USA > Iowa > Audubon County > History of Audubon county, Iowa; its people, industries, and institutions > Part 5
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The first demand on the settlers was to provide places of abode. They brought only a limited supply of food and provisions, also seed for start- ing their first crops, and the commonest articles for household use, plows and implements for farming, and a few common mechanical tools. They brought their trusty rifles, upon which to depend for defense, if necessary, and upon which to depend for venison and game to supply them with meat.
After providing their shelter, the next serious claim was a supply of food. Elk and deer were abundant, as well as many kinds of small game. To the uninitiated this may, at first thought, suggest luxurious living and a land of milk and honey, so to speak. It is far from the real fact. A taste of venison or game now and then is a dainty; but, for steady diet, it soon becomes unpalatable and tiresome. Then, a feed of bacon, salt pork or most anything for a change is delicious. Still, people can exist almost wholly on game, if it becomes a necessity.
PIONEER IMPROVEMENTS.
The first cabins were built of logs (timber was abundant) and with- out floors. Afterwards, floors were made of "puncheons," split from logs and hewed to place. Rock or mud and sticks were used in the construc- tion of fireplaces and chimneys. The cooking was all done at the open fireplace, even the bread being baked before the fire in tin "reflectors," arti- cles unseen or unheard-of by the present generation, or in Dutch ovens.
Stables then, and many years later, were built by setting forked posts in the ground, with a frame of poles for the roof, covered with wild hay, banked up with manure, as it was used, which made comfortable shelters
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for stock. When they became difficult of ingress and egress, from accum- ulation of manure, the stable was moved, as it was cheaper and easier than to move the manure. Verily, methods of agriculture have evolutionized.
The expense of erecting buildings, breaking out and fencing farms greatly exceeded the first cost of the land; but it was done by the bone and muscle of the pioneer, which did not call for cash, a scarce item in those days. Farms, at first, were usually fenced with high, zigzag rail fences, split out from the finest oak and walnut timber. Such improvements would be an expensive luxury now; it was cheap then.
LIVE STOCK.
Hamlin and Jenkins both brought horses and cattle in 1851. As the settlers multiplied, stock increased and soon hogs and poultry became com- mon. The Herricks, who came from near Beloit, Wisconsin, by way of Dubuque and Des Moines, brought several hundred sheep, in 1854. They were the first sheep brought to the county. "Folly" Herrick says it was his job to herd them along the ridge where John now lives. Uncle "Natty Hamlin" brought a large hand-mill, which was used alternately by the neighbors for grinding corn and buckwheat. Many people grated new corn as a substitute for meal and flour.
FIRST DEATH IN THE SETTLEMENT.
The year of the first settlement had not ended when the little colony was visited by the sad affliction of death in childbirth of the wife of Philip Arthur Decker, in December, 1851, which found them wholly unprepared for the calamity. She was a daughter of the widow Hoggard and sister of John and Betsy Ann Hoggard. There was not even lumber at hand from which to make a coffin for burial of the poor lady. Then Nathaniel Hamlin, John S. Jenkins and James Kincaid (perhaps others) split out slabs from basswood timber and fashioned from it a rude box as best they could, in which they placed the body, acted as pallbearers and buried it in the field on top of the hill in the northeast quarter of section 17, now in Exira township, now owned by Julius E. Herrick. The grave has been unmarked for fifty years.
MILLS.
About 1852-3 John Countryman built a water-power saw-mill on the east bank of Troublesome creek in section 13, in what is now Exira town-
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ship, near the Strahl place. It was the first power-mill of any kind in the county, and was doubtless of valuable assistance to the early settlers, in furnishing the first supply of sawed lumber produced within the county. It was of short duration, and probably went out of use when the steam saw- mills were erected in 1856 by Green and others, and by Ballard. We have failed to discover when Countryman left the county. He built the first frame house here, which he afterwards sold to Dawson Glasgow. The building of the steam-mills in 1856 were most important events, and prob- ably did more to develop the county than any previous enterprise.
