USA > Iowa > Polk County > Centennial history of Polk County, Iowa > Part 6
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OF POLK COUNTY.
Through bad memory omitted. 'Fifty-one, it should be written, Brought the mighty flood of waters- Flood of waters and of movers- Mormons traveling to Utah- Emigrants to California -- Hurrying to the Eldorado. Then poured down the floods from heaven, Till the river was a mammoth, Swallowing all the vegetation,
Trees and everything before it-
Reaching over all the bottoms- Climbing higher up the hill-sides Than it ever had before climbed- Moving with tremendous fury- Irresistible and vengeful. And the movers came by hundreds- Staked their claims and built their cabins. Andrew Grossclose built bis mill then; Conrad Stutzman built his mill then; And George Hammond built his mill then- These were water mills on Big Creek- Some were saw-mills-others grist-mills; But before this Swim's grand horse-mill Ground the corn for all this region- The first grist-mill west of Big Creek- West of Big Creek in Polk county. And Polk City, too, was founded (In the previous year of '50,) Knocking Montacute to flinders, And discomfiting the merchants Who had opened there their store house- Uncle George and Jacob Hauser- And Polk City rose in splendor, And the square was cleared of timber.
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It was soon an active village With the store of Justice Beebe- (The first Justice upon Big Creek;) And the mill of Conrad Stutzman, And Ives Marks' great chair factory- And his hotel on the corner, And his twenty-five-cent dinners, With " corn bread and common doin's "- And his half a dollar dinners With "wheat bread and chicken fixen's," Giving to the hungry traveler Bill of fare and choice of dishes, And due notice as to prices- With the wagon shop of Crabtree, And with Nubro's anvil ringing, And the school taught by Miss Mather,- By the maid Desire Mather. Pupils, too, like Henry Crabtree, Henry Summy and the Derixons- Dwight, Erastus, Charles and William; The Van Dorns-Issac, Hez, and Abner- And the Miller's, Swim's, and Hauser's- Full of fight and fun and frolic- Brilliant boys and earnest teacher! With the spelling schools of those days, And such spellers as Ab. Van Dorn- With the singing schools of those days, Taught by Herbert-singing master- With the rosy girls of those days, In their handsome linsey dresses; With the quilting bees of those days -- And the kissing bees of those days- And the sparking and the hoe-downs, And the rousing big camp-meetings, And the pentecostal shouting.
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OF POLK COUNTY.
Lively times they had in those days- Better than the times of these days, When the cry of all is "money, Money, money, give us money!"- Yes, Polk City then was active: Then you might have heard McCalla Talking politics with Ally, In the store of William Hopkins, Of William and Adolphus Hopkins. Even then did father Beighler Foot it often to Polk City- Foot it six miles to Polk City, Rather than fatigue his old horse Feeding idle in the pasture- Standing idle in the stable. 'Twas about the year of '50 That the stalwart youth, John Byrom, Went to Raccoon Forks, a deck hand On a raft, and caught the small-pox. He had put up at the tavern Kept at Raccoon Forks by Tucker- By the noted Martin Tucker- The distinguished Martin Tucker- Him -- the educated landlord- Master of the English language- Student of old Noah Webster- Stood in Tucker's grand " pizarro " -- Stood beneath his "portirico "- Slept, perhaps, in the "condition " He had added to his tavern- And had walked along the "revenue " Made by Tucker through his garden- Here John Byrom caught the small-pox. 'Twas about this time that Grossclose, (I should say a little later)
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Notified and warned Polk City Of the danger that did threaten, From the mighty flood of waters That the ditch that he was digging To the monster slough at Hat Grove To supply his dried up mill pond, Would bring pouring down upon her, And demolish the huge mill-dam, Built by Stutsman across Big Creek, At the feet of fair Polk City- And demolish the chair factory- Sweep the town into the river; Sweep it into Des Moines river. In those days old father Buzick Preached the gospel at Polk City- And to-day though four score winters Whiten with their frosts his temples, Yet he preaches to the people, Often passing through Polk City. Of the pioneer apostles Is the veteran, Ezra Rathburn- Ezra Rathburn, father Buzick- Let their names be writ together -- They two were the earliest preachers To the people of Polk County -- And their names are cherished fondly By the people of Polk County -- The old settlers of Polk County. Those men never preached for money -- If they did they never got it -- All they got let no man grudge them- Feasted not on savr'y viands -- Not on yellow-legged chickens -- But on pumpkin sauce and hominy, And "corn dodgers" baked in ovens
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OF POLK COUNTY.
