USA > Iowa > Madison County > History and business directory of Madison County, Iowa > Part 4
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Crawford Township-John Carroll entered the N. E. qr. of the S. E. qr. of section 25, October 24, 1850.
Lee Township-John Hoge entered the N. W. qr. of the N. E. qr. of section 5, Oct. 25, 1850.
Union Township-George W. Guye entered the S. W. qr. of section 5, Jan. 21, 1850. This was the first piece of land entered in Madison county.
51
ADVERTISEMENTS.
STONE & STURMAN,
DEALERS IN
AND
CUTLERY
HARDWARE, TINWARE,
Agricultural Implements, &c., WINTERSET, IOWA.
SOLE AGENTS FOR
WALTER A, WOOD'S REAPER AND MOWER,
Also for Rassaw and Monroe Wagons.
Plows, Wagons,
CULTIVATORS, THE MARSH HARVESTER, AND ALL KINDS OF
FARMING IMPLEMENTS,
CONSTANTLY ON HAND, Southeast Corner Public Square.
Iron and Steel, and Wood-work for Wagons; Sole Agents in Madison County for the Moline Plows; also for Comstock & Co.'s (Keokuk), Stoves. A good assortment of the Stone Cham- ber Pump. Garden and Field Seeds. A general assortment of Shelf Hardware.
52
HISTORY.
Douglas Township-Quite a number of entries were made February 4, 1850, by John A. Pitzer, Claiborn Pitzer, and others.
Madison Township-Henry Groseclose entered the S. W. qr. of section 22, February 4, 1850; and Robert G. H. Hannah entered the S. E. qr. of section 35, on the same day.
Jackson Township-R. L. Tidrick entered the west half of the S. E. qr. and the east half of the S. W. qr. of section 11. October 25, 1850.
Penn Township-W. M. Mendenhall entered the N. W. qr. N. E. of. section 1, October 3, 1858.
Monroe Township-J. C. P. Malone entered the first piece of land in this township. June 12, 1851.
The first transfer of land made in the county was a piece of land in Douglas township, sold by J. A. Pitzer to John Wilhoit, February 7, 1850.
STONE.
Madison county is famous far and near for her excellent stone. It exists in inexhaustible supplies in all parts of the county, excepting only the north-east part. It would not be exaggeration to state that all the State could be supplied with lime made from the stone of her quarries, and that all the roads of the county could be macadamized and the farms fenced with stone fences, without any apparent diminution of the quantity remaining in store in her quarries.
Geologically, the rock belongs to the coal formation, and consists of sand-stone, fire clay, slate, shale and lime-stone. The sand-stone, which is the lowest formation, is generally too soft for practical purposes, but occasionally quarries of fine texture are met with, out of which good building stones and grindstones are procured. Above this lie beds of very pure limestone, composed entirely of fossil shells, and forming a rich mine to the geologist, rare and beautiful specimens being con- tinually met with. The limestone lays in beds from two to twelve inches in thickness, growing heavier as the quarries are wrought into the bluffs. It generally breaks with a glossy fracture and spawls well. It makes excellent lime, and is a strong and durable building material, too hard to be crushed by any weight and is not subject to
NOTE .- In the early days of the county the records were kept on loose sheets of paper, and some deeds have no doubt been lost. By act of the Legislature. approved January 19, 1853, I. D. Guiberson was appointed to gather up and record all deeds and mortgages. The papers which he gathered and transcribed filled a large blank book of 260 pages. Now the total number of pages recorded in the Recorder's office, is 13,801; 6,326 pages have been transcribed since the time that our present Recorder- 0. A. Moser-came into office In 1855; showing that the transactions in real estate in this county, of late years, is immense.
53
ADVERTISEMENTS.
BEVINGTON & HUTCHINGS, LAND AGENTS,
Winterset, Madison Co., Iowa. LAND BOUGHT AND SOLD,
REFER TO BUSINESS MEN OF THE STATE GENERALLY.
S. B. WHEELOCK,
DEALER IN
GROCERIES, 0
Has the largest and most complete assortment of
FAMILY GROCERIES
Ever brought to Winterset. He aims to meet the patronage of the people of Madison County, by attending closely to business, keeping up a good stock, and selling at low figures.
The highest market price paid for country produce.
The public are respectfully invited to give him a call.
T. M. WILKINSON,
Carpenter and Joiner,
WINTERSET, IOWA.
Will do any work, in the carpenter line in good workmanlike manner and on short notice.
54
HISTORY.