Howard Jay Green and Franklin Burnham, who came here from Maquoketa, Iowa, in 1856, were prominent in developing the business of Audubon county. They came expressly to erect and operate a steam saw- mill, and made a contract for the necessary materials and machinery there- for before coming here, as follows :
"Contract
"S. S. Vail & Company agree to furnish Green & Burnham, of Maquo- keta, Jackson county, Iowa, a steam engine of ten-inch bore and twenty- inch stroke and a circular saw-mill complete, with the exception of boiler, boiler irons, sheet-iron chimney and breeching, for the sum of ten hundred and thirty-three dollars, or, provided Green & Burnham order the boiler, boiler irons, sheet-iron chimney and breeching after this date, we agree to furnish the same with the said engine and saw-mill fixtures complete for the sum of seventeen hundred dollars. Said boiler to be forty-inch diam- eter, fourteen-inch flues and twenty feet long. Said chimney to be twen- ty-six-inch diameter, fifty feet long, with breeching to match same. The above machinery to be completed on the first day of April next. Said machinery to be made in a good, substantial, workmanlike manner.
"We, the said Green & Burnham, agree to pay to S. S. Vail & Com- pany the sum of one hundred dollars on contract and two-thirds at the time of delivery of the machinery and the remaining one-third in four months from the time of delivery.
"To this writing the different parties subscribe and agree.
"Keokuk, January 15, 1856.
"S. S. VAIL & COMPANY. "By S. Armitage."
The huge boiler was brought up the Des Moines river from Keokuk on a small steamer to near Fort Des Moines; thence by ox teams over the
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old stage road, via Hamlin's Grove, to the mill site in section 17, now in Exira township. The other machinery was shipped from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, down the Ohio river; thence up the Mississippi river to Keo- kuk, and then brought here by teams. It is claimed that the road through the Big Grove was specially prepared for hauling these heavy loads. Green and Burnham erected the mill themselves, assisted by Charles L. Chapin, in 1856. The three families at first lived near the mill in separate dwellings. The mill was a success from the start, and turn out something like ten thousand feet of sawed lumber a day, with its big circular saw. Green was the sawyer for many years.
About the same time, Dr. Samuel U. Ballard erected a steam saw-mill on the east side of the Botna river in the timber near his residence in sec- tion 25, in what is now Oakfield township.
About 1858 Joshua A. and Elami W. Pearl, brothers, erected a water- power saw-mill on the Botna at Oakfield. Alva B. Brown and Julius M. Hubbard were also interested in this mill. The saw-mills supplied abun- dance of lumber for building purposes, and the few people here then improved the opportunity by erecting frame dwellings; a few of the inore enterprising ones built frame barns, and several frame school houses were built at that period. Still the people had to go a long distance to get their grain made into flour and meal. About 1859 Mr. Green, with John McConnell and Henry S. Myers, who had secured an interest in the Green & Burnham saw-mill, met the desired want by attaching a flouring-mill to their business. From that time onward the steam flour and saw-inill was one of the busy places in the county. In 1866 the town of Louisville was laid out and platted there by Nathaniel Hamlin. The mill was then owned by Nathaniel Hanlin, George T. Poage and Levi Zaner. An attempt was made that year to change the county seat to Louisville, which failed of suc- cess. It continued to remain one of the best business points in the county until the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad was put through from Des Moines to Council Bluffs in 1868. That event supplied the county with pine lumber, which was preferred rather than the native lumber for building purposes. The old mill had its day in the economy of developing this part of the country, and passed away. Its old steam boiler broke through the bridge at Panora, while being hauled away for old iron, and was dumped into the Coon river, where it found a last resting place.
CHAPTER III.
OFFICIAL ROSTER. .
REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS.
