USA > Iowa > Benton County > History of Benton County, Iowa. From materials in the public archives, the Iowa Historical society's collection, the newspapers, and data of personal interviews > Part 9
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"The corner stone of our court house was laid on Saturday by our Masonie fraternity with the usual ceremonies on such of- casions. The procession formed at the Odd Fellows' hall at 2 o'clock p. m .. and marched to Crow's hall. where it was joined by the citizens generally. a large mimber of whom were in attendance from the surrounding country. From there they proceeded to the northeast corner of the court house site, where the corner stone was in readiness to receive such deposits as the 'fraternity or any of the citizens chose to make, which were placed in the proper place and the corner stone was then placed upon the corner, under the direction of the master of the lodge, with the ceremonies ap-
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HISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY
propriate to the occasion. The assemblage was then addressed by Messrs. Evans and Root, explanatory of the ends and aims of Masonry. when the procession, after the appropriate exercises, was dismissed by the county judge. The occasion was of great in- terest to the citizens of Vinton and of Benton county generally. It is an indication of the growing importance of the county; and. as a manifestation of the interest felt in the improvement of our young and growing city. was especially to those who have been identified with the welfare of the town of Vinton from its carly infancy. and who have watched with an anxious eye its growing importance. Among the crowd we noticed a large number of strangers, whe. no doubt. went away with enlarged views of the future progress of our village and county. We also noticed among the crowd a number of the very oldest inhabitants of the county. among whom was our venerable neighbor, Mr. Sanders, whose gray hairs bespeak for him a place among the first or pioneers of this region, and who no doubt has passed over the spot where Vinton now stands. years ago. little expecting to see a city spring up in so short a space of time, that could turn out its Inmdreds to see and assist in laying a corner stone of the first permanent court house ever erected in Benton county. Prominent among others we might mention were the names of Tilford. Jones. Webb. Forsyth and Evans, and if last certainly not least. our old friend Bill Stanberry, who, with his broad. fat face, was the very personifi- ration of the good humor which we believe invariably prevailed during the occasion. The affair was also graced by a large number of the ladies of the town and the vicinity, who. by their smiles and presence, are always ready to lend their aid to every good and noble work. The occasion was also enlivened by the fine brass band. which dispensed strains of their soulstirring music at inter- vals during the performance. In short, the whole affair passed off very finely, and no doubt will be an occasion long remembered by those who participated."
NEW COURT HOUSE "WARMED. "
The first floor was finished before the end of the year, and the upper story was so far advanced that on Christmas 'eve. or to be more precise. December 23rd. the court house was dedicated by a grand ball and supper, given by citizens of Vinton to every. one in the county. The bill of fare is given as oyster sonp. orna- mented cold dishes, boiled dishes and hot reliefs, cold and hot
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side dishes, cold relishes. buffalo and elk meat, wild turkey and prairie chicken. quail and pastry, nuts, confectionery and desert generally. The court room was used as the dancing hall and Cedar Rapids. Waterloo. Pickaway and Benton City all sent del- egations of gay dancers. The Cedar Rapids contingent was es- pecially in evidence. and did much to uphold the name of the af- fair as a "house warming."
HOUSE WARMING IN DETAIL.
A description of this famous affair in the early history of Ben- ton county is preserved in the files of the Vinton Eagle. from the lively pen of I. Van Metre :
"On the 23rd. of December, 1856, two sleigh. loads of people appeared at Pickaway from Cedar Rapids. There were Mr. and Mrs. MeIntosh, John and Mrs. Graves. Mr. Kellogg, a merchant. and some one else whose name I do not recall. They were on their way to Vinton to attend the dedicatory ball in the new court house. They had come that round about way for a short visit and to get some of my older brothers to go with them. Brother Henry tells the story.
"When the Cedar Rapids party arrived, the hallway was packed full of dressed hogs. We had been butchering and there were twelve or fifteen of the porkers. big ones. We worked all night cutting up and salting down this pile of pork, and the next day joined the party for Vinton. The road was but poorly opened the travel in that direction being light, and the snow that winter always plentiful and ready to drift on the smallest provocation. which. to tell the truth. it rarely lacked. We got through it without more serious accident than the loss of one horse. which got a leg broken while floundering in a snow bank.
