USA > Iowa > Boone County > History of Boone County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 22
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The Odd Fellows' lodge, I. O. O. F., of Madrid, No. 433, was organized on the 20th day of October, 1881. The charter was issued by John Van Valkenburg, grand master of fowa, attested by William Garrett, grand secretary, to five charter members as follows: M. Keith, A. J. Spence, A. K. Ersland, L. D. Woodward and J. M. Stover. The present membership of the lodge is no members and its financial resources, consisting of money and property, amount to $4,500. The average annual disbursements for the sick, relief and burial of members are $200. It has twenty-seven grands yet living and many who have passed away. The present officers are: Henry
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
Martinson, N. G .; C. R. Frey, W. G .; Simon Barrick, secretary, and F. H. Graves, treasurer; trustees, J. O. Wilson, W. J. Jenkins and Charles Hoop.
The Woodmen's lodge, M. W. of A., of Madrid, was organized in 1900. Its present membership is 110. It has a well furnished hall and the meetings are well attended, the lodge being in a very prosperous condition. The present officers are: Chief councilman, H. D. Lucas; assistant councilman, Charles Hoop; secretary, Clar- ence Carlson.
The Swedish Home for Old Folks was established in Madrid in 1906, the building being erected in 1908. It is a solid, substantial brick building, two stories in height, above the basement, and in size is 36 by 120 feet. The location is a very beautiful one and the building and grounds present a neat and inviting appearance. The home is an institution of which not only the Swedish people but all the people of Madrid are proud. There are at present twenty- eight .inmates in the home.
For many years Madrid has owned a park, which has been well cared for. It is a pleasant place for the people to meet. The town has just closed a deal for about eighteen acres of land adjoining the original plat of Madrid which will be converted into an additional park. The improvement of this tract will begin at an early date. This is a very fine tract of land and will add much to the attractive- ness of the park system.
Madrid was incorporated in 1883. The first municipal election was held June 6th of that year. The officers chosen at the first elec- tion were: Corydon L. Lucas, mayor; councilmen, William John- son, G. A. Young, C. J. Cassel, August Peterson, A. Rutherford and E. W. Edwards; recorder, Ashiel Rutherford ; marshal, Daniel Rob- erts. The first council had no place to hold its meetings and was forced to the necessity of meeting wherever a suitable room could be secured. A wonderful change has taken place during these more than thirty years of city government.
It will be impossible to mention in detail the names and valuable services of all the mayors and councilmen who have filled these offices during this long period, but we point with satisfaction to the products of their minds and labors, among which are: our neat and convenient city building, our miles of cement walks, our improved streets, our cement bridges, our waterworks and our fire department. All these stand as monuments to their discretion and efforts. The present officers are: Mayor, C. J. Cederquist; councilmen, F. H.
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Graves, C. G. Johnson, H. D. Lucas, A. E. Skortman and J. O. Wilson; recorder, C. S. Adams; marshal, J. O. Olson; street com- missioner, C. F. Metcalf.
Early in the year 1857, the leading citizens of the territory now included in Cass, Douglas and Garden townships, in Boone County, Des Moines Township, in Dallas County, and Madison Township, in Polk County, made a united effort to accomplish for themselves a very important thing. They originated the idea of forming a new county to be composed of the townships mentioned and to also include Lincoln Township, in Polk County, and Palestine Town- ship, in Story County. This territory was to constitute a new county. with a new name, and Madrid was to be made the county seat. That amount of territory would have made a small county, but as a jus- tification of the movement the originators claimed that it was too unhandy to live so far from the county seats as they did at that time, that it required too much of their time in going to and from the county seats in transacting county business. In short, they wanted things handy, and owing to bad roads and the unbridged streams of those days, they were far from handy as then constituted.