John A. Kasson, Des Moines, 1863-7; Grenville M. Dodge, Council Bluffs, 1868-9; Frank W. Palmer, Des Moines, 1870-3; James W. McDill, Afton, 1874-7; William F. Sapp, Council Bluffs, 1878-81 ; William P. Hep- burn, Clarinda, 1882-3: William H. M. Pusey. Council Bluffs, 1884-5; Joseph Lyman, Council Bluffs, 1886-9; Joseph R. Reed, Council Bluffs, 1890-1 ; Thomas Bowman, Council Bluffs, 1892-3; Alva L. Hager, Greenfield, 1894-9; Walter I. Smith, Council Bluffs, 1900-II ; William R. Green, Audubon, 191 1; to date.
JUDGES OF THE DISTRICT COURT. 1
E. H. Sears. Sidney, 1855-8; John H. Gray, Des Moines, 1858-65; Hugh W. Maxwell, Indianola, 1866-71; Joseph R. Reed, Council Bluffs, 1872-83; Charles F. Loofborough, Atlantic, 1884-89; James P. Conner, Denison, 1887-90; Andrew B. Thornell, Sidney, 1887 to date; Horace E. Deemer, Red Oak, 1887-92; Nathan W. Macy, Harlan, 1889-1909; Walter, I. Smith, Council Bluffs, 1891-1900; William R. Green, Audubon, 1895 -; Orville D. Wheeler, Council Bluffs, 1899 to date; Eugene W. Woodruff,, Glenwood, 1909 to date; Thomas Arthur. Logan; Joseph B. Rockafellow, Atlantic, 1913 to date.
JUDGES OF THE CIRCUIT COURT.
Frederick Mott. Winterset, 1868-71; Thomas R. Stockton, Sidney, 1872-75: Charles F. Loofborough, Atlantic, 1876-83; Joseph Lyman, Coun- cil Bluffs, 1884; James P. Conner, Denison, 1885-6; George Carson, Council Bluffs, 1887-90.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL.
George Cosson, from Audubon county, 1911 to 1914.
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STATE SENATORS (FROM AUDUBON COUNTY.)
Henry F. Andrews, 1892-5; George Cosson, 1909-12.
REPRESENTATIVES IN LEGISLATURE.
Daniel M. Harris, 1860-1: John A. Hallock, 1878-9; Jacob A. Over- holtzer, 1882-7; William Walker, 1888-90; Albert L. Brooks, 1892-3; Marion D. Reed, 1894-5; Abner H. Edwards, 1896-7; Thomas L. Kelly, 1898-9; Asmus Boylen, 1900-3; David C. Mott, 1904-6; John C. Bonwell, 1907-10; Ole H. Jacobsen, 1911-14; Otto Witthauer, 1915.
COUNTY JUDGES.
1855, Thomas S. Lewis : 1856-9. Daniel M. Harris; 1860-3, Appolonius B. Houston; 1864-5, Isaac P. Hallock; 1866, John S. Jenkins; 1867, John R. Thacker; 1868-9, Amherst Heath; 1869, Henry F. Andrews; 1869, Albert I. Brainard. The office was abolished, to take effect December 31, 1869.
TREASURERS AND RECORDERS.
1855, Miles Beers; 1856-63, Nathaniel Hamlin; 1864-65, Carlos E. Frost. The offices of treasurer and recorder were separated in 1864.
CLERKS OF COURT. 1
1855-6, John W. Beers: 1857-60, Franklin Burnham; 1861-2, Richard Gault; 1863-4, John A. Hallock: 1865, George W. Cannon (A. B. Houston, deputy) ; 1866-8, Albert I. Brainard: 1869-70, John W. Scott; 1871-2, H. Ransford; 1873, Thomas Walker; 1873-8. Alonzo L. Campbell; 1879-84, Frank P. Bradley: 1885-6, Robert J. Hunter; 1887-94, Charles H. Vail; 1895-6, Joseph F. Garnett, 1897-1900, Harry D. Woodward; 1901-4, Lester J. Hill: 1905-8, Charles S. White; 1909-12, Lewis A. McGinnis; 1913 to date, Frank M. Rice.