"The court house was not finished: there was no fire in it and the weather was severely cold. There was no fire and there was a string of people constantly going to and from the court house to the Fremont House across the street, kept by a genial old soul. prince of bonifaces. Russell Jones, with a heart as big as the court house itself. It was cold, bni young blood is hot and the great crowd gathered there from Benton and adjoining conn- ties were there to have a good time. They did not propose to be frightened out of that while there were warm fires and a hearty welcome at the Fremont. Unele Russell Jones was happy. ' It
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is cold, boys. Wrap up well. Take something to keep you warm while crossing the street. Don't be afraid of it; it is a good article.' Over and over this kindly injunction was repeated and always accepted as the right thing to do, coming from so sage an authority. Meanwhile the dancing went on. There were always enough to fill the floor. While some danced, others visited the Fremont House and heard Unele Russell say, 'Wrap up boys' be- fore they went out. 'It is cold. Take something warm for the stomach's sake; it will keep you warm while you dance.' Unele Russell need not have troubled himself to insist on the boys, men too, on taking something to keep them warm. They were very regular about it at the close of each set and grew livelier until night gave way to morning and daylight and sunlight, in fact, did appear.
"A delegation from farther down the creek, James Bryan, S. A. Lee. J. S. Sterling and others, with their wives, arrived at Vinton late in the night. Mr. Graham, who kept a hotel and the postoffice at Redmond, just over the line in Tama county, and Benjamin Twogood. a few miles north of Redmond in the same county, with their wives and others, were there. Mr. Twogood rarely missed anything going in the way of amusement between Toledo and Marion. They had no children, were well fixed for the time, liked company and liked to go. They were on hand early. The young people and most of the older ones of Vinton were there. and Judge Douglass the happiest of them all.
As finally completed the court house cost about $13.000, and was a substantial two-story brick structure. some forty by sixty feet. The surrounding grounds of the Public square were eventu- ally ornamented with shrubs, evergreens and other trees, and became a favorite gathering place for Vintonites. The first story was occupied by the different county offices and record vaults, and the second by court and jury rooms.
CHANGES IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
By act of the general assembly of Iowa. approved March 26. 1860. the county judge system. by which the affairs of the govern- ment had been virtually vested in one man elected for a term of . four years, was abolished in favor of a rather cumbersome county legislature, or board of supervisors, consisting of a representative from each of the twenty civil townships. The act went into effect July 4th and the election for members of the new board was in the Vol. 1-6
IHISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY
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COURT HOUSE OF 1856.
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HISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY
following October, resulting as follows: James McQuin, Cue township; JJames Rice. Benton ; JJ. M. Inmau. Eden; G. L. Palmer, Big Grove: Il. Guinn. Jowa: S. G. Livermore. Fremont; S. Miskimin. Monroe : G. Treanor. Brnce; S. Lamosce, LeRoy; E. W. Stocker. Kane; W. F. Kirkpatrick. Taylor; Martin Mickey. Union ; R. R. Dwigins, Canton: John Slattery, Polk; J. Austin, Cedar; J. R. Christie. Jackson : J. S. Forsyth. Harrison ; D. A. Robinson, Eldorado: W. C. Smith, Homer; and Jacob Springer. St. Clair. In January. 1861. the board elected Mr. MeQuin as chairman and determined the long-term (two years) and the short-term (one year) members. The supervisors' system was thus placed in full working order.
The above named system, after being placed on trial for ten years, was replaced by the county supervisorship in the fall of 1870. The October election of that year was in pursuance of the legislative art of April 14th of that year, by which three supervisors were to be elected. to serve respectively. one, two and three years ; after the first election one was to be chosen annually for a term of three years. Although the law provided that the number of supervisors might be increased to five of seven, by popular vote. three is the prevailing mumber, with three trustees from each towuship.
The year before the establishment of the present supervisory system for the county. the office of county judge had been abol- ished by the establishment of the circuit court. The office named ceased to exist January 1. 1869. but the incumbent of the office was made ex officio county anditor (thus newly created). The auditor was made clerk of the board of supervisors, and was required to perform all the duties in relation to the school fund and school lands until that tine performed by the clerk of the district court. The clerk of the district court and the county recorder were eligible to the office of auditor and the election of that officer was fixed in the odd-numbered years. On the first of January. 1869. George M. Gilchrist was county judge and there- fore became. ex officio. the first auditor of Benton county; but he resigned in the same month and was succeeded by J. L. Geddes. At the election in October. 1869. Edward M. Evans was chosen county auditor, and entered upon the duties of his office in January, 1870.