Early in January, 1857, a meeting was called to consider the question and to formulate plans for carrying the new idea into effect. This meeting was well attended by the leading men of all the townships interested, which were then settled. There was a strong feeling among them that the new county would be very desira- ble and all were ready to contribute money to defray the expenses of the movement. Among the men who took part in this historic meet- ing were: Phillip Snyder, Judah Leaming, John Breakfield and O. D. Smalley, of Dallas County; M. Keith, Jacob Rohr, Josiah Hopkins, Alexander Pierce, Joseph Meader and William Roe, of Polk County, and J. F. Hopkins, C. J. Cassel, George Hornback, Benjamin Williams, John Bilsland, Isaac Murphy, William Har- low, Eric Dalander, John Dalander, Swaim Dalander, Peter Ander- son and John Anderson, of Boone County. On looking up the law it was found that legislative action would be necessary before the new county could be organized. Accordingly money was con- tributed and George Hornback was appointed and empowered to proceed to lowa City at once to lay the matter before the Legisla- ture, then in session at that place. This was before the state capitol was moved from Iowa City to Des Moines.
Some days passed before Mr. Hornback could get started, and, there being no railroad over the route, he had to make the trip by
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team. By reason of bad roads and deep snow, it required nearly a week to reach the capital, but the tiresome journey was not the worst thing Mr. Hornback had to encounter. Upon his arrival he was dumfounded by the announcement that the Legislature had ad- journed the evening before. Walter C. Wilson, who represented the district in which Boone County was then situated, had not yet left the city and he assured Mr. Hornback that he would have done all he could for the establishment of the new county had the matter been brought to his attention before the Legislature adjourned.
Every one of the pioneers whose names are mentioned in con- nection with this movement for a new county was honest and sincere and not one of them would have done any act which he thought would have been injurious to the community in which he lived. Each one of them with whom the writer has conversed on this sub- ject was fully impressed with the belief that if Mr. Hornback had been sent a month earlier the new county would have been granted and Madrid would have become a county seat. All hail to these pioneer boosters of Madrid.
The darkest years Madrid ever saw were between 1865 and 1881. Boone and Des Moines each had an east and west railroad. The Des Moines Valley Road, it was expected, would build its line along the timber on the east side of the river, and on this Madrid's hopes were centered. Instead of doing this, however, the road crossed the river at Des Moines, ran its line north on the west side and laid out the town of Perry, sixteen miles west of Madrid. A few years later the Des Moines & Minnesota line was built, which ran seven miles east of Madrid. It then looked like the last ray of hope for the town. Instead of improving, the town began to lose in population. Amid this sadness and gloom word was received in the winter of 1881 that representatives of the Milwaukee Railway Company were six miles east of Madrid surveying a route and were then discussing the question whether they would come to the Des Moines River by way of Madrid or turn to the southwest and cross at the Chestnut Fork. John Bilsland and a number of others, who were still hoping for something good to happen for Madrid, drove out and met the surveying party. They fully explained the advan- tages to the railway company of coming in by way of Madrid. This friendly disposition had the desired effect. They came to see and satisfy themselves, and, like the Queen of Sheba, found that the half had not been told. The road came and ran centrally through the town, east and west, and great was the joy of the people. Scarcely
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had they passed through the first impulse of joy over this event when the Des Moines & Northern came along and ran centrally through the town, north and south, which filled the cup of their joy to overflowing. New men came in, lots sold fast and at good prices, new enterprises sprang into existence and Madrid started out on a new era of prosperity.
With the building of the two roads in 1881 the gloom and despondency of sixteen years passed away and a burden was lifted from the shoulders of those who had lived through them. There is no earthly joy sweeter than that which comes to a people after a long series of reverses have passed away. " Mr. Bilsland never did a better day's work for his fellow citizens of Madrid than he did on the day he headed the little delegation out to the camp of the Mil- waukee surveyors and induced them to come to Madrid. For this one act he should be regarded as a public benefactor.
Madrid has two lines of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway system. The main line passes through east and west. The Des Moines branch, formerly the Des Moines & Northern, passes through north and south. The main line is now double-tracked and is in a highly improved condition. The depot building at this place is old and inferior, but it will soon be replaced by a new and modern one. This system furnishes excellent transportation service to and from the world at large.
Among the manufacturing and commercial interests of Madrid are: The Madrid Chemical Company, which is one of the new industries, and the outlook is that it will have a steady growth. The company manufactures Heath's Dandruff Remover, and all toilet articles used by barbers. The headquarters of the company are under the Farmers Savings Bank, and the officers are: President, William Heath; vice president, J. H. Southworth ; secretary, F. H. Graves; treasurer, Frank Mains.