COUNTY ATTORNEYS.
1887-90, Henry W. Hanna; 1891-4, Richard C. Carpenter; 1895-6, William Wonn; 1897-8, Frank E. Brainard: 1899-1900, James M. Graham;
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1901-4, Fred H. Blume; 1905-6, George Cosson; 1907-8, James M. Graham ; 1909-12, Halleck J. Mantz; 1913 to date, John A. Graham.
COUNTY AUDITORS.
1870-I, Albert I. Brainard; 1872-5, Hubert S. Wattles; 1876-81, Thomas Walker; 1882-5, William F. Stotts; 1886-9, John H. Rendleman; 1890-2, Frank P. Rees; 1893-6, John E. McGuire; 1897-8, Thomas Lohner ; 1899-1904, August F. Greenwaldt; 1905-8, Orrin B. Train; 1909-10, Edward B. Cousins ; 1911-4, Otto Witthauer ; 1915, Harry A. Northup.
COUNTY TREASURERS.
1866-9, Appolonius B. Houston; 1870-3, Charles Van Gorder ; 1874-7, William F. Stotts; 1878-81, Daniel W. Harris; 1882-5, Ethelbert J. Free- man; 1886-7, William F. Stotts; 1888-91, John B. Doak; 1892-3, John C. Dawson; 1893 (October), John B. Doak; 1894-9, Lewis D. Phelps; 1900-7, Charles E. Breniman; 1907-10, George E. Kellogg; 1911-2, Howard E. Kittell; 1913 to date, Martin E. Mortensen.
COUNTY RECORDERS.
1865-6, John Crane; 1867-8, Henry F. Andrews; 1869-70, William F. Stotts; 1870-2, Alonzo L. Campbell; 1873-4, Emerson H. Kimball; 1875-6, John S. Toft; 1877-80, John M. Crocker; 1881-4, Samuel P. Rhoades; 1885- 6, Otto Witthauer; 1887-90, Adelbert L. Weaver; 1891-4, Timothy H. Beason; 1895-6, John H. Scott; 1897-1900, Martin N. Esbeck; 1901-4, O. C. Donaldson; 1905-8, Ed Wood; 1909-12, Lars C. Christoffersen; 1913 to date, Clarice Oelke.
SHERIFFS.
1855-6, Benjamin M. Hiatt; 1857-9, Charles L. Chapin; 1860-3, Urbane Herrick; 1864-5, Elam W. Pearl; 1866-7, Andrew J. Leffingwell; 1868-9, John Huntley; 1870, Samuel R. Thomas; 1870-I, Lysannius M. Anderson ; 1872-5, John B. Counrardy; 1876-9, Joseph L. Stotts; 1880-5, Henry B. Herbert, 1886-9, William Mallory; 1890-5, William S. Armstrong; 1896-9, John H. Jones; 1900-3, Fern L. Anderson; 1904-8, William Northup; 1909- 12, Walkup M. Crees; 1913 to date, Charles Sunberg.
(5)
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SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.
1859-60, Levi B. Montgomery; 1861-3, Robert N. Day; 1864-5, Boyn- ton G. Dodge; 1866-7, Benjamin F. Thomas; 1868-9, Boynton G. Dodge; 1870-I, David B. Beers; 1872-3, John Hunter; 1874-5, Harmon G. Smith; 1876-7, Benjamin F. Thacker; 1878-9, Albert K. Brainard; 1880-3, Robert M. Carpenter; 1884-9, Charles F. Willcutt; 1890-7, David P. Repass; 1898-9. Robert C. Spencer ; 1900-6, Arthur Farquhar; 1907 to date, Ella M. Stearns.
COUNTY SURVEYORS.