On the coals before the fire Blazing up the big sod chimney, Shining on the chink and daubing- On the loom and on the big wheel, And upon the rustic bedsteads, And the quilts of patched linsey- Pieces of the children's dresses- Of the big girls and the little- Of the wife's and good grandmothers- Pieces of the father's trowsers- Scraps of blue jeans and tow-linen -- Shining on the gun and shot-pouch, Hanging just before the door- way And dried pumpkins and yarn skeins -- Hanging 'neath the clapboard ceiling 'Gainst the white-washed joists of linden. Other names I here must mention- Names deserving high encomium- Wood's and Coger, Brooks and Adams -- Earnest preachers and hard workers- Hopkins, Peirce and father Wilson- Friends of God and man and freedom (But cold shoulder for Free Masons) And Ives Marks, detesting fiddles, Looking on them as of Satan-
Carnal, sinful, very wicked.
He had faults and many virtues-
Conscientious and devoted,
Persevering and determined: Long his name will be remembered- And of all those early preachers. I have slighted the school masters; They deserve no less than preachers To be mentioned here with honor .- John De Moss the first, then Groom came,
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And then Hall, and Butt and Williams- C. J. Clarke and Greene and Mosier, And the veteran Robert Wilson- Practiced teacher-honored father- Through a long life he had labored As a kind and loved instructor, Doing good to all, as Christ did, He has gone to meet the Master -- Meet the Master whom he followed, Doing good to all as Christ did. Mrs. Bristow, Mrs. Nutting, Miss Beech and Rebecca Hauser, And the good Desire Mather Were the early lady teachers In the region upon Big Creek,
Upon Big Creek in Polk County- Teachers that are not forgotten
By their pupils and the people. Many names have I passed over Of the pioneers that battled With their hardships and privations- Baker, Hanna, P. G. Miller,
Weiss and Wheelhouse, Smutz and Skidmore, Doctor Herford and Milhollen-
Leighsty, Eslick and the Murrays-
Isaac Nussbaum, Henry Beeson, Father Kellison, Robert Hopkins, Peter Suter, Amos Stevens, Myers, Hiram Smith and Davis, Mercer, Rodney, Eli Mosier, David Reuser and Neuswander -- Blain and Burley and the Griggsbys- Doctor Mather-first physician To wade through the sloughs of Big Creek. But soon followed John C. Bennett-
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OF POLK COUNTY.