D. W. Crank, of Madrid, manufactures the famous Crank Violins and Crank's Lens Eye End Pins (for violins), tools and supplies. Mr. Crank sells a large number of violins to parties in various parts of the country. He recently filled an order from August Gemunder & Sons, violin makers of New York City, for four violins. He also sells tools to this firm and to Lyon & Healy of Chicago.
Erickson Brothers, manufacturers of cement blocks, are doing a good business, their cement blocks being used in many places.
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The Sutherland Wagon Box Factory has been in operation about three years. This industry has a number of employes and the out- look for its business in the future is good. The wagon boxes which they manufacture are selling in many parts of the country. Every- where they have given entire satisfaction.
The Electric Light and Power Company of Madrid was organ- ized in 1901. A. R. Westerberg is the president and manager of the company. The plant has given the people of Madrid good service and they highly appreciate both the plant and the man- agement.
The telephone system of Madrid has been in operation about twenty years. It has given the people good service all these years. The management has fulfilled all of the requirements of the patrons of the system, and the people have a high appreciation of the benefits they have derived. The present officers are: J. S. Kenison, presi- dent; H. C. Graves, secretary and manager.
The enterprising firm of Krantz Brothers have a brick garage in operation. The building is 66 by 90 feet in dimensions and is built of the best material. The firm makes many sales of automo- biles and is doing a good business.
The Madrid State Bank and the Farmers Savings Bank are the money centers of Madrid. They are both well patronized, and transact a large volume of business annually.
The Farmers Savings Bank's last reports shows that its capital stock is $25,000; surplus, $2,500; undivided profits, $1,800; and deposits, $204,000. Officials: John Van Zandt, president; S. A. Bengtson, vice president ; Frank H. Graves, cashier; G. C. Carlson, assistant cashier; Blanche Frise, bookkeeper.
The Madrid State Bank is under the official charge of Oscar Oak- leaf, president ; Peter Cassel, vice president ; Z. M. Hamman, cashier ; C. Fred Carlson, assistant cashier. The condensed statement of the bank rendered under the state auditor's call April 6, 1914, shows that the capital stock is $25,000; surplus, $25,000; undivided profits, $2,500; deposits, $313,000.
The "Game Preserve," established by Game Warden H. E. Perry during the winter and spring of 1914, is located mainly within the borders of Douglas Township. Some of the birds placed in the "Preserve" have already appeared in the barnyards and feed lots of the citizens who have leased their lands for the "Game Preserve," which is under the charge of the state. Game placed within this preserve is not allowed to be killed or in any way molested for a
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
period of years, thus restocking the county with game birds and animals.
Douglas Township gave liberally of her sons to the Union forces during our Civil war, as will be seen from the following list, which shows those who went from this township, and, so far as we have been able to ascertain, those who returned, those who remained among us, and those who moved away. This honor roll is as follows :
Henry M. Graves. Returned, and has lived in the township ever since, being now a constable, living in Madrid.
Lewis Harris. Did not return to the township.
Samuel Marsh. Lost an arm in the service. Returned to the township, but later moved to Des Moines, lowa.
William Rankin. Returned to the township, but later moved away.
Josiah Fritz. Was killed in the service.
Lewis Oliver. John B. Hagan.
Henry J. Stone. Returned to the township, and later moved to the West.
George W. Kirby. Returned, and is now living in Madrid.
Larne Gaston.
William Radcliff. Returned to township.
Thomas Cromwell. Returned, and died in the township in 1914.
Newton Cromwell. Returned to the township, and later moved to Kansas.
Solomon G. Cunningham. Died in the service.
Henry R. Wilson.
Albert Williams.
William Stover.
Francis Annis.
Andrew J. Dalander.
John Kerby.
Abbot Lee. Returned, and later moved from the township.
Peter Peterson. Returned to township, and died here in 1912. Jonse Peterson. Returned, and later moved from township.
Spencer K. Williams.
Charles J. Anderson. Returned, and died in township a num- ber of years afterwards. Levi Berry. Randolph Scoonover. J. M. Williams.
BIRDSEYE VIEW FROM WATER TANK, MADRID
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STATE STREET, MADRID
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Isaac Stover. Returned, and still lives in Madrid.
