USA > Iowa > Polk County > Des Moines > Des Moines, the pioneer of municipal progress and reform of the middle West, together with the history of Polk County, Iowa, the largest, most populous and most prosperous county in the state of Iowa; Volume I > Part 91
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Part of the development south of Fort Des Moines went to make up the history of Warren county, namely the townships obligingly loaned to Polk in 1846, to help Fort Des Moines secure the county seat-on the ground of a central location.
Allen and Bloomfield townships to the south and southeast, were closely related to the Fort. Allen was well named in honor of the man who first floated the flag of the Union within the present limits of Polk county. First to settle in this region was John D. Parmelee, whose exploits in the early Forties are elsewhere related. One George Leslie assisted Parmelee in building the first mill in this region. Later came G. B. Clark, who was given a permit to stake a claim on condition that he build a bridge over North river, a Warren county tributary to the Des Moines on the trail between the Fort and Knoxville. In 1847 came "Buffalo Bill" Reynolds, the Whites, the Phillipses and the Freels- Hoosiers all. From the Buckeye State came the Wards, the McMahons, William Rowe, John Parkinson and Austin Howard. Riley Driscol[1] came, that year, from Burlington, Iowa. "Uncle Jerry" Church came also with his head full of schemes for the development of his region. He and Daniel Moore laid out Carlisle, the most promising town between Fort Des Moines and Knoxville. He laid out the town of Liberty ; but on finding it was on school lands, abandoned it. He also laid out the town of Dudley, just over the present line in Polk county, and even boomed his town as a site for the location of the State Capital. He was also said to be interested, with Dr. Brooks and William Lamb, in laying out the boom-town of Brooklyn. He died in Carlisle in 1878.
The arrival of John D. McGlothlin, from Indiana, in the early summer of '46 in what is now Allen township, was an event for it put a strong working
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CITY OF DES MOINES AND POLK COUNTY
force into the pioneer life of that region. McGlothlin acquired the Clark claim, its owner having mysteriously disappeared. He resided on the claim until his death in 1878.
Following McGlothlin, in 1846-7, came McMahan, McRautin, McRoberts, Copic (or Coppoc), Osborn, Edgerton, Beach, Compton, Deaton, and others. In '49 came James Smith, from Delaware township, locating in Bloomfield township. Smith became a nurseryman and did much to develop his region from a wilderness to a fruit-bearing region. The entire Des Moines valley is deeply indebted to him for practically demonstrating the fact that fruit would actually grow in the valley! Other early settlers in Bloomfield bore the names of Phillips, Perkins, Means, Chiles, Blye, Bentley, Jones, Krysher, Hiskey, Flem- ing, Gooch, Spurlock, Shelton, Myrick and Bishop.
Closely related to Fort Des Moines also were the so-called North Des Moines settlements. John Saylor was undoubtedly the first white settler in the valley north of Fort Des Moines. He came in '43. Isaac Cooper soon followed, and Addison Michael made a good third. The first birth in that region was a son born to Mr. Michael, in April, 1846. James Ewing and John Witmer early established claims north of the Fort.
Across the Raccoon river, in what is now Valley township, located the Mc- Leans, Thomas and John, both from Virginia. Following them came the Hunts from Kentucky, Thomas Ball and Widow Fouts from Missouri.
A few miles north of the Saylors was Cantrell's mill, and farther up the river was the Grosclose mill. The first wedding known to have occurred in this neighborhood was that of Filman Bondurant at the Saylor home in '47. Benja- min Saylor and Elizabeth Norris were married not long afterward. One of the most prominent and active men in the county for many years was Franklin Nagle, the first justice of the peace in Saylor township. In 1848 a Methodist church was founded in the settlement with Elijah Crawford, its first class-leader. The most desirable claims along the Des Moines were soon taken up and by the close of the year, 1846, the dwellers of the settlement had become numerous. .