1855, John W. Beers; 1856-75, Peoria I. Whitted; 1876-7, Robert T. Smart ; 1878-9, Luther C. Frost ; 1880-3, Hubert S. Wattles ; 1884-5, Luther C. Frost; 1886-7, Hubert S. Wattles : 1888-9, Julius M. Hill; 1890-3, David B. Beers; 1894-1906. Hubert S. Wattles; 1907, Peoria I. Whitted : 1907-10, Carl D. Forsbeck. The office was discontinued in 1910.
County engineer, Carl D. Forsbeck, 1910 to date.
CORONERS.
1862, Albert I. Brainard : 1885, James Holliday; 1886-7, W. D. Black- wood; 1880-9. Daniel G. Lass; 1890-1, Albert L. Brooks; 1892, John H. Rippey; 1893, Christian Eger; 1894-9, William R. Koob; 1900-2, A. R. Herseman: 1903-4, Charles W. Baker; 1905-8, Nels C. Jensen; 1909-14, Arthur C. Harmon; 1915, John C. Newlon.
SOLDIER RELIEF COMMISSION.
Charles Van Gorder, Harper W. Wilson and William H. Bowman.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
1861, Julius M. Hubbard : 1862, Boynton G. Dodge; 1863, Boynton G. Dodge, Julius M. Hubbard, Carlos E. Frost; 1864, Boynton G. Dodge, Joshua A. Pearl, Nathaniel Hamlin: 1865, Albert I. Brainard, Joshua A. Pearl, Nathaniel Hamlin; 1866, Isaac V. D. Lewis, Stillman H. Perry, Washington Bartlett ; 1867, Isaac V. D. Lewis, Stillman H. Perry, Washing- ton Bartlett; 1868, Isaac Thomas, David L. Anderson, Washington Bartlett ; 1869, Isaac Thomas, Jacob Andrews, Washington Bartlett: 1870, Isaac Thomas, Jacob Andrews (resigned), Joshua A. Pearl; 1871, John W. Dodge,
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AUDUBON COUNTY, IOWA.
William H. H. Bowen, John T. Jenkins; 1872, John W. Dodge, William H. H. Bowen, John Noon; 1873, John W. Dodge, Arthur L. Sanborn, John Noon; 1874, Isaac Thomas, Arthur L. Sanborn, John Noon; 1875, Isaac Thomas, Arthur L. Sanborn, John Noon; 1876, Isaac Thomas, S. A. Miller, John Noon ; 1877, James Davis, S. A. Miller, John Noon; 1878, James Davis, S. A. Miller, John T. Jenkins, 1879, James Davis, Samuel A. Graham, John T. Jenkins : 1880, William E. Hensley, Samuel A. Graham, John T. Jenkins; 1881. William E. Hensley, Samuel A. Graham, Benjamin F. Jenkins. Boynton G. Dodge appointed to fill vacancy; 1882, William E. Hensley, Samuel A. Graham, Benjamin F. Jenkins (Jenkins died and Isaac P. Hallock appointed to fill vacancy) ; 1883. William E. Hensley, Samuel A. Graham, Isaac P. Hallock; 1884, William E. Hensley, Samuel A. Graham, Thomas J. Essington; 1885, William E. Hensley, Sparks P. Baker, Thomas J. Essington; 1886. George McCain, Sparks P. Baker, Thomas J. Essington; 1887. George McCain, Sparks P. Baker, Jasper Jen- sen ( McCain resigned and Andrew F. Armstrong appointed to fill vacancy) ; 1888, Andrew F. Armstrong, Samuel Minser, Jasper Jensen; 1889, Andrew F. Armstrong, Samuel Minser, Jasper Jensen; 1890, Andrew F. Armstrong, Samuel Minser, Philip Bickelhaupt; 1891, Andrew F. Armstrong, Oscar Hunt, Philip Bickelhaupt; 1892, Peter Mathisen, Oscar Hunt, Philip Bickel- haupt ; 1893, Peter Mathisen, Oscar Hunt, David W. Mathias: 1894, Peter Mathisen, Samuel F. Garmire, Daniel W. Mathias; 1895, Nels P. Hoegh, Samuel F. Garmire, Daniel W. Mathias; 1896, Nels P. Hoegh, Samuel F. Garmire, William D. Stanley: 1897, Nels P. Hoegh, Samuel F. Garmire, William D. Stanley; 1898, Nels P. Hoegh, Samuel F. Garmire, William D Stanley; 1899, Nels P. Hoegh, Samuel F. Garmire, Jerome