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HISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY
A COURT HOUSE OF WHICH TO BE PROUD.
The facts in the case fully justify the pride evinced by the people, especially the tax-payers, of Benton county in the present court house. There is no county in the west of equal population and wealth which can show a more substantially or tastefully constructed house for the accommodation of its government: but this is not the main cause of citizen pride. Although the court house cost more than $105,000 the county issued no bonds for future generations to liquidate; but the people who assumed the responsibility of erecting it voted an annual tax of five mills to meet the expenses of erection, decorating. furnishing. heating and placing the building in a complete state for occupancy. There were not a few Doubting Thomases, who prophesied all kinds of publie rebellions, but. as a whole, the almost unique proposition in county financing was enthusiastically supported by tax payers. So the fine court house of today stands, unsaddled by debt; which is the chief reason why the citizens of Benton county are proud of it. And well they may be; and well would it be if more western counties would go and do likewise.
CORNER STONE OF 1856 COURT ILOUSE.
Work upon the foundation of the new court house was com- menced in the spring of 1905, and in July the corner stone of the 1856 structure was unearthed. Surrounded by a curious crowd of citizens it was carried into the auditor's office and the mortar removed from the box containing the articles deposited nearly a half century previous. In it were found an article printed in the Vinton Eagle of June 11. 1856: a copy of the New York Tribune of Inne 7, 1856; a Masonie text book; a silver half dollar of 1846: a silver dime of 1853; a Mexican coin of 1830; an ambrotype case of Marion Evans; and such miscellaneous articles as seissors. part of a key, a nail, bullet and bone button. A certain article which several wags of the county had insisted. for years, would be found in the corner stone, failed of materialization : these jokers. at the expense of the official sobriety of the county, had persisted that a bottle of whiskey had been deposited in the corner stone. with the other articles placed therein fifty years before.
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HISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY
THE COURT HOUSE OF THE PRESENT.
The corner stone of the new court house was laid October 14, 1905, on the site of the one unearthed, the ceremonies attending it being under the auspices of the Masonic order. The parade through the city was participated in by various fraternal organi- zations, the Old Settlers' Society, city and county officers, Company ( .. of the Ilinois National Guard, and citizens generally. Judge (. W. Burnham was president of the day, and addresses were de- livered by Hon. Cato Sells and Hon. W. P. Whipple. In June, 1906, as the court house was approaching completion, Paul Correll made a splendid donation to its completeness and attractiveness in the shape of a fine tower clock, with four primary dials outside and eight secondary dials placed in the court room, corridor and county offices. The bell, which weighed fifteen hundred pounds, was pitched in B flat, its tone being remarkably rich and pene- trating. At night the tower dials are lighted by electricity. Up- on the secondary dials are engraved "This clock presented by Paul Correll." and the same inscription is cast in the bell.
As it stands today, the court house is a stately and beautiful building. two stories and basement, 112 by 77 feet in dimensions on the ground. Its main body is of Buckeye gray sandstone and the tower stands 112 feet above the substantial foundation of ce- ment, reinforced by rock, and the basement story of Kettle river sandstone. In the basement are large fire proof vaults for the county records and other official valuables; in the second story are the county offices and in the third. the court and jury rooms. The county superintendent of schools is also in the basement story. in which is further installed a neat and comfortable "rest room." At the entrance to the main corridor to the court house is a large tablet on which is the following self-explanatory inscription : "1905-6 -- County Commissioners: John P. Coburn, chairman ; Hugh Humphrey, Willis W. Palmer. C. A. Bell, M. S. Detweiler, architects. J. A. Murphy, superintendent. George Rickman & Sons Co. builders."
STRONGHOLD FOR LAW BREAKERS.
Since the firm establishment of judicial authority in Benton county, its citizens have had little need of a jail, although the oe- currence of scattered crimes has brought periodical panie to the law-and-order element over the absence of a "stronghold" for of-
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HISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY
fenders against the laws. The first recorded action of the county authorities relative to the erection of a jail was on the 15th of October, 1861. but the recommendation of James Rice, made in the following January, to provide a similar structure to the one he had visited at Independence, was laid on the table.
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BENTON COUNTY JAIL.
