USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 28
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Company L was quartered in the ball room of the Julian Hotel and their principal duty while there was to protect the lowa Street power house and the water works at Eagle Point. Company L performed the duties assigned in a soldierly and expeditious manner.
The cannon in their possession which used to guard the entrance to the Armory Building was presented by Company L to A. G. Beatty, commander of E. C. Little Post, G. A. R., and was placed on the plot of ground in Oak- wood Cemetery where is to be erected a splendid soldiers' monument when Independenee awakes from its lethargy in this respeet.
It seems a pity and almost a disgrace that this eity has not as yet fittingly paid tribute in some worthy and substantial manner to the honor and valor of our departed heroes of the Civil and the Spanish-American wars. The patriotic soeieties have agitated the question and appropriated money for this purpose but lack of publie interest and positive antagonism have thwarted their plans.
But their money placed on deposit is aeerning interest and when the propitious time arrives will form a neleus for a magnificent granite shaft to be raised. More the shame, because nearly every town in the county and in the entire country have honored their soldiers with some sort of a monument, a mute but inspiring testimony of their regard and devotion.
CAMP WOLCOTT
The Fifty-third Regiment 1. N. G. and Company E and H troops of the Second United States Cavalry of Fort Des Moines, together with machine gun, hospital corps, and the regimental band of Cedar Rapids, eneamped on the Rev. T. E. Taylor farm, West of Independence, from July 20 to 30, 1909. The encampment was under the command of Col. H. A. Allen and Company L of Independence under the command of Capt. Roy A. Cook. Nearly a thousand men were in attendance. It was named Camp Woleott in honor of Morse Woleott, the first member of Company E to have had sacrificed his life in the Spanish-American war. The eamp consisted of about seven hundred national guardsmen and 150 of the regulars.
Governor's day, the Sham battle, field meet and dress parades attracted immense crowds of people to Camp Woleott. The maneuvers of the Sham battle took place at the South Bridge, and was viewed by thousands of speetators.
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ORIGINAL PETITION TO LEGISLATURE OF STATE TO APPOINT A COMMISSION TO LOCATE A SEAT OF JUSTICE IN BUCHANAN COUNTY
CHAPTER XII
EARLY HISTORY OF INDEPENDENCE
LOCATION-INCORPORATION-GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
THE LOCATION AND THE ADDITIONS
On December 20, 1845, the citizens of the settlement where Independence now stands petitioned the Legislature to appoint a commission to locate and establish a seat of justice-a faesimile of the same appears on the opposite page.
The Legislature on January 19, 1846, appointed Jolm G. McDonald of Jaek- son County, Theopholus Crawford of Dubuque County, and John W. Clarke of Delaware County, but for some reason they failed to aet and on February 24, 1847, Lyman Dillon of Dubuque, Thomas Denson of Jones and Sylvester Stevens of Jaekson were appointed and on June 15, 1847, they met at the house of Joseph A. Reynolds and located the seat of justice on the east half of the southeast quarter of seetion 34 and the west half of the southwest quarter of seetion 35, township 89, range 9, and ealled it Independence.
A facsimile of the original plat appears with this article and it will be noticed the name is spelled Independance.
In June, 1847, the three commissioners, appointed by the State Legislature, visited the county and, on the fifteenth day of June, located the county seat on seetions 34, 89 and 9, and called it Independence. The location being made at a date so near to the Fourth of July had probably a great influence in selecting the name of Independence for the future city. On the twenty-seventh day of November, the county platted the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of seetions 34, 89 and 9.
Stoughton & McClure's addition was platted and placed on file February 27, 1854. The land on the west side of the river, which was originally platted by Stoughton & MeClure, was ealled by them New Haven, which was, by the State Legislature, on the twenty-seventh day of January, 1857, changed to Stoughton & McClure's second addition to Independence. Scareliff's addition, July 8, 1853; Melone's addition, May 3, 1854; A. & A. B. Clark & Company's addition, June 20, 1854; Fargo's addition, May 7, 1859; Bull's addition, Sep- tember 15, 1857; Bartlet's second addition, March 5, 1858; Union addition, March 17, 1879; Close's addition, February 21, 1856; Harter's addition, Deeem- ber 23, 1858 ; Fargo's second addition, June 23, 1868 (this is a replat of Bartlet's second addition) ; Cumming's addition, January 12, 1857; Railroad addition, March 24, 1858; Railroad addition replatted, September 9, 1872; Mathias' sub-
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HHISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
division of block sixty, Union addition, August 30, 1860; Card's addition, November 20, 1873; Bartlet's addition, December 7, 1857; Scareliff's second addition, June 15, 1870; Woodward's addition, April 12, 1869; Herriek's addi- tion, September 7, 1872 (this is a replat of Bartlet's second addition).