The Four-Mile settlement extended over a large area in the central portion of the county. Its beautiful groves alternating with rich prairies "looked good" in the eyes of the home-seekers of the Forties and Fifties. The pioneer bridge- builder. Peter Newcomer, having an eye to the future of Fort Des Moines, selected, as his reward for service rendered, a claim nearer the river than the creek. The lower course of the creek, first settled, became the early homes of Barlow, Barton, Harris, Thornton, pioneers bearing the well-known names:
Harvey, Elliott, Tiffin, McCall, Garrett, McBroom, Frederick, Humphreys, Currans (first justice of the peace), and George Stewart. Farther up the creek William Haworth, Isaac Thornton, William James and C. Brazelton were well known pioneers. Mr. Thornton and Mrs. Brazelton were killed in a railroad accident on an excursion which about seventeen old settlers were taking to their old homes in the East. Cory's Grove was the name of a little settlement founded by Elder Cory, whose son, Rev. I. M. T. Cory, has for several years and still is, chaplain of the Early Settlers' Association. C. Van Doren and a daughter of William James were the first "newly-weds" in the neighborhood. One of the most prominent preachers of the Baptist faith in central Iowa was the widely known Demas Robinson, of Delaware.
The region along the creek farther north was settled later. For years there was more or less rivalry between the dwellers in the timber and those who had settled upon the open prairie in that region. But in time the latter increased in numbers and ceased to be dependent upon their neighbors in the timber for school and road facilities and for timber supplies, and the old jealousy died a natural death. At an early date, two mills supplied the settlement-one Thomp- son's sawmill, and the other, Napier's combination lumber and flour mill. Later, Harvey's sawmill supplied much of the lumber required for the community.
The Camp Creek settlements exerted much influence on affairs in Polk
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CITY OF DES MOINES AND POLK COUNTY
county. Henry B. and Thomas Mitchell were the first settlers in that region. Thomas-better known as "Tom," and later as "Uncle Tom"-was one of the strong men of the county, as these pages have in many ways attested. Co- temporary with Captain Allen of Fort Des Moines, one of the county's organizers and the county's first sheriff, a representative in the Seventh General Assembly, a county supervisor and later a State Senator, Mr. Mitchell was an important factor in the development of Polk county. His first pioneer home was in an unbroken wilderness. When immigration set in from the east, his Apple Grove Farm became a famous halting place between Iowa City and Fort Des Moines. As one of the committee of five appointed by the claimsmen of the county to adjust difficulties and enforce the claims of the settlers, Mr. Mitchell laid the basis of his popularity as a public man.
Among the few pioneers of Camp in 1845 were Elijah Canfield, Patrick Kelley, David Ridgeway, and Edwin Martin. Squire Canfield was not only justice of the peace, but, later, township assessor and treasurer, member of the county board, organizer of the first school district in Camp township, and pro- moter of the first school in Four-Mile. He helped organize the first church in the southeastern part of Camp-a Methodist church. His son, G. P. Canfield, was three years old when his father located in the county and succeeded to his father's prominence as a farmer. D. B. Oglevie located in Rising Sun in 1846, and J. F. Oglevie followed him to the neighborhood in '47.
In the spring of 1846, Mr. Mitchell found himself no longer alone. Lewis M. Burk located in his neighborhood. Soon followed I. A. Vice, the Barlow brothers, Green Wheeler, the Porters, James N. Montgomery, Thomas Black (at one time a county commissioner), James Miller, Elijah Nicker.
Later in the Forties came Jonathan Hauser, the Brocketts, Arch Everett, and John Warren. The union of John Warren and Rhoda Canfield was the first marriage recorded in the community. Samuel Harvey and his son, Lysander, settled in Camp township in '48. The Camp Creek settlement extended farther and farther west until it crossed Mud creek and blended with the Four-Mile settlement. Growing out of the Camp settlement, but more properly belonging to that of Four Mile, was that founded by C. D. Reinking, who first stopped at Fort Des Moines, and afterward moved to a farm between Camp and Mud creek. Among the early settlers in this region are the Garretts, the McGarraughs, the Stewarts, the Deans, the Stuarts, the Simses, the Plummers, the Wood- wards, the Robertsons, David Hughes, Joseph Kuntz, Patrick Kelly, William Sweeney, David Johnston, Abel Fouts, Joseph Langdon. 'Squire Fouts early officiated at the wedding of Mr. Woodward and Miss Hendricks.