.
disintegration or decay in the building. It exists in the greatest abundance, all the bluffs along the streams being composed of it, and it is generally easily quarried. In the west and south-east part of the county, on the top of the highest bluffs, above the common limestone, is found several layers of Oalitic limestone. This is much softer than the common limestone and makes a good stone for cutting purposes. It is of a rich cream color,-the true " stone color," as seen in the paleons of architects-sometimes nearly pure white, sometimes nearly yellow. It takes a good finish with the tool and hammer, but is not fitted for polishing. It retains its color well ; the buildings constructed out of it twelve years ago looking as bright after a shower as when first erected. It makes an excellent building stone, and is probably the best or among the best stone for cutting purposes found in the State. It is not nearly so abundant as the common limestone, but there is enough of it to supply a large demand for several years.
When the quarries are first opened, the stone is small as "ripple stone, " but soon grow into ledges, and when fairly opened, they are about eight feet in thickness of this stone, generally capped by a " bustard " stone, about one and a half feet thick, which is unfit for cutting purposes, while the floor of the quarry, which is generally a perfect level, is composed of the common limestone, and it continues downward for about fifty feet further, when beds of shale, slate and fire clay are met with, while the whole is underlaid with the " drift" formation, composed of the plutonic rocks, granite, parphy, conglom- erate, etc. It is probably from this formation that the specimens of lead, iron, copper and gold ore, which have been found in the county, have been derived. The slate shales contain an oil resembling, if not identical with petroleum, the oozing out of which, in the Spring, led some uufortunate individuals to invest in oil wells, and the finding of black sand in the sloughs led others to invest in the search for gold, resulting very unsatisfactorily.
It is not probable that Madison county will ever be celebrated for its mineral wealth, but the abundance and quality of her stone, with the nearly total destitution of the surrounding counties, point to a large and continually increasing revenue for her people from this source alone. And her citizens have already realized, in their public build- ings, their magnificent stone mansions, farm houses, barns and fences, that it is a very handy thing to live in a county blessed with an abundance of limestone. Large quantities of Madison county lime and stone have been carried off to Des Moines and other places.
Among the most noted quarries in the immediate vicinity of Win- terset, we will mention those owned by David Harris, W. P. Cassidy and Elias Stafford.
.
55
ADVERTISEMENTS.
DR. A. C. BALDOCK. ECLECTIC
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON,
Office at residence, 4 blocks north and one west of ST. NICHOLAS HOTEL,
WINTERSET, IOWA.
PURSELL & BARTLETT,
Meat Market.
West Side Public Square, Winterset, Iowa.
The Best Meats Always on Hand ! A FIRST CLASS BUTCHER SHOP IN ALL RESPECTS. REGULAR MARKET EVERY DAY. CASH PAID FOR HIDES.
JAMES MONAHAN, BLACKSMITH,
EAST PART OF TOWN, WINTERSET.
All work well done in his line, to the satisfaction of the public. Particular attention given to shoeing.
Meat Market.
56
HISTORY.
TIMBER.
Early settlers inform us that when they first came into the county, more than one-fourth of the entire county was composed of timber lands. And it is now so abundant along the streams as to make it de- sirable to check rather than encourage its encroachments upon the prairie. It is of excellent growth and quality. The numerous saw mills in Madison county will abundantly testify as to the quantity and quality of her timber. The different varieties of timber are as follows : White and red oak, cottonwood, elm, hickory, black and white ash, linden, black walnut, white walnut, willow, wild cherry, hackberry, crab-apple, wild plum, white maple, sugar maple, white birch, black locust, sarvis, and other varieties. Along the bluffs of North and Ce- dar rivers, are found considerable growths of cedar, hawthorn and kinekanick. Many trees not indigenous to the soil of Madison county, are also cultivated with considerable success.
COAL.
The coal veins of Madison county have not, as yet, been developed to any considerable extent. The abundant supply of wood for ordinary fuel, and for running steam machinery, have greatly retarded the develop- ment of the coal beds of the county. There are mines, however, that are worked to some extent, in the north part and also in the southern half of the county. The veins now tapped in the county, range from nine inches in thickness to three feet. The cheapness of wood has pre- vented the outlay of capital in opening veins, except to obtain surface coal. Prof. White, the state Geologist, when he visited this county, gave it as his opinion that abundance of coal could be reached by sink- ing shafts from one hundred to two hundred feet in the valleys of the streams. It is the opinion of others, capable of forming a sound judge- ment on such matters, that there is an abundant supply of coal within the county, and that it but needs to be developed.
WILD FRUIT.