This list shows that twenty-nine citizens of Douglas Township joined the Union Army in the troublous times following the fall of Fort Sumter, in 1861. This might seem a small number at the present day, but when we consider the sparse population at that time, it was a large percentage. We do not know how many of these are still living, but we do know that three of them, Henry M. Graves, Isaac Stover and George W. Kirby, are yet living in Douglas Town- ship. We all unite in giving honor to our sons who aided in uphold- ing the Union when its life hung in the balance.
The present officers of Douglas Township are as follows: Trus- tees, John Van Zant, Samuel Bryant and George Hubby; clerk, Simeon Eslick; assessor, Oscar Johnson; justices of the peace, George H. Simmons and Corydon L. Lucas; constables, M. J. Scott and Henry M. Graves.
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CHAPTER XIX
CASS TOWNSHIP
Cass Township is situated on the west side of the Des Moines River and is but little more than half a congressional township. From 1849 to 1852 Cass was a part of Pleasant Township. From March 8, 1852, to March 6, 1858, it was a part of Berry Township. At the last named date Cass Township was established and named by S. B. McCall, county judge. At that date the township of Cass contained all of the territory within its present boundaries and four tiers of sections off of the east side of Peoples Township. It was named in honor of Gen. Lewis Cass, a much honored and distin- guished statesman and politician. When Peoples Township was established in 1871 the four tiers of sections mentioned above were taken from Cass, at which time it was reduced to its present size.
There are some early items of history to be found in the south- east part of Cass Township of which mention will be made. The two large mounds found there have from time immemorial attracted the attention of both the Indian and white men. When the treaty with the Sac and Fox Indians expired, October 11, 1845, the great chief Keokuk and the Sac Indians went to Kansas Territory to live, but the Foxes went up the river thirty miles and established a lodge around these mounds. Captain Allen sent Lieut. R. S. Granger with a company of Dragoons after them and he took them to Fort Des Moines and they remained there until the next spring, when they were also sent to Kansas. Five years ago a stone tablet was found near the largest of these two mounds, with the following inscrip- tion on it:
"DECEMBER 10, 1845.
"Found 200 Indians hid on and around these mounds.
"They cried no go! no go! but we took them to Fort D.
"LT. R. S. GRANGER."
This tablet is now in the possession of the Madrid Historical Society.
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
The first family of permanent settlers to cross the Des Moines River at Elk Rapids was that of O. D. Smalley, the Christopher Columbus of Dallas County, who in company with some other men and teams moved from North Missouri to Fort Des Moines, and from thence up along the river on the east side and camped on the site of the present town of Madrid. This was in the spring of 1846.
Finding that the land at the point of timber here was already claimed, Mr. Smalley made up his mind to cross the Des Moines River and look for a location on the west side. The next morning he and the parties with him drove to Elk Rapids, intending to cross the river there, but found the stream full of water from bank to bank. On the large expanse of bottom land to the south of the rapids there were hundreds of hard maple trees. A band of Pottawattamie Indians had a lodge among these maples and every spring they manu- factured large quantities of maple sugar. At the time Mr. Smalley arrived there the sugar season was over and the Indians were off on a hunting tour. Mr. Smalley took the large troughs, which the Indians had made and used for storing the sap of the maple trees, and made a raft of them on which the families, the wagons and con- tents were taken across the river in safety. The horses and cattle were forced to swim the river. This company of emigrants were the first to cross the river at Elk Rapids and they were the first homeseekers to set foot on what is now the soil of Cass Township. Mr. Smalley cleared out a way up the river hill on the west side and the teams were driven up the hill exactly where the road is now located. Mr. Smalley turned south when he reached the prairie on the west side and located near Snyder Point, in Dallas County. He was the first settler there, lived there many years and was honored with two county offices.
The first mill built in Boone County, or in the Des Moines Val- ley north of the Raccoon Fork, was situated at the lower end of Elk Rapids on the west bank of the Des Moines River, in what is now Cass Township. This mill was built by Adam and Jonathan Boles in 1849 and 1850. It was known for many miles in all directions as the Elk Rapids mill, and it was of much advantage to many of the settlers.
Near this mill site there is a famous stone quarry, which has fur- nished stone for the foundations of many buildings. Many loads of this stone were in pioneer times hauled on wagons to Des Moines and used in the erection of buildings.