The settlements in the northeastern part of the county, in the Checaqua, or Skunk river valley, were founded by Eli Trulinger and Michael Lavish. In April, 1846, Mr. Trulinger took a claim in the southern part of Washington township on a belt of timber long afterward known as Trulinger's Grove. Others soon followed, attracted by the abundance of timber in that region. Farther north, in the timber in the northwestern part of Washington township, along the east bank of the river, Mr. Lavish founded the settlement known as Lavish's Grove. A son of Michael Lavish, with Joseph Jones, Nathan Webb, Ezekiel Jennings and others, soon created a flourishing settlement in this corner of the county. Christopher Birge, of Fort Des Moines, whose daughter, Elvira, and Benjamin Bryant were the first couple in the county to enter into the marriage relation, came to this region in '46, only to find there a grave during the follow-
ing winter. In that same year Walker Corey located another Corey's Grove farther up the river to the northwest. John Fisher also settled still farther north in the river valley. These two led solitary lives for several years. Their only visitors were hunters, trappers and fishermen both white men and Indian. More Indians than white men penetrated these wilds in the Forties. Not a few of the Sacs and Foxes, known now as the Musquakees, who had returned from the Missouri valley reservation to which they had been banished, found in the
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CITY OF DES MOINES AND POLK COUNTY
upper valley of the Checaqua, or Skunk, the old-time hunting and fishing they had vainly sought elsewhere.
Across the far-eastern corner of the county of Polk flows in the south- easterly direction a stream known as Indian creek. Not until 1852 was this region opened to settlement. The Pearsons, of Indiana, Aaron, Elkanah and Abel, then settled in the triangular corner east of the creek. The next year they were followed by John K. Hobaugh, who located on section I, the extreme northeastern corner of the county.
Hobaugh soon became a man of prominence. In 1856, when Washington township was organized, he was elected justice of the peace. He held the office for five years and then declined to serve longer. In '62 he was elected from Washington township to the Board of County Commissioners and served two years. In '63 he was elected school treasurer and served six years. G. W. Hobaugh came in '53 and the Randals, James and David, came to the Indian creek region in '54. These all together formed a small settlement of Hoosiers. The first marriage in that then remote region was performed in '53 by Elder Corey, uniting Isaac N. Alderman and Elizabeth, daughter of Aaron Pearson, and the first recorded birth was that of a daughter to this pioneer couple. A graveyard was laid out in section 2, in 1853, and the first to find a resting place there was Zenas Pearson. Three years later, in '56, G. W. Hobaugh and Seth Pearson were buried there. J. K. Hobaugh and a number 'of his relatives founded Peoria City, in section I, the farthest corner of the county. Two years later, the settlement had a population of about two hundred, giving a promise of growth which the future did not fulfill. The first religious service held in the Indian creek country was conducted by Dr. Jessup, of the Christian church, in 1853. The services were held at the home of Aaron Pearson.
The pioneer of the Beaver creek settlement, a few miles northwest of Des Moines, was William H. McHenry, afterwards Judge of the District Court of Polk county. He came into the Beaver creek region in 1848. He was one of the leaders in a local Claims Club. With Thomas Baker, and one Watts, he drafted laws for the club, and he was the club's representative to attend the land sales in Iowa City. Among the early settlers of Beaver creek was one Daggett, who laid out a town in that region. A town called Lovington was laid out in the Beaver creek valley in '54; but it has no place on the present map of the county. A prolific family named Murray, came to the Beaver creek country in 1850, bringing with them seventeen children.