Shingledecker ; 1900, Nels P. Hoegh. John C. Bonwell, Jerome Shingledecker; 1901, Nels P. Hoegh, John C. Bonwell, Jerome Shingledecker; 1902, Nels P. Hoegh, John C. Bonwell, Jerome Shingledecker; 1903, Nels P. Hoegh, John C. Bon- well, Jerome Shingledecker; 1904, Nathaniel D. Hamlin, John C. Bonwell, Jerome Shingledecker : 1905, Nathaniel D. Hamlin, John C. Bonwell, Fred D. Searles : 1906, Nathaniel D. Hamlin, John C. Bonwell, Fred D. Searles; 1907, Martin N. Esbeck, George M. Ross, Fred D. Searles; 1908, Martin N. Esbeck, George M. Ross, Fred D. Searles; 1909, Martin N. Esbeck. George M. Ross, Fred D. Searles: 1910, Samuel McGaffin, George M. Ross, Fred D. Searles : 1911. Samuel McGaffin. George M. Ross, Edwin F. Johnson ; 1912, Samuel McGaffin, Daniel D. Sampson, Edwin F. Johnson ; 1913, Riley P. Clark, Daniel D. Sampson, Edwin F. Johnson: 1914, Riley P. Clark, Daniel D. Sampson. Edwin F. Johnson: 1915, Riley P. Clark, Edwin F. Johnson, Benjamin J. Black.
CHAPTER IV.
SETTLEMENT OF AUDUBON COUNTY.
BEFORE THE SETTLEMENT.
There was very little evidence that white men had visited this vicinity before Hamlin and Jenkins settled here in the year 1851. Possibly, hunters and trappers had been here; it would have been remarkable if they had not, but, if so, they left little evidence of it.
When the Mormons abandoned Nauvoo, Illinois, many of them crossed Iowa to Kanesville, now Council Bluffs, in the year 1846. Some of them settled at Indian Town and Ironiston, west of Lewis, and also farther north in Shelby and Harrison counties. There is still an early Mormon settle- ment at Galland's Grove, in the northwest part of Shelby county.
One of the Morinon trails crossed Troublesome creek where Nathaniel Hamlin settled, which, undoubtedly, was the cause that led to the selection of his claim there. Another Mormon trail crossed this county near the site of the present poor farm. It is supposed that the Mormons dropped the seed there which gave the name to Blue Grass Grove and to the creek of the same name. Still another Mormon trail crossed the county through the north parts of Viola, Cameron and Lincoln townships. The last two named trails would have been on the direct route from Nauvoo to Galland's Grove and vicinity, where the Mormon's settled. None of them settled in this county, except John S. Johnston, who came here in 1855 and who had been a Mormon. The purpose of the Mormons was to continue their exodus beyond the Missouri river. After going on to Utah, many of them became disgusted with polygamy and returned to Shelby county and vicinity. While enumerating the United States census in 1870, the writer found one of them in Shelby county named Joseph Hancock, then seventy years of age, who claimed to be a grandson of John Hancock, the patriot governor of Massa- chusetts.
The United States government surveyors had been here and sur- veyed the lines of township 78, in the year 1849. Possibly Hamlin and Jenkins had found some of the posts of that survey and the first settlers
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AUDUBON COUNTY, IOWA.
may have selected their claims from that survey. It is certain that Hamlin, Jenkins, Decker, Powell, Mrs. Hoggard and Doctor Ballard selected their claims nearly conformable to the section lines as afterwards surveyed.