THIE FIRST COURTHOUSE
The first building used for a county courthouse was a small wooden struc- ture standing at the corner of Main and Chatham streets. This was in 1847. The small dingy front room was used as the county elerk's office and court room while the back end was occupied by Doctor Brewer, the first county clerk, and his large family.
The first court was held in the log cabin of Rufus B. Clark, which stood just north of where the Gedney now stands, in the middle of the street which was formerly called Mort street.
The second term of court was held in the storeroom of William Brazleton, then in the building which he ereeted for a schoolhouse, just south of the Commercial Bank, and in various other places until the completion of the present courthouse in 1857 ..
INCORPORATION
The first suggestion of incorporation of the village of Independence was made by two early lumber merchants in or about the year 1852. These men came from Dubuque to sell lumber and while in the city did a great deal to encourage the building of a mill on the Wapsipinieon. The incorporation when again revived in 1861 was opposed by a large minority. Those of the majority deemed it best to wait until nearly everyone was in favor of incor- poration. Both divisions realized that this step to the rank of city meant a slight increase in taxes, but the majority deemed it advisable from the point of view that new opportunities would present themselves after incor- poration. Nevertheless it was postponed until the year 1864. This time brought results. There was, practically speaking, no one opposed to it.
There was a great deal of trouble in determining the amount of land to be included in the city limits. There was some talk of having Independence extend over an area of three square miles. This aroused considerable dis- cussion and was eventually defeated. There were also many suggestions and comments in favor of and opposing to a city hall which should be erected and opened on the day of the first election. This plan was likewise defeated.
The petitioners for the incorporation were C. F. Leavitt, J. S. Woodward, and James Jamison and it was to these worthy gentlemen that final decision for the establishment of city limits was seenred, as may be seen by a copy of the petition for incorporation which photograph appears in this volume.
After the question of city limits was settled, much of the land had to be redivided. Some very laughable circumstances were connected with this. One property owner had his barn and chicken coop in Independence and the rest of his property outside. Another owner was fortunate enough to have
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his front stoop, sitting room, and two bedrooms ineluded within the city limits and the kitchen, dining room and another bedroom were outside the eity limits. Thus he was relieved of paying city taxes by moving the front of his house to the rear of the kitchen and selling the land inside the eity limits line.
The boundaries of the eity have been changed from time to time and each time beeoming more and more irregular, thereby differing from the original intention of having the city a perfeet square.
The petition for incorporation was signed by 170 voters of the prominent men of the town.
Independence was incorporated as a second class city, on August 6, 1864, by Wm. II. Barton, county judge of Bnehanan County, upon a petition signed by 178 of the residents of the territory composing the eity.
An election was ealled for the nineteenth day of December, 1864, for the pur- pose of eleeting a mayor, city marshal, city treasurer, city solicitor and eight trustees.
At the election, 140 ballots were cast for mayor, of which D. S. Lee received 139 and P. C. Wilcox, 1 ; for city solicitor, C. T. Leavitt received 127 votes, D. D. Holdridge, 1 vote and J. S. Woodward, 1 vote: E. Brewer was unanimously elected treasurer; H. S. Cole was unanimously elected eity marshal, and for trustees. J. F. Lyon received 137 votes, Sam Sherwood 130 votes, S. S. Clark 133 votes, Albert Clarke 137 votes, R. Campbell 138 votes, O. HI. P. Roszell 121 votes, R. R. Plane 137 votes, J. B. Thomas 123 votes, P. C. Wileox 2 votes, William Scott 1 vote, James Jamison 1 vote, H. A. King 1 vote.
