleet nearly all winter, and was so slippery the settlers were obliged to draw their groceries from Panora on hand sleds.
They began the winter with two sacks of flour, two of middlings and some meal. The snow coming sooner than they expected it, they were not prepared for winter, as they would otherwise have been. When their supply of meal ran out, they ground corn on the coffee mill, first drying the corn in the stove oven. It stormed so violently they were . obliged to take their chickens into the house to save them.
During one of the storms Mr. Patterson was on the south side of the house sawing wood, and little Frankie, now Mrs. Ham Kautzman, came out and went to the southeast corner of the house, the wind caught her up, carried her past her father, and on past the house, and in a moment more she would have been borne out of his reach, but the necessity of the moment gave him strength and speed, and he saved her.
As soon as spring opened they returned to Panora, Mr. P. declaring "they couldn't come another such a winter on him."
They returned to Cincinnati in a short time, where they
94
HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
remained a year or two; they then returned to Orange town - ship, where they remained several years. In 1874 they bought the hotel at Guthrie Centre, which they kept for two years, removing in the spring of '76 to Highland.
Michael McDonald lives about two miles north of the resi- dence of Mr. Garnes, and is another successful farmer, as well as an old settler. He came with his father in 1856, be- ing then a lad of twelve years. He staid at home like a good boy until the breaking out of the rebellion, when he insisted upon enlisting in the company then forming in the county; to this his father objected on account of his extreme youth. They were making hay, Michael mowing with a scythe. He started the old gentleman to the barn with a load of hay, drawn by a yoke of oxen, while he took the only horse-no, it was an old blind pony, rode to Panora and enlisted. The next day his father came down and wanted him to return home. "Now look'e here, dad," said this young America, with a bit of the Emerald Isle clinging to him, "you can take me home if you want to, but I'll run away and go to Missouri and enlist, and once I'm over Mason Dixon's line you can't touch me."
He didn't know what "Mason Dixon's" line meant, but thought it would scare the old gentleman, "all the same." . Mr. McDonald was elected.Sheriff of the county in 1873.
GRANT AND RICHLAND TOWNSHIPS.
Grant was organized in 1869, a Congressional township.
The first settler was John Wickersham, in 1857; the next, Joel E. James, in 185S. In 1867, Grant had three voters and about 200 acres of land in cultivation. In 1876 she has about one hundred voters and 6000 acres of land in cultivation.
The first school was organized in 1870. There are now five schools.
There are two religious societies organized, who hold worship in the school houses.
95.
HISTORY OF GUTHRIE COUNTY.
The largest and best improved farm is that of G. W. Wetmore, embracing section 16, which he bought in 1868, but did not move upon it until October, 1874. It is all fenced and under cultivation. Mr. Wetmore employs ten or twelve teams and about ten hands; has on the farm two tenant houses, besides a beautiful and comfortable resi- dence. Two years ago Mr. W. planted four and a-half miles of osage fence on his farm. He has 200 fruit trees, with four rows of soft maple 'round them. This is said to be the best improved farm in the county. Mr. Wetmore is a native of Galesburg, Ill., and previous to his settling at " Hill Side," as he calls his farm, had been a real estate dealer. He is a descendant of Sir Walter Scott.
Mr. Joel E. James, who came to the county in May, 1858, was here in time to see a little of the hard times. He came from Indiana and settled where he now resides. He built them a cabin and they lived in it during the summer with- out a roof. In the fall he made a roof of raw hides, which he procured in this way: emigrants passing through, fre- quently lost a cow or an ox, by death, which Mr. James would skin, drying the skin in the sun; these stretched over pole rafters made an excellent roof, being rain and wind proof.
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.