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
Early in 1851, Nathaniel Hamlin, James Hamlin, William Powell, David Edgerton and Samuel Ogden went from Mahaska county to Kanes- ville, now Council Bluffs, Iowa, then a new Mormon settlement. Nathaniel Hamlin then lived in the extreme northwest part of Mahaska county. It is supposed their route was through Marion, Warren, Madison, Adair, Cass and Pottawattamie counties. They were in quest of new homes, and, after reaching Kanesville, they traveled up the east side of the Missouri river, but, not finding desirable locations, decided to return. In their exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois, to western Iowa, the Mormons had made what were called Mormon trails. One of those trails was taken on their return from Kanes- ville and was followed back to the Nishna Botna river near Lewis, Iowa, thence up the river and up Troublesome creeek, where they made a crossing. The water was high and they first crossed the creek, one at a time, in a feed box taken from off the wagon, and camped where Nathaniel afterward settled. It was in the month of March, 1851. Possibly they had learned from the Mormons of the fine, valuable groves of timber in this vicinity, and they may have discovered some of the government surveyor's work on the new township lines, which induced them to afterwards settle here; but they do not appear to have then discovered the "Big Grove" on the Nishna Botna.
The locality pleased Nathaniel Hamlin and he staked off a claim adja- cent to the Mormon trail, where he decided to make his future home. This was the initial act of the first settlement of the county. At that time there was not a white settler within twenty miles of the spot selected by Mr. Ham- lin. The party returned to Mahaska county, and Mr. Hamlin made prepara- tions for his removal to his claim. Taking. his eldest child, Mary, ten years of age, leaving the remainder of the family behind, they, with seven yoke of work oxen, wagon, implements and tools for labor and provisions, started for his distant claim amongst the wild animals and wilder men. He was accompanied by his brother, William P. Hamlin, and Philip Arthur Decker, without their families, and by the brother-in-law and sister-in-law of Decker, John and Betsey Ann Hoggard, young unmarried people. When they reached Winterset, Iowa, they met and made the acquaintance of John S. Jenkins and family, composed of his wife, Malinda, and children, Benjamin, John, Sarah,
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Isaac, Harriet and George, who were traveling westward in search of a new home. Mr. Hamlin told Jenkins about this place, its beautiful, fertile soil, and noble groves of timber, and invited him to come and view it himself. Mr. Jenkins decided to do so. On May 6 the little colony, with stout hearts, willing hands and a hopeful future, reached the claim of Mr. Hamlin and the first permanent settlement of Audubon county was an accomplished fact.
Isaac Jenkins once told the writer that he was then a small lad (about eight years old) and that the next morning after their arrival, "Uncle Natty" commenced cutting logs for his cabin, and that he, Isaac, hauled them together with his father's yoke of stags, called "Buck" and "Brandy." After erect- ing his log cabin, with Mary to drive the team, Mr. Hamlin broke out forty acres of prairie land, which he planted in sod corn, and amongst which he sowed seven acres of buckwheat and planted some potatoes and turnips. The land was not then surveyed, but Mr. Hamlin's claim afterward proved to be situated in section 35. in what is now Exira township, a selection of first- class prairie and timber land. To this he afterward added many other acres.
We are indebted to John T. Jenkins, Esq., of Brayton, the only survivor of the Jenkins family, for some facts concerning the first settlement. He says that when they arrived at Hamlin's claim, Troublesome creek was over- flowing its banks. The next morning his father felled and lodged a tree against another tree on the opposite bank and "crooned over" on the fallen tree. His horse was led with a long rope and swam the river. Then he mounted his horse and rode over to where the town of Oakfield is now situ- ated and selected a claim for his home at the "big spring" in the timber, in section 20, now in Exira township. To mark the site of his claim, he blazed a basswood tree and wrote on it: "This is my claim."
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