The Walnut creek settlement dates from 1846, when Towne Hall entered a claim in the region, his claim including the Pressley Hall farm of a later time. Samuel Shaw followed. Then came John Jordan who settled in what was later called Hiner's Grove. One Hinton and Jacob Lyon came also. In that first year came James C. Jordan, a man destined to perform an important part in the history of the county. Mr. Jordan located a claim in section 16, township 78, range 25. For a time his nearest neighbors were in Dallas county. A Methodist preacher named Raynor, held services in the Jordan home in '49. The Bennetts, the Crows, and the Evanses-were prominent early settlers in this region. In '48 S. H. Lewis settled to the south on a small tributary to Walnut creek. Calvin and Benjamin Bennett came in '47 and settled on land between the creek and the Raccoon, about six miles west of the Fort. Charles Murrow and his son D. B. Murrow, and R. Campbell, came in '48. Samuel Shaw, James Henton, Leroy Lambert, Joseph Mott, Samuel Lewis and John Crow were other early settlers in this region.
The Big creek region was also a favorite with the pioneers. Andrew Gros- close, one of the first to take a claim, located on the west side of the creek, about three miles north of the present site of Polk City. His mill farther down the river was one of the best in the country. He held several responsible offices in the county, and amassed a small fortune; but the lure of pioneer life led him to migrate westward. George Beebe located near Grosclose in the spring of
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'46, and was the first magistrate in northern Polk. In 1850, he laid out Polk City, opening a general store and erecting a mill. The names Piper and Barnum are associated with early merchandising in Polk City. D. C. Marts and Andrew Messersmith came into the Big creek neighborhood in '46. In the same year came C. M. Burt who located in what is now Crocker township. He then re- moved to Madison township where he established a homestead. The first reported death in the neighborhood was that of Mrs. Burt, wife of Calvin Burt. Among the names prominent in the Big creek settlement in the late Forties and early Fifties are the following: Van Dorn, Harvey, Bryan, Hopkins, Bowman, Crab- tree, Hauser, Small, Spaulding, Bristow, Norris, Hayes, Bryant, Herbert, Will- iams, Harvey, Wilson, Deitz, Andrews, Murray, Stanford, McClain, Hunt, Greg- ory. and Murray. There were three rival towns in the Big creek settlement ; Montecule, founded by John Hauser; Corydon, founded by J. Skidmore, and Polk City, founded by George Beebe,-and in the end, the greatest of these was Polk City. The Stutzman mill erected in the settlement by Conrad Stutzman, was one of the institutions of northern Polk. Mr. Stutzman resided in the county until his death in 1869. The Hammond mill was another meeting place of the settlers in early days. Alexander Swim was the pioneer miller in the neighborhood. His mill was operated by horse power. When he first came to that region he found the remains of an Indian village called Wahkonsa, and out of the material left by the first inhabitants, constructed a dwelling. Among the pioneer preachers of the settlement was the ubiquitous Thompson Bird, so closely identified with Des Moines history. Preachers Adams, Marts and De- Moss are also identified with the early history of this thriving settlement.
Thus were the water-courses of Polk so many gateways of civilization, through which the pioneer settlers of the Forties and Fifties entered into the promised land.
CHAPTER XIII.
POLK COUNTY FAIRS AND THE STATE FAIR.
Polk county early responded to the healthful impulse of farming communities to get together and compare notes. An unknown contributor to the local press, signing himself "Poor Farmer, Log Cabin, Polk County," was credited with the honor of first publicly suggesting an agricultural society in Polk county.
The first county fair was a small affair, held in the old courthouse yard in October, 1852.
May 28, '53, the Polk County Agricultural Society was organized, with Dr. T. K. Brooks, chairman, and A. J. Stevens secretary. The meeting was ad- dressed by Drs. J. C. Bennett, J. W. Morris, Madison Young, Hoyt Sherman and D. O. Finch.