The first meeting of the city council was held on December 28, 1864.
The territory comprising the city was the west one-half of seetion 35, the south half of seetion 34, the northeast quarter of seetion 34, all in township 89, range 9; also the northeast quarter of seetion 4 the east half of the northwest quarter of seetion 4, the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of seetion 4, the north half of the southwest quarter of section 3, and the north half of the southwest quarter of section 3, all in township 88, range 9.
The city was divided into four wards, the First, Seeond and Third wards having the same dividing lines as at present, and all of the city west of Walnut Street (Third Avenue, northeast), and north of Main and Independence streets (First Street, east and west), constituted the Fourth Ward.
At the first meeting of the council, fourteen motions were made, thirteen of which Councilman Roszell was the author, and the fourteenth, a motion to adjourn, was made by Councilman Thomas.
At that same meeting Councilman Roszell was elected eity engineer, and James M. Weart was elected city clerk.
At an adjourned meeting, an ordinanee was adopted, providing for wood markets, and creating the office of measurer of wood, to which office D. S. Deer- ing was elected, but he declined to act, and on February 13, 1865, Ira Alexander was elected to the position.
On April 11, 1865, Perry Munson was elected the first street commissioner of Independence.
On April 14, 1865, Dr. II. Bryant was elected the first health officer of the city, and on April 17th, he declined to aet, and Dr. J. G. House was elected to
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the position. On that date the city council passed a resolution requesting the mayor to call a public meeting of the citizens, to take such action as might be deemed proper to carry out the proclamation of the governor requesting all citizens to meet on Thursday, the 27th of April, 1865, to appropriately testify to. their sorrow on the death of President Lincoln.
THE BEGINNINGS AT INDEPENDENCE
In the year 1846, the site of the present county seat of Buchanan County was occupied by the cabin of Rufus B. Clark, the well-known pioneer and hunter, who found amid the solitudes of this portion of the Valley of the Wapsipinicon, and in the deep pools of the river, abundant employment for his rifle and traps. lle tilled ground enough to furnish his family with corn bread, relying upon the chase and trapping, for the chief means of subsistence, and wholly for their clothing. His annual or semi-annual visits to Dubuque or the lake cities, enabled him to dispose of his furs and pelts, and furnished him with the means of an honest, if not a luxurious, living.
Though he had chosen the banks of the Wapsipinieon as his dwelling place, or rather as the home of his family. probably from its proximity to eastern markets (for these considerations had their weight even with the western trap- pers), his hunting and fishing grounds were not confined to the Valley of the Wapsie, where his traps could be watched by the young hunters growing up under his training and dependent upon him for instructions in the profession to which they were born. Despite the Indians, then freely roaming over north- ern lowa, he traversed the valleys of the Cedar, the Jowa and the Des Moines, as well as that of the stream on which his eabin was located.
But this hardy pioneer, though fearing no evil from his red neighbors. or the wild beasts he daily encountered, found himself in peril from the greed of a certain class of men, appropriately called "land sharks," who always appear on the confines of civilization, as soon as it becomes evident that the wave of immigration is setting in, ready to practice upon the simplicity of the hardy pioneer, and rob him of the fruits of his well-earned "pre-emption." To save his claim and home from the wiles of these operators, Clark sought the assis- tance of his firm friend and adviser, N. A. MeClure, Esq., then a merchant of Milwaukee, and afterwards of Dubuque. With his assistance, he succeeded in entering four forty-aere lots, or a quarter section.