Thereafter. for many years, the subject was in the state of innoenons desnetude described by Cleveland in relation to certain national affairs. But in 1878. with the apprehension of Fred Al- lers, a farmer of Kane township, for the murder of his uncle. Carl. fom year previous, and the recurrence of varions crimes in the vicinity of old Benton City and Shellsburg. the subject of a substantial county jail was revived. The so called "Egypt" of Benton county, the timbered region near those points which had
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HISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY
harbored the horse thieves and desperadoes of thirty years before, again became active with criminals and furnished the propelling force which led to the final creation of the present county jail, really a substantial building. Now that the jail is in existence. it is little used. and at the present writing (1910) is without a prisoner.
PROVISION FOR THE POOR.
To the great eredit of the good people of Benton county. the question of providing for the worthy poor has been quite a dif- ferent matter. The supervisors considered previous pieces of property for the poor farm, but finally decided in favor of the lands owned by Robert Gilchrist and M. P. Adams, two hun- dred aeres in sections 27. 23 and 22, a short distance southeast of Vinton. The purchase was concluded for $3.700. in Septem- bør. 1864, and in the following year a two-story addition was made to the Gilchrist house which already stood upon the prop- erty. Since that time the poor of Benton county have been well provided for : especially since the completion of the County Home in 1902.
The building, which was erveted at a cost of twenty thons- and dollars, was located directly south of the old site. The gen- eral contractors were Palmer Brothers of Belle Plaine. The building is of plain. simple but appropriate colonial style. two stories over a nine-foot basement, and its dimensions are ninety- eight by sixty-six feet. The body of the structure is of brick : the basement. Anamosa and Bedford limestone. On the first floor are the administration and living rooms of the steward and his family. a dining room for men and women, and two dorma- tories. Dormatories are also found on the second floor. The heating. ventilation and lighting facilities are all modern; and. on a small scale, the County Home of Benton county is a worthy mate to its court house.
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HISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY
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BENTON COUNTY HOME NEAR VINTON.
CHAPTER VI.
EARLY SETTLERS AND SETTLEMENTS.
FIRST BENTON COUNTY "STAYER"- FIRST NATIVE WHITE CHILD -- FIRST FUNERAL IN THE COUNTY-SETTLERS OF 1841-1850 -NO PERMANENT OLD SETTLERS SOCIETY-FIRST LAND ENTRIES -- TOWNS AND CITIES OF BENTON COUNTY-POSTOFFICES IN BEN- TON COUNTY -- PROFESSOR T. F. TOBIN ON EARLY TIMES-JUDGE G. M. GILCHRIST ON "THE PIONEER"-REMINISCENCES OF I. VAN METRE -- " SLOPE" POLITICS -- EARLY. SETTLERS OF THE TOWNSHIPS.
The natural explanation for the fact that the first settlers of the county located in or near the present eastern townships is that already given-that the Indians had moved out of that strip, according to treaty with the government. Early in 1839 two young men located on section 24. township 84. range 9 (Can- ton). built thereon probably the first cabin erected by a white man in the county, and broke a little tract of virgin prairie land. Not long afterward James Scott came and did likewise. But with the coming of Samuel M. Lockhart and his family. in the spring of the year named, Benton county commenced to mimber men of perseverance and character; or. in other words, "stavers." who came to make homes and found communities and cities.
FIRST BENTON COUNTY "STAYER."
Mr. Lockhart was an Adams county (Ohio) man, born May 17. 1812. and was therefore in the vigor of his early manhood when he made his claim, erected his cabin and installed his fam- ily on what is now section 24 of Polk township, just northeast of Urbana. He made such other improvements as enabled him to raise some corn and vegetables during the first season of his stay, but he had no neighbors for some months, although he was soon followed into the county by Samuel P. Parker, who settled
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on section 27. township 84 (Canton), and gave his name to the Grove so well known in that locality. Somewhat later in 1839 Thomas Way settled near Lockhart, and still later accessions to the neighborhood were received in the persons of JJames Downs and Thomas and Price Kendrick. In a few years quite a hamlet arose under the name of "Hoosier Point," which was platted as Marysville in 1847 and finally became Urbana. Mr. Lockhart became one of the prominent men of the county, holding such offices as county commissioner, prosecuting attorney and fore- man of the first jury of the district court. Mr. Parker was a typ- ical Indiana frontiersman, and a fearless trapper and hunter. Although quick to resent what he considered a wrong. he was a kindly soul and both his white and red friends were sorry to see him leave the county. being deeply pained at the nature of his death. In 1847 he sold his claim to Jerry Hull, and moved to Jasper county. where he erected a sawmill. In the following year, however. he returned to Benton county to collect some out- standing accounts, and started for his new home. The last night before he reached his destination he stopped at a lonely farm house. where he was murdered and robbed.