The early settlers found in the timber and along the streams, an abundance of wild fruit, such as plums, grapes, crab apple, wild cherry, wild currants, gooseberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, sarvisberries, black and red haws, etc. Butternuts, walnuts, hickory- nuts and hazel-nuts also abounded in great profusion. The plums are of three varicties,-and the large yellow, sometimes measuring three and a half inches in diameter, is as luscious as any Damask or Yellow plums that ever grew in gardens. Some of the crab apples are also of the large variety, about the size of common hen's eggs. The
57
ADVERTISEMENTS.
McCALMAN & Co.,
DEALERS IN AND MANUFACTURERS OF ALL KINDS OF
ONE DOOR East of Post Office.
WINTERSET
UNSURPASSED FOR
EASE
COMFORT.
TRY A PAIR
FINE SEWED WORK Of all kinds, and REPAIRS.
Also a Full and Selected Stock of
HATS AND CAPS,
OF ALL STYLES,
FURS, GLOVES, & MITTENS, North Side of Square, Sign of the "BIG BOOT," WINTERSET, IOWA.
BOOTS & SHOES,
MEN'S AND BOYS' KIP & CALF BOOTS & SHOES, OF ALL GRADES, LADIES' Goat-kid & Serge Gaiters.
Special Attention to
53
HISTORY.
wild fruit is still grown in great abundance along the river bottoms. Where nature has done so well for wild fruits, it certainly will do equally well for tame, or grafted fruits, of equal hardihood.
CROPS.
Corn, wheat, oats and potatoes are the principal crops of Madison county, though rye, barley, sorghum, and the principal grasses are raised very extensively.
Corn in this county will generally average about sixty bushels per acre. The varieties mostly raised are the "White " and "Yellow, " without any particular name ; though all varieties are raised. Some- times enormous yields of corn are produced. We remember that at the County Fair of 1865, Jonathan Cox brought proof that he had measured one acre of his corn crop, and that it had yielded him one hundred and seven and a half bushels per acre. J. W. Cooper had raised one hundred and four bushels per acre, and Wm. R. Shriver had raised sixty-five bushels on one half acre of ground. These are only a few of the many instances where the corn crop has yielded over one hundred bushels per acre.
The wheat crop of the county will average from fifteen to twenty bushels per acre. The Spring varieties are mostly raised.
The oat crop of the county generally averages abont thirty-five bushels to the acre.
The potato crop is very extensively cultivated and with great profit, the crops sometimes yielding as high as three and four hundred bushels per acre.
Grasses are now being cultivated to a considerable extent, especially in the more thickly settled portions of the county, where the range has been fenced in ; but in the more sparsely settled neighborhoods the prairie grass furnishes as good hay as is desired. Timothy and Blue Grass are the standard cultivated grasses.
Sorghum thrives exceedingly well and for a number of years past Madison county has made its own molasses, none worth mentioning being imported.
Hedging with the osage orange in Madison county has been tried by many farmers, with great success. We are informed by reliable nurserymen that there is at the present time, over two hundred miles of osage orange fence in the county.
SOIL. 1
According to the report of our State Geologist, sustained by the actual experiments of our farmers and the yearly yield of grain, the quality of the soil of Madison county is not surpassed anywhere. It is
59
ADVERTISEMENTS.
SEEVERS & SEEVERS, PROPRIETORS OF THE
WINTERSET
INDIANOLA
AND
NURSERIES,
Keep constantly on hand a large and full supply of all varieties of
Apples, Quince, Cherry, Plum, Siberian Crab, Chestnut, Persimmons, And all varieties of Fruit Trees adapted to the Climate.
They also have a splendid supply of
BALSAM FIRS, HEMLOCK, WEEPING SPRUCE, AMERICAN ARBOR-VITÆ,
AND OTHER EVERGREEN TREES.
They keep a full supply of the Concord Grapes, Delaware, Ives Seedling, and other varieties of Grapes.
They have the American Larch, the Mountain Ash, the Yellow Birch, Purple Fringe, and other Ornamental Trees. Also Shrub- bery and Flower Plants.
60
HISTORY.
a black loam and is as rich as can be. It is, on an average, two feet deep all over the prairie, and it is almost impossible to distinguish between the soil and the sub-soil. For several feet down it is of the richest lime, and partakes of the argillaceous nature. In the south part of the county sand enters as a constituent more largely than in other parts of the county. The soil in all parts of the county, however, is so light and porous and the general surface of the country being so well drained that it dries soon after a heavy rain ; one day's sunshine is sufficient to dry the roads completely. All the vegetables and cereals common to the temperate zone grow luxuriantly in this fertile soil. On the prairie is a solid formation of clay, which gives the soil the power of retaining moisture a remarkable length of time, so that drouth does not affect this section of country to any considerable extent. Consequently an entire failure of crops has never been known.