The first fair held by the society was in September of that year. The Star of July 28, '53, announces with much satisfaction "the following liberal premium list offered by the Polk County Agricultural Society for the best exhibits at the First Annual Fair of the Society :"
Class A-Cattle, 24 premiums, total premiums $47
Class B-Horses, 26 premiums, total premiums 71
Class C-Sheep, 5 premiums, total premiums I3
Class D-Swine, 14 premiums, total premiums 25
Class E-Poultry, 18 premiums, total premiums 4I
Class F-Farm Implements, 20 premiums, total premiums 50
Class G-Farm Products, II premiums, total premiums 19
Class H-Fabrics, 9 premiums, total premiums I6
Grand total $282
The first annual was held in the valley of the 'Coon, near what was then known as Horse-shoe Lake, not far from town. Dr. J. C. Bennett, of Polk City, developed much interest by an exhibition of blooded stock in a pen built by Tom Mitchell and J. D. McGlothlin; Mitchell himself exhibited a fine Durham bull. Jacob Frederick and son made a showing of fine-wooled sheep. Dr. Brooks had an exhibit of horses. The farm and garden exhibits were numerous. The women of '53 had not yet reached the fancy-work stage. Dr. Brooks was president of the society, and Thomas Mitchell, B. F. Allen and F. R. West were directors.
For several years the fairs were annually held on the banks of the 'Coon and with a moderate degree of success. That of 1857 was especially successful. The equestrianism of Mrs. Savery and Mrs. Hanley was a popular feature of that year. The Art Hall was a circular tent, in which Joseph P. Sharman of Des Moines, exhibited a collection of photographic views-a novelty of the period. 'A' team of forty-two yoke of oxen on exhibition suggested the resourcefulness of pioneer farmers collectively in overcoming the difficulty of transportation over muddy roads. Several returned Californians gave an exhibition of skill with the lariat.
A meeting was held in the House of Representatives, Des Moines, Decem-
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ber 15, 1858, for the purpose of organizing a District Agricultural Society in or near Des Moines, to include with Polk the counties of Marion, Warren, Madison, Dallas, Boone, Story and Jasper. Polk county's delegates were: Alex- ander Shaw of Lee township; J. C. Bennett, Madison; Samuel Reed, Camp; J. Smith and Samuel Bell, Bloomfield; S. M. Dyer, Delaware; H. Torrey, Lee; Ira Curtis, Des Moines; Samuel Chambers, Beaver. Their alternates were: Daniel Justice, Beaver; J. M. Walker, Madison; A. B. Pearson, Camp; H. C. Hargis and A. B. Lyman, Bloomfield; Demas Robertson, Delaware; Peter New- comer, Lee; H. Fagen, Des Moines; T. Mitchell, Beaver; R. L. Tidrick, Des Moines.
Polk county Agricultural and Horticultural societies, undeterred by the war and the bad business of the previous year, early arranged for holding a fair in the fall of '62. The president, A. B. Lyman, and the secretary, J. M. St. John, were instructed to confer with the District society, including several counties and arrange if possible for a district fair at the county seat. The district fair was held and for several years was measurably successful.
In May, 1870, the Polk County Agricultural and Industrial Association was formed. Prior thereto, Polk County and her neighbors had held Central Iowa District fairs on the banks of the 'Coon; but from this time on, the new asso- ciation held its fairs without help from other counties. The company was stocked for $50,000-individual members not liable for debts of the association. Its incorporators were: S. D. Welling, Alexander Shaw, C. P. Holmes, W. C. Kent, C. S. Johnson, Thomas Hatton, H. H. Robinson, L. M. Sanford, O. W. Munsell, S. F. Spofford, Harry West, M. W. Robinson, A. P. Ayres, William Patrick, F. R. West and George W. Savery. Mr. Robinson was president; Mr. Munsell, vice-president; Dr. Shaw, secretary; and John A. Elliott, treasurer. Its first fair was held in September, 1872, on the grounds of a Driving Park Association -covering about seventy acres between Horse-shoe Lake and the Raccoon river. It was sufficiently successful to warrant a second fair in September of the fol- lowing year. The association was thoroughly organized, with M. W. Robinson of Walnut township, president, Dr. Alexander Shaw of Lee township, secre- tary, and a long list of township directors, with their post-office addresses as reported :
Allen township-John Mclaughlin, (John D. McGlothlin), Avon; J. T. Wright, Carlisle.