From Des Moines came Doctor Bennett, Champion of Shanghai chickens- Importer of fancy chickens- Writing volumes about chickens, Chickens, chickens, chickens, chickens, Wrote of nothing else but chickens- Talked of nothing else but chickens- Dreamed of nothing else but chickens- And the nation now is debtor To the Doctor for big chickens; And the preachers all are debtor To the Doctor for good chickens- For the yellow-legged chickens, But my sketch is growing lengthy- I must try to hasten forward .- Here I pause to name old settlers That are gathered to their fathers: Wheelhouse, George and Jacob Hauser- Jacob, George and William Van Dorn; And the Martses, George and Jacob; Adolphus and Josiah Hopkins; Schiedler, Hammond, Swim and Baker- D. B. Spaulding and John Messersmith- Conrad Stutzman, Father Crabtree- Benjamin Hunt and P. G. Miller- Samuel Hays and J. C. Bennett, Hiram Smith and brave John Kellison. These are gathered to their fathers. Men that lived to do their duty- Men that battled against hardships For the rising generation- And the world was made the better By their toils and sufferings in it; And the coming generations Will be grateful for their labors- 11
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Holding them in fond remembrance. But I now gò to politics- To the Presidential conflict When Abe Lincoln was elected -- To the year of 1860. What increase of population On the classic banks of Big Creek ! Who were active in this canvass ! I see Kuntz and Clark and Packard Working for the tall Rail Splitter -- I see Walker, Peter Suter, Armstrong, Ally and George Beebe, Working for the Little Giant. The excitement of that canvass Was a ripple on the water -- But a ripple on the water. Soon the storm poured down upon us -- Soon the waves piled up like mountains -- Waves of Big Creek rose like mountains. Much the town had changed since '50. And Polk City gave big promise To become indeed a city. Kuntz and Pickard thought they saw here Promise of a rising city -- Thought this must become a centre
For a vast and fertile region And a thriving population, When these prairies all were settled --
And they pulled up stakes and came here, Buying out the firm of Hopkins. Kuntz sold all his lands and came here- Fertile lands in Story county- Changed his plan of life and came here, And has diligently labored, Standing true in every trial
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OF POLK COUNTY.
To his country and this people, And is recognized a leader. And a promising young fellow, A school master and law student, Full of hope of wealth and glory, Got his eye upon Polk City And upon an old man's daughter- Even Kellison's fair daughter. Charles J. Clark-school master, lawyer, Colonel in the Union army; President on the occasion Of this Centennial celebration, Anchored in this little village- In this village full of promise. Smutz sold out his farm and came here- Came to educate his children. Jacob Crum moved to this village -- Dr. Armstrong bought out Mather, Coming from far off Ohio- From a land of boundless beauty-
From a happy land of plenty, Looking far into the future With an eagle eye to business, Calculating well and wisely- Drove his stakes here in this village- Drove them down deep and abiding. Henry Summy built a shoe shop- Collins Baker studied medicine, And George Beebe built a steam mill- And all this prior to 1860. But the placid flowing Big Creek Soon was greatly agitated: Yes, this limpid, joyous Big Creek, By the firing upon Sumpter. See it rising into fury-
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See it boiling like Niagara! 'Twas the spring when singing locusts Filled the air with notes of warning- Warning of approaching blood-shed- Of the bloody war to follow. Then it was prognosticated That a bloody war must follow; For old people plainly read it On the wings of singing locusts "W " printed, plainly printed On the wings of all the locusts, Warning us of war approaching. And the war came grim and vengeful; Mothers saw their sons departing- Wives clung weeping to their husbands- Brave men buckled on their armor; Brave men shouldered then their muskets, Kissed their babes and hurried southward. Where are Bean, and Caswell Murry- Gideon and Isaac Fletcher-
Derixon, Dunwiddie and Spencer- Courtney, Lewis, Bard and Baker- Benjamin and Isaac Nussbaum- Thomas Murry, Andrew Murry -- Skidmore, Williams, Peter Michler- Donald Sharp and George C. Stevens, O. O. Mosier and H. Millard? Where are Musgrove and John Virtue- Henry Beeson and John Filmer- Randolph Harber and John Mercer- Enoch Beighler and McDowell, And George Griggsby and Clark Wilson? Where are these, I pray you tell me? Are they with us, or afar off ? They fell fighting for their country
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OF POLK COUNTY.
On the banks of the great river- Or by accident and sickness, Far from home and wife and mother; But their history is written, And their names will be remembered. Thanks, friends, for your kind attention
To this long and dry narration. I had many things to tell you- There is much I have omitted -- There were many names to mention -- Every man that stands before me-
Every woman, child and baby- Everybody and their neighbors Should be mentioned in this story- In the history of Big-Creek. Let this history be continued By the writers that shall follow
By the readier, abler writers That shall follow in the future !