WELLS AND SPRINGS.
Abundance of good pure, limestone water, clear and sparkling as crystal, is found in almost all parts of the county, by digging from ten to thirty feet.
There are thousands of beautiful springs scattered all over the county, in every direction. Many of them never dry, in the dryest seasons, or freeze over in the coldest winters. One large spring, near the Madison Woolen Mills furnishes sufficient water for the use of that steam factory and for small villages which has sprung up around it.
CLIMATE AND HEALTH.
The health of Madison county is as good as that of any county in the state, and will compare favorably with that of any other state in the Un- ion. There is but little rain or mud in the winter season, the roads gen- erally being dry all winter. It is not common to have more than six inches of snow, although it drifts to a considerable extent. High winds pre- vail to some extent in the winter, and the climate is somewhat rigorous, but not any more so than in the same latitude in the Eastern states. The summer and autumn are most delightful. During the enchanting seasons of summer and autumn, everybody is impressed with a sense that Iowa is the most delightful country on the face of the globe. Fe- ver and ague, and other disorders which result from miasmatic influences, are scarcely known in Madison county. The climatic conditions of this part of Iowa are such that it cannot help but being healthy.
STREAMS.
Madison County is within the limits of the " Three River country." It was thus designated, because of the three rivers, nearly of the same
61
ADVERTISEMENTS.
J. SLOAN. A. J. RUSSELL.
SLOAN & RUSSELL, Physicians and Surgeons, WINTERSET, IOWA.
- Special attention given to Operative Surgery and Diseases of Women. 19 Residence, one block West of St. Nicholas Hotel.
Mrs. KATE RUMMELL, PROPRIETRESS
MILLIVERY EMPORIUM, AND
General Fancy Store.
She keeps constantly on hand a good assortment of all articles in the Millinery line. Ladies are respectfully invited to call and examine goods and prices.
J. Q. WHITE, HOUSE BUILDER.
GENERAL CARPENTER, AND
WINTERSET, IOWA. All work in the Carpenter line done in the best workmanlike manner and on short notice.
JESSE TRUITT,
PLASTERER !
Winterset, Iowa,
Is fully prepared to do in the very best style of the art, any work that may be desired in his line, and on reasonable terms.
62
HISTORY.
size, but a few miles apart, and running parallel to each other, in a direction slightly north-east, directly through the county, emptying into the Des Moines River. These streams were early designated according to their respective positions. North River rises in Guthrie county, runs through the north-east corner of Adair county, and enters Madi- son some six miles south of the north-west corner, and in running through it from west to east, passes through seven different congressional town- ships. It affords sufficient water power for manufacturing and milling purposes, during the year, except in extremely dry seasons, when it is necessary to economise in the use of the water. It has two principal branches. North Branch and Cedar Creek. North Branch is north of North River, and heads near the Adair county line, nearly at the north-west corner of Madison, and runs in a direction slightly south- east through the three westerly townships, of Penn, Madison, and Jack- son of the north tier in the county, before emptying into North River. This branch is also large enough to afford water power for ordinary purposes. Cedar Creek is a smaller stream than North Branch, and rises near the center of the west part of the county, and flows slightly north of east, through three townships, Douglas, Union and Crawford, before reaching North River. It received its name from the fact that quite a large growth of cedar trees extend along its banks. Middle River likewise heads in Guthrie county, and passing through Adair, enters Madison near the center of the west line, and in flowing in the general direction from west to east through the county, waters five different congressional townships.
It furnishes water-power sufficient for ordinary purposes, during the year, except in very dry seasons, when it is considerably weakened.
Clanton Fork of Middle River, waters the three westerly townships -Grand River, Monroe and Walnut-of the southern tier in the county, by flowing from west to east, and thence running southeast, and furnishing water for the southern townships of the eastern tier, and passes out of the county near the centre of the east line. This stream is also large enough before leaving the county to furnish water power during a portion of the year for milling purposes. It received its name from the fact that the Clanton brothers were the first settlers who located on its banks.
Jones' Creek is a goodly sized stream, north of Clanton, and furnishes water for the three easterly townships, of the second tier from the south line of the county. It empties into Clanton some three and a half miles west of the east line of the county.
South River, the last of the triple rivers, flows from the south-west to the north-east, traversing a distance of some six or seven miles
63
ADVERTISEMENTS
L. M. TIDRICK, M. D., PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON,
NORTH SIDE OF PUBLIC SQUARE,
WINTERSET, - IOWA.