Thomas Way, who has been mentioned as one of Lockhart's neighbors. also became one of the most popular men in the con- ty. and held a member of public offices. He was hospitable. al- most to a fanlt. ITis ambitions to have the county seat located on the farm which he bought at a later day near Vinton has al- ready been described. "Unele Tom." as he was generally call- ed, moved to California during the gold excitement of 1849.
Stedman Penrose. another settler of 1839. came from Bucks county. Pennsylvania, and settled. in Canton township, about a mile east of the present town of Shellsburg. Ile, too, was a California '49.er, and died in the gold diggings of the coast in 1850.
FIRST NATIVE WHITE CHILD.
Gilman Clark settled not far from the Penrose place, and his daughter. Susan Clark, was the first white child born in the conntv.
Among the settlers of 1839. who remained to see the county develop into the twentieth century type, was that sturdy old farmer and citizen. Hugh Brody, who settled not far from the Lockhart farm, and did not pass away until September 18. 1903
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HISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY
-his mind being a treasury of reminiscences from which the Old Settlers' Society often drew with pleasure and profit.
Jacob Bonsall settled in the county in 1840, but moved away after two or three years. About the same time A. D. Stephens. J. W. Filkins and Joseph Remington located near Shellsburg, Mr. Filkins acquiring considerable prominence in county affairs.
THE FIRST FUNERAL IN THE COUNTY.
It is also said that in 1840 Reuben Buskirk settled in the eastern part of the county. near the line. nearly due east from Vinton. There is some dispute as to whether his residence was in Benton or Linn county, his land probably lying in each. Mr. Buskirk died October 10. 1842. and as there was no lumber with which to make a coffin a few tender-hearted settlers felled a linn tree, ent a log of suitable length, split it and hollowed out the halves, and in this rudo sepulchre incased their friend for burial. Five men and three women attended the funeral of what is gener- ally accepted as the first deceased resident of Benton county; and the wooden blocks inscribed with the name and dates of birth and derease of Reuben Buskirk were placed at the head and feet of the departed with as much neighborly love and reverence as though they had been of rich polished marble.
SETTLERS OF 1841-1850.
Among the leading settlers of 1841 were Loyal F. North and Abner R. Spencer. Mr. North's claim was in section 2, in the northestern part of Canton township. above the present site of Shellsburg. and at the organization of the county he was appoint- ed a judge of election. In 1851 he was appointed postmaster of Potato Hill postoffice, which was established at his house, but as Mrs. North desired a more dignified and euphonious name, in 1852 it was changed to Beulah-and so appears in the county maps of that period. Mr. North died December 18. 1892. After re- maining in the county for two years. Mr. Spencer returned to the east for a stay of five years, and after his relocation in Benton county ( about the time of its organization) made it his perman- ent residence until his death November 14. 1979.
Other early settlers. up to 1850, may be mentioned as fol- lows : F. Bryson. Joseph Bryson, William Mitchell. Jesse Brody. Josiah Hohn and Joseph C. Rouse. 1843; S. R. Price, George Me-
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HISTORY OF. BENTON COUNTY
Coy and Andrew D. Stevens, 1844-the last named locating on the Iowa river. a few miles east of the present city of Belle Plaine; J. R. Pratt. David S. Pratt, L. W. Hayes, James Leverich and Stephen Holcomb, 1845; A. H. Johnson, David Jewell, John Ren- frew. and Hyreanus Guin, 1846; Daniel Harris. John S. Epperson, Elijah Evans and Charles N. Moberly, 1847; C. C. Charles. J. S. Forsythe. 1848; James Rice and Richard N. Van Clief, 1849; Russell Jones. 1850. Hyreanus Guinn made the first claim in Iowa township, later moved to Canton township, became a wealthy farmer and died in 1891. In 1849 James Rice purchased the claim made by Jesse Brody in Taylor township, and until a com- paratively recent date lived in the log cabin which he erceted when he first came to the county. Mr. Van Clief entered land in the northwest corner of Big Grove township. in 1849; platted the town of Geneva in 1855, and later moved to Guthrie county, Iowa, where he died in 1893.
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