SAYLOR TOWNSHIP.
John Saylor, afterwards so prominent in the county, set- tled here in 1845, and gave the name to the township. He laid out Saylorville, May 1st, 1851, James Ewing built the first frame house, and Mr. Case from Four Mile Township taught the first school. The mills of Messrs. Tidrick and Bales were heavily patronized. The Methodists built a church in 1858. John Whitmer was one of the first settlers in the vicinity of Saylorville. The village having been left out in the cold by our railroads has degenerated from year to year, until it has lost in a great measure its prestige of the olden time. New Saylorville was laid out September 8th, 1855.
The County Farm, containing two hundred and eighty
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY
acres is in this township, the history of which I present elsewhere.
Franklin Nagle, the first Justice of the Peace in the township, made his claim in 1847, nearly two miles North of Saylorville, at which place he still resides. He is one of our solid and prominent citizens. A log school house was erected in 1847. The first birth occurred in the cabin of . Addison Michael, in April, 1846. The father, Mr. Michael, removed afterward to Des Moines. The first wedding took place in John Saylor's cabin, the parties to which were, Tilman Bondurant and Sis Kooney, the latter being but fifteen years old. Mrs. Alfred M. Lyon, Mrs. Bradley, and Mrs. Young were guests, as also was Addison Case, dressed in homespun garb. The parties to the next wedding were Benjamin Saylor and Miss Elizabeth Norris. John Bradley lived in a cabin made of cornstalks, with a pole roof. Mr. Beeson and Robert Howard were settlers here.
A Methodist class was organized in 1848, of which Elijah Crawford was leader. Prayer meetings were held for years in the cabin of John Saylor. Benjamin Saylor, an earnest and good man of that period, assisted greatly in promoting the interests of religion and education.
A Fourth of July celebration was held in this township in 1847, in which the early settlers of that vicinity generally participated. An excellent dinner was served.
The village of Mount Auburn, the site of which is now in Crocker Township, was laid out June 7th, 1851, and va- cated April, 1873.
WALNUT TOWNSHIP.
J. C. Jordan, whose name is a household word in all this region of country, built his cabin six miles west of Des Moines, in 1848. He bought his lumber at Parmalee's mill, on Middle River. His neighbors, over in Dallas county, were Joshua Boon, and D. M. Flynn. Several brothers,
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OF POLK COUNTY.
named Bennett, settled here in 1848. Rev. Raynor, a Meth- odist minister, preached in Mr. Jordan's cabin in 1849. Le- roy Lambert, now a banker at Adel, had a claim here. John Evans, a family by the name of Crow, and others, date back more than twenty years in their settlement. The old village of Hanover was laid out October 12th, 1859.
The two modern villages of Commerce and Ashewa, the former, on the Rock Island, was laid out April 22d, 1871, and the latter, on the Des Moines & Fort Dodge Railroad, April 8th, 1876, have a healthy existence. Near these points is Valley Junction, once a station on the Des Moines Valley Road, changed afterward to Ashewa. Jordan's Chapel, a neat little structure, belonging to the M. E. Church, was built several years ago. The greater part of Walnut Township has been progressively improved, until now, in the Centennial year, it teems with solid improve- ments and an energetic population. Walnut Creek, and Raccoon River, on both of which Messrs. Fitzsimmons and Hezekiah Fagan operated mills a quarter of a century ago, are the important streams. Mr. Fagan, an honest and good man, died some years since; and his old partner in milling, Mr. F., is now living near Casey, on a farm.
The town of Commerce, situated in the Northwest quar- ter of Section 29, Township 78, Range 25, was laid out by Messrs. A. J. and J. A. Jack, brothers, long known as residents of Des Moines. It lies on high but easy slopes, overlooking the Raccoon River, and is a station of considerable importance on the line of the C., R. I. & P. R. R. The dam and flouring mill erected at this point, by the above named proprietors, at the time the town was laid out, is the initial industry which has led to its de velopment as an important point in the county.