C. W. CHAPMAN, MACH
AND MILLWRIGHT,
Winterset, - - Iowa.
DAVID HARRIS, STONE MASON!
WINTERSET, IOWA.
Mr. HARRIS is one of the oldest and best Stone Masons in Western Iowa, and he has
THE BEST QUARRY IN MADISON COUNTY. Stone furnished either in the rough or dressed at reasonable rates.
O. A. MOSER, COUNTY RECORDER,
AND
NOTARY PUBLIC.
Will examine Titles, pay Taxes and execute deeds and other Conveyances, and will attend all business usually done by a Notary Public.
64
HISTORY.
across the south-east corner of the country. It is, like North and Middle River, sufficiently large to furnish good water-power.
Grand River is west of the Middle, on the " Slope. " It flows from the north-west, slightly east of south, through the south-western corner of the county, over a distance of some ten or twelve miles, furnishing water for the two southerly townships,-Grand River and Webster-of the western tier. It is large enough to furnish water for milling purposes. It is said to have received its name from the size it attains in Missouri, before emptying into the Missouri river. In comparison with the pretty streams on either side of it, flowing from the same general direction; being the largest, it was considered a grand river, and hence took the name of Grand.
Badger Creek rises near the center of the north tier of townships and flows through the center of the two easterly townships-Jefferson and Lee of the tier to the county line on the east. It is a goodly sized stream, furnishing water for stock and other purposes, during the year. It is said to have taken its name from the animals bearing the same, which at one time were quite numerous along its banks.
The principal streams of the county have now all been mentioned ; but there are still others large enough to furnish sufficient water for stock and farm purposes, and there are numerous springs in different parts of the county which yield bountiful supplies of water for the entire year.
The streams are so favorably situated and flow in such directions as not to leave a single township of the seventeen without plenty of stock water; and at least ten of them, and perhaps twelve, have water sufficient for milling and manufacturing purposes.
APPLE ORCHARDS.
In the early days of the county a prevailing opinion existed among the settlers that fruit would not succeed well in this climate, and they regarded it as a useless expense to lay out money for the purchase of fruit trees. But experience has long since taught them that they were mistaken, and that this is, on the contrary, a favorable climate for hardy varieties of fruit. A few of the early settlers, however, more venturesome than the rest, planted fine orchards. Among them, we might mention the following: James Harris, N. S. Alcock, Alexander Blair, James Butler, Bassil Pursell, Albert Getchel, T. D. Jones, Aaron Howell, Otho Davis, P. M. Boyles, and others. Their orchards are all doing well, and they bear magnificent fruit. For size, beauty and flavor, the apples grown in Madison county are not, perhaps, surpassed by any grown in the West. At the State Horticultural Society Fair,
.
65
ADVERTISEMENTS
Dr. E. L. HILLIS, HOMEOPATHIC PHYSICIAN, AND
SURGEON.
OFFICE ON THE NORTH SIDE PUBLIC SQUARE. WINTERSET, IOWA.
St. Nicholas Hotel, WINTERSET, IOWA.
CAVANAUGH & BARNES, -
-
- Landlords.
They will take great pains and make it their constant effort to make the St. Nicholas a pleasant place for travelers to stop at, and will spare no expense to sustain, in every respect, a First-Class House.
GLAZEBROOK & TRYON,
PROPRIETORS,
LIVERY STABLE
WINTERSET, IOWA.
Have 20 head of Horses and 16 Buggles and Carriages, and they flatter themselves that they can now furnish as good a "rig" as can be furnished by any Livery in Western Iowa. Customers furnished with good Horses and Carriages of all description, on favorable terme. 5
66
HISTORY.
held at Des Moines last fall, A. A. Getchel, of this county, took the premium for the largest and best variety of apples. And it is a common remark that the apples displayed yearly at the Madison County Fair, are "the finest apples ever seen anywhere." T. D. Jones reports that one of his Pearmain apple trees bore eighteen bushels of apples, in one season, ten years after it had been planted out. For hardy varieties of apples, this portion of Iowa will compare favorably with the best fruit growing sections of the West.
We copy the following in regard to the cultivation of the apple, from the pen of our fellow-townsman, Jeff. T. Seevers, Esq :
" Any variety of apple, by constant propagation, will so much partake of the seedling stock on which it may be grafted, that the fruit will deteriorate until it becomes nearly worthless. The yellow Bellflower has grown so much into deeline that it is almost discarded. The White Winter Pearmain is not now in Iowa what it was ten years ago. The apples are small and not so well flavored as formerly. This deficiency could be avoided by raising trees from their own roots.
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