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
In this part of Cass Township is the western terminus of the great Elk Rapids viaduct across the Des Moines River, erected in 1913 by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company. This viaduct is a solid steel structure, 2,380 feet long and 146 feet above the ordinary stage of water in the river. The west end of the viaduct is six feet above the natural bluff on the west side of the river. When looked at from the summit of either of the mounds above referred to it presents a most beautiful sight to look at. On the right of way of the railroad on the slope of the river hill and about seventy-five feet from the west end of the viaduct is the grave of Crawford Cole, one of the pioneers of this part of the country. He was buried here at his own request, in 1874. As the grave is many feet below the viaduct and fifty feet north of it, the railroad company made no request that the remains be removed. As Crawford Cole was a prominent member of the Masonic lodge at Madrid, Iowa, the mem- bers of that lodge have improved and beautified the grave of this brother until it now attracts the attention of all who pass near it.
Right here in this corner of Cass Township is the junction of two pioneer roads, one of which was laid out by the authorities of Dallas County, and the other by the authorities of Boone County. The Dallas County road was established in the spring of 1850 and it ran from Panoach (now Adel) northeast and terminated at Boles Mill. The Boone County road commenced at the north line of the county a little north of the present town of Ridgeport, and running south and a little east intersected the Dallas County road at Boles Mill. This road was petitioned for in the fall of 1849 and estab- lished the following year. These were the first roads established in Boone and Dallas Counties. The junction of these two roads in Cass Township is a historic event, well worthy of mention. In fact the whole number of events mentioned in connection with the south- east corner of Cass Township are sufficiently interesting to merit the mention here given.
The first settlements in Cass Township were made in 1848. In that year Jonathan Boles, John Woods, V. Preston, Crawford Cole and Jacob Rhodes settled. Just which of these was the first settler of the township is a thing that cannot now be definitely deter- mined. In 1849 J. H. Rhodes, William Noland and James Noland settled in the township. In 1850 Roland Spurrier, George Spur- rier, Lawda Hurst, James Hurst, Henry Hurst, S. B. Williams, Jesse Williams and William P. Berry all located and became citi- zens of Cass Township. In 1851 William Harlow, Perry Scott,
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J. O. Harris, Andrew and Orlow Oviatt, J. B. Vernon, Elisha Ben- nett and many others became residents of Cass Township.
The first land purchase was made by Alfred Williams in November, 1848. He purchased the southeast quarter of the south- east quarter of Section 28. In July, 1849, Albert G. Preston pur- chased the southwest quarter of Section 28 and the southeast quarter of Section 30.
The first marriage in the township was that of James Hurst to Susan Messmore, in the spring of 1850.
The first birth in the township was that of Samuel Preston, son of Mr. and Mrs. V. Preston, in November, 1849. He died in December of the same year. This was also the first death in the township.
These first settlers had the hardships and privations of frontier life to encounter in their endeavor to make homes in a new country. At first they went a long distance to find mills that manufactured breadstuffs. Their nearest postoffice was Fort Des Moines, where they had to go to get their mail and purchase their groceries. It took men and women of courage and endurance to overcome these dif- ficulties.
Among the early settlers who yet have descendants in the town- ship are the Harlows, the Prestons, the Hursts, the Williams, the Oviatts, the Le Masters, the Vernons, the Nolands, the Woods, all of whom are prosperous citizens of the township, and all of whom date back into the pioneer families.
At least one-third of the surface of Cass Township was origi- nally timbered land. Most of this has been cut off and used up or disposed of and many small farms have been cleared up and placed under cultivation. Much of this timbered land is underlaid with coal, none of which has been developed. There are also numerous gravel beds in Cass Township, which will some time be valuable. Some time in the future there will be a railroad switch built into the coal fields and gravel beds and they will be worked and utilized.
Among the pioneer families which have not been mentioned are the Hornbuckles, James and Melvin Nance, Moses Eversoll and Joshua Eversoll. During the Civil war Jefferson Hornbuckle was appointed deputy provost marshal and he exercised his official authority in a way that did not at all times meet with the approval of his superiors and certainly not with those over whom he exercised his authority.
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