Valley Junction, like Commerce, is situated near the Southern line of Walnut Township, in the opening of the two railroads which pass that point. It once had a history
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY
as a railroad station, but the stations of Commerce, on the line of the C., R. I. & P. R. R., and of Waukee, in Dallas county, on the line of the Des Moines & Fort Dodge Rail- road, interfered with its success in the earlier days of our railroads, and the business of the station was transferred to Waukee in 1871. It is a point of importance as a shipping station for live stock and produce, and the proprietor of lands in the vicinity, J. C. Jordan, proposes to revive the place, as a business point, by laying out a town immedi- ately, at the Junction.
Ashewa, situated in the Southeast quarter of Section 8, Township 78, Range 25, and also in Walnut Township, has had an existence as a station on the Des Moines & Fort Dodge Railroad for some years.
Ed. Clapp, an early and prominent resident of Fort Des Moines, has a fine farm in this Township, in addition to his large property in the city.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
The surface of this township is principally prairie, wa- tered by Indian Creek and Chicaqua, or Skunk river. Peoria City, located a short distance from the Story county line, and but a few miles from Iowa Center, came into being June 28th, 1856; and two years later it had a population of two hundred, with all the appointments of a flourishing village.
J. K. Hobaugh, and a number of his relatives, came to the village in the first year of its existence. This township was at one time, as the records show, a part of Skunk Town- ship, the latter having been merged into Washington, Franklin, and Elkhart.
REMARKS ON TOWNSHIPS.
It will be seen that in writing up the townships in order, we have omitted several, for the reason, in part, that three
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OF POLK COUNTY.
of them, Grant, Crocker, and Lincoln, are new creations, having had no independent history until a very late date, and for the additional reason that two others, Valley and Lee, have been so closely allied to Des Moines in a geo- graphical and historic sense, it would have been difficult, and indeed almost impossible, to consider them separately. It is noticed, as a rule, that the townships received their first colonies, between the years 1845 and 1850. Of the rural section, Beaver township, represented by Thos. Mitch- ell, was the first in 1844, to recognize a white inhabitant; and Jefferson, it is believed was the last.
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
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BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
The first mode in which the County Government was ad- ministered, was called the Commissioners system. The Board of Commissioners was elected for the first time, April 6th, 1846, before the Territory had become a State. · The first meeting of the Board took place April 13th, of that year. The three Commissioners were Wm. H. Mea- cham, Benjamin Saylor, and E. W. Fouts; with Wm. Mc- Kay, Clerk of the Board. To exhibit the range of their authority, as well as to record early events, we will here de tail some of their proceedings.
One of the first acts of the Board was to employ the eagle side of a half-dollar, as a temporary seal with which to authenticate their business. April 18th, W. Clapp and Addison Michael were licensed to keep grocery, a business which at that time included the sale of ardent spirits. April 14th, A. D. Jones was ordered to proceed as as soon as prac- ticable to lay off a town at the site selected for the County Seat of Polk county. July 1st, sale of lots ordered for the 15th of July in Fort Des Moines.
JUDGES OF ELECTION APPOINTED.
July 6th, 1846, judges were appointed for the ensuing August election, viz: James Stewart, William Stewart, and Stephen Cooper, for Apple Grove, or Thomas Mitchell's res- idence on Camp Creek; James Mount, James White, Sen.,
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OF POLK COUNTY.
and James McRoberts, for J. D. Parmalee's precinct, on Middle River; William Lamb, Thomas Morris, and Wm. Rickey, for Fort Des Moines; John Saylor, James Bradley, and James Thornton, for John Saylor's precinct.
July 7th, a poll tax of fifty cents on each male over twen- ty-one years of age, was ordered.