Some assert that Rufus B. Clark, so far from being a mere hunter and trap- per, was the one who conceived the plan of locating a town at the point now occupied by the county seat of Buchanan Connty. In his long excursions through the northwest portion of Iowa, though many eligible sites for future cities were met with, none struck him so favorably as the waterpower and surrounding high grounds, covered with groves of oak, on the banks of the Wapsipinicon. In 1856, he was living at Quasqueton, but finding a few months later. that specu- lators were already attracted to this fair domain over which he had wandered, enjoying in anticipation the choice of locations in the entries of Government lands, he came from Quasqueton on the eighteenth of Mareh, of that year, on the ice and commenced his house, which he had ready for ocenpaney early in April. Not having the means For further improvements, or for entering the
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land at Government price, he succeeded in interesting N. A. MeClure (as already stated), in his enterprise, who recommended N. P. Stoughton as another asso- ciate, and the latter named gentleman returned to lowa with Clark. Being well pleased with the situation of the proposed purchase, he stopped in Dubuque on his return, and made the entry of the quarter seetion, which included the waterpower, and extended some eighty rods east and west from the river, and the same distance north and south of Main Street. Clark's house, which was a double log structure, with a hall between the two rooms (a favorite style in Tennessee, Kentucky, and southern Ohio, in the early part of the nineteenth century ). stood in the middle of what is now Mott Street, at the intersection of Chatham Street. It was for some time the principal house in the settlement, and, of course, the headquarters and rendezvous of all new arrivals.
Mr. Stoughton, who had returned to Wisconsin, after entering the land as ahove related, was again on the ground after a lapse of a few weeks, bringing with him Samuel Sherwood and T. Dolton, who were prepared to proceed at once with the building of the dam and the mill. Doctor Lovejoy, the first physician of the place, was also one of the Stoughton party. Soon after the little eom- munity was again nearly doubled, by the addition of A. H. Trask, Eli Phelps and Mr. Babbitt, who all boarded with Clark. In the following June, Thomas W. Close came, who continued a resident until his death, in 1874. S. S. MeClure, and some others, came during the summer, but returned before winter.
The seeond building erected was a store, which stood somewhere on the north side of Main Street, and east of Chatham. It was occupied by S. P. Stough- ton, with a small stoek, comprising the plainest, most common and necessary goods, but sufficient for the wants of the population at that time, and doubtless a great convenience, as there was no other market nearer than Dubuque. The dam and sawmill were completed, probably during the autumn of the first year ; and the first slabs were used in putting up the third building, but the second dwelling house, in Independence. This was built by Elijah Beardsley. The fourth house was built by Dr. Edward Brewer, and stood for many years, that is, considering the character of the building, which seems to have been remark- able principally for the multiplicity of purposes which it served at one and the same time-a private dwelling, a postoffice, a boardinghouse, and all the offiees known to law and to courts, besides a real-estate and broker's office, and take it for granted, that in the number of its rooms it did not exceed the manor house (as it will be quite proper to style the residence of the founder of the city).
It is believed that the persons already mentioned, with two or three young men, comprised all the permanent inhabitants previous to 1848. In the spring of that year, there were some additions, and the number of families increased to eight, viz .: Dr. Edward Brewer, Rufus B. Clark, Asa Blood, Elijah Beards- ley. Thomas W. Close, Almon Higley, William Hammond, and Doetor Lovejoy.
Although there were many neweomers, and the place became of some impor- tance as a trading point, little advance was made in the permanent population for several years. In consequence of the building of the dam, ague and other malarial fevers prevailed to such an extent that few had the courage to remain after the first season.
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
In all new countries there is more or less sickness, and in this wild. nnbroken prairie land, so rank with thick, grassy vegetation, ague and other malarial fevers flourished. In consequence of the building of the dam at Independence, which to an extent aggravated those diseases, few had the courage to remain after the first season.
Before the fall of 1849, all the families had left, except those of Brewer, Close and Beardsley, and one family had been added-that of Mr. Horton. In the spring of the following year, Beardsley and Horton left, reducing the popu- lation of the embryo capital to two families, those of Doctor Brewer and Mr. Close. In 1848 a small log building was erected a little east of the present loca- tion of the Peoples National Bank, in which Doctor Brewer taught the first school established in the county. At its opening there were twenty pupils in attendance, and the doctor was said to be no less successful in his attention to the mental needs of those committed to his care, than afterwards, in the eradi- cation of their physical ailments. Before the elose of the first year, the school closed. and the temple of science became a blacksmith shop.
Such a deterioration of status in the community. to which this historical edifice was subjected, ean only be accounted for in some extreme necessity, and the numerous farms being located around both settlements seems to have been the incentive : the prospective demand for equine footgear caused the enter- prising Charles Robbins, the original village blacksmith, to establish therein his smithy emporium. But the question arises, could not a combination of these arts and sciences have been effected, whereby school sessions and blacksmithing would not interfere with each other, and the recesses and noons could be devoted to the more herative, and, as it would appear, more necessary profession ; since Doctor Brewer had reconciled a boardinghouse and private dwelling in a building with but one room.