Beaver-Lindsey Carr, Altoona; Thomas Mitchell, Mitchellville.
Bloomfield-John Hays, John Smith.
Camp-Erastus E. Smith, Adelphi; Calvin Brockett, Vandalia.
Crocker-Franklin Nagle, Saylorville; David Martz, Polk City.
Delaware-C. A. Johnson, James Porter.
Douglas-William Madden, Greenwood; W. Justice, Greenwood.
Elkhart-Joseph Hutton, Elkhart; Kinney, Elkhart.
Franklin-A. C. Bondurant, Altoona; Wm. Thompson, Altoona. Four Mile-James A. Dunnigan, Rising Sun; Elia Hawkins, Des Moines. Grant-F. Prentice, Wm. Bennett.
Jefferson-John White, Ridgedale; John Lawson, Ridgedale.
Lee-Isaac Brandt, Des Moines; Wesley Redhead, Des Moines.
Lincoln-Thomas Kelsell, Palmer; Hector Mason, Polk City.
Madison-N. R. Kuntz, Polk City ; J. M. Walker, Polk City. Saylor-William Patrick, Newton Harris.
Valley-Warren Sovereign, W. H. H. Myers.
Walnut-David Beatty, H. Robinson.
Washington-Not represented.
Financial difficulties followed and it was with much effort that the associa- tion was kept alive.
The Central District Association refusing to disband, there was antagonism between the two bodies. Attempts at consolidation were finally successful and
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CITY OF DES MOINES AND POLK COUNTY
in 1875 the two societies united to hold one fair, adding somewhat to the total of premiums. The officers of the consolidated association were: William Pat- rick, president; Daniel Flynn, vice-president; P. H. Bristow, secretary; H. H. Robinson, treasurer. On the date of the fair, late in September, the grounds were ten feet under water! The fair was postponed about three weeks, and was able to pay only fifty cents on the dollar in premiums. In 1876, O. W. Munsell was president, H. H. Robinson vice-president, P. H. Bristow secretary and Simon Casady treasurer. Heavy rains repeated and emphasized the failure of the previous year, and the society disbanded.
The State Fair.
Polk county's exhibit in the first State Fair held in Fairfield in 1854 would hardly be termed representative! The only local feature noted by Negus in his "Early History of Iowa" was the following: "Mr. Moore, of Ft. Des Moines had a large variety of stuffed birds, presented in such a way that they presented a life-like appearance."
The first State Fair held in Brown's Grove, West Des Moines, was in 1880. In 1886 the General Assembly purchased 266 acres in Lee township, about two miles east of the Capitol and there permanently located the fair as a State in- stitution. The grounds cost the State $50,000, citizens of Des Moines contrib- uting a like sum to complete the purchase. In 1890 the General Assembly dis- banded the State Agricultural Society and organized a State Board of Agricul- ture, which now has the Fair in charge. Since the original purchase the State has acquired, altogether, 300 acres, and on the grounds has erected buildings valued at not less than $800,000.
The number of exhibitors and the number of entries at the State Fair of IgII, in the several departments, were largely in excess of those of other years, and were as follows: (the row of figures on the left representing the exhibitors, those on the right the number of exhibits)-
Horses
IOI
1,958
Cattle
72
. 1,203
Swine
16I
1,973
Sheep
33
751
Poultry
99
1,297
Agricultural products
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