July 8th, A. D. Jones was ordered to make a plat of Fort Des Moines, for the use of Polk County.
July, 18, Peter Myers was auctioneer at the sale of town lots.
August 17th, 1846, the Board of Commissioners consisted of Thomas Black, Edward Martin, and James Mount, with Lewis Whitten as Clerk.
COUNTY PRECINCTS ORGANIZED.
September 22d, Dallas Precinct, including Dallas County proper, and all the country North and West of it, was or- ganized, and the place of election was at the house of Mr. Stump.
Skunk Precinct was bounded North by a line indefinite, East by East line of County, and South by a line running South of the house of Thomas Mitchell, and West by Four Mile Creek, and a line running due North of said creek, with voting place at Ely Trullinger's residence.
Democrat Precinct was bounded North by a line running South of Thos. Mitchell's; East, by East line of Polk County; South, by South line of said county, and West by a line running North and South from the house of Wm. Lower.
Three River Precinct was bounded North by a line run- ning West from the house of Wm. Lower; East, by a line running south from house of said Lower; South, by South line of Polk County, and West by a line indefinite, with place of election at Matthew Spurlock's.
Fort Des Moines Precinct was bounded North by a line
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY
indefinite, and a line running due West from the house of Thos. Mitchell; West to Des Moines River; East by Des Moines River, and a line running due North from the house of Wm. Lower, to line running West from house of Thos. Mitchell; South by line running due West from said Lower's; and West by West line of Polk County, with place of election at Fort Des Moines.
Clay Precinct was bounded North by a line indefinite; East, by Four Mile Creek, and a line running due North from source of said creek; South by a line running due West from the house of Thomas Mitchell, and West by Des Moines River, with voting place at John Saylor's resi- dence.
ELECTION JUDGES, &C.
The Judges of election for the Dallas Precinct were Mr. Stump, Thos. Corbell and Samuel Miller; for Democrat Precinct, Wm. S. Wallace, Creth Renfro, and J. Q. Deacon; for Three River, Matthew Spurlock, James McRoberts, and D. K. Harris; for Skunk Precinct, Henry Birge, Jennings, and Eli Trullinger.
October 7th, 1846. At this session of the Board, Lewis Whitten was appointed County Agent to sell lands, rent buildings, and perform various other duties.
JANUARY SESSION, 1847.
January term, 1847, Samuel Dilley and Thaddeus Wil- liams, were appointed Constables for Fort Des Moines Pre- cinct, and G. B Clark was appointed to take the census for 1847. P. M. Casady was paid $5.00 for professional services in a case before Esq. Meacham.
FEBRUARY TERM, 1847.
During the February term, John B. Scott was authorized to keep ferries across both rivers, with rates of toll as fol-
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OF POLK COUNTY.
lows: Footman, 5 cents; horseman, 12} cents; wagon and span of horses, 37} cents. These rates apply to both rivers. The Townships of Richland, Camp, Linn, Skunk, Madison and Des Moines, were organized at this time. During this term, Peter Myers gave bonds as Clerk of the District Court, and L. D. Winchester as Prosecuting At- torney.
APRIL AND MAY TERMS.
The first entry of the Board of Commissioners under the State organization, is dated April 12th 1847. The mem- bers of the Board were the same as last given. During this term, Edward Martin was allowed to keep a ferry at his residence. The Township of Four Mile was organized.
During the May term Lewis Whitten's name appears again as Clerk of the Board.
JULY TERM.
At the July meeting, 1847, the County was divided into three Commissioner Districts, and the county of Boone was set off from Polk, and called Boone Precinct. At the same term, Peter Myers was paid 182 cents for swearing nineteen jurors. August 10th, John M. Wallace filed his bond as Clerk of the District Court, and Thomas Baker, as Prosecu- ting Attorney. August 14th, 1847, James Campbell filed bonds as County Recorder and Treasurer.
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