Besides the prevalent diseases, the fact that a prosperous community had been growing up at Quasqueton, during the three or four years of the beginning of Independence, is largely responsible for the retarded growth of the latter place, and possibly the depletion of the little hamlet under the oaks, although we cannot find record of there being any great influx of immigrants from the upper rapids city to the lower, in those days.
William Brazelton put up a small building during the summer of 1850, which was used for a school. taught by O. H. P. Roszell, afterward county judge.
The postoffice was established the second year of the settlement, in 1848, S. P. Stoughton being the first postmaster. Doctor Brewer succeeded him after a short time, and held the office for six years. The emoluments of the office were very inconsiderable, for the first two or three years not exceeding one dollar and twenty-five cents a quarter, and the amount of business accorded, as a mat- ter of course, with the revenne ; the mail being often carried in the vest pocket of the postmaster. In the autumn of 1847, the contract for carrying the mail between Dubuque and Independence was sub-let to Trask and Phelps, who for some time carried the mail matter on horseback, making weekly trips. Finding an increased demand for the services of a purchasing and carrying agent, they put on a democrat wagon, and speedily grew into favor and a remunerative business, by attending to small commissions from all points along the route. They were even flattered by the deferential attentions of the Dubuque merchants, who did not
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EARLY INDEPENDENCE HOTEL
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FIRST FACTORY IN INDEPENDENCE
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
disdain the increase of patronage which was connected with the trade of the Buchanan County mail carrier.
In 1853, Independence contained but twelve inhabited dwellings, one or two stores, a sawmill, blacksmith shop, etc. At that date, Waterloo was seareely a hamlet, and all the valleys of the lowa rivers in the Northwest, were an almost unbroken wilderness. And yet, in six years from that time, Independence had grown, from the straggling collection of a dozen and a half primitive build- ings, to a thrifty, stirring town of 1,500 inhabitants, with mills and machine shops, churches, hotels, stores, a courthouse, and hundreds of beautiful private residences. Schools flourished and society was marked by that refinement which generally betokens the presence of wealth and the fixed habits of settled and homo- geneons communities.
The growth of the town, since this second stage was reached, has been steady, but like that of most Iowa towns, at a greatly reduced rate of increase. The rail- road opened in 1859, though of the greatest importance to the prosperity of the county at large, and indispensable to the continued growth of the town, yet, as in its further completion and multiplying communications and connections in opening to the on-pressing tide of emigration, the great beyond, which to the average American mind has always been invested with irresistible charms, its rapid advance into new territory may be said to have checked eventually the wonderful growth which marked the first years of the assured prosperity of the new town.
INDEPENDENCE IN THE FIFTIES
Independence, for the first few years, confined its growth exclusively to the east side of the river, but in 1856 and 1857, the west side began to boom, and some eight buildings were erected on that side-New Haven, as it was then called. Messrs. Harter & Dickey had just established a plant for manufacturing steam pressed briek and a turning lathe. The east side plant, owned by Clark & Stevens, had a capacity of 1,000 finished bricks of good quality per hour. The proprietors had a contract for 3,000,000 bricks for Independence alone, and this, with the output of the other plants, would probably aggregate 4,000,000 brieks used in Independence that year (1857). The briek industry in Inde- pendence in those days was a very promising one, with the constant building and prospective improvements.
Messrs. MeClure and Counts had a large hotel, which they were remodelling in 1857.
Mr. Sauerbier had just completed a large stone store, which was one of the finest buildings in the town. It was to be occupied by T. B. Bullen as a general dry goods and grocery store.
The second story was to be used as a publie hall. This old stone store still stands on the north side of Main Street-the third house west of the mill. Years ago, it was remodelled into a dwelling house, by Mr. Sauerbier, and occupied by his family, and for many years has been the home of C. F. Herrick and family. Mrs. Herrick is the daughter of Mr. Sauerbier.
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