USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 108
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they needed. At one time he went to Quasqueton for some meal, one week going each way, and, at last, on Saturday night he succeeded in getting ten pounds of shorts, which he carried home, and it was used to make bread for the family. He had scarcely any companions or friends in those days except the Indians, who were wandering in the timber in large numbers, but showed no signs of hostility whatever. Mr. Dunn has four children, one boy and three girls.
Daniel Leatherman and his family were the next set- tlers here. They came June 2, 1854, settling out on the prairie, where there was nothing to guide them when they first came, and while their house was being built they lived for six weeks in the wagons they came with. A few acres were broken that year, and a little sod corn raised, also a fine patch of water-melons. His was the only house built out upon the prairie, and probably the first frame house built in the township. The stage road from Dubuque by way of Coffin's Grove, to Quasqueton, passed by their house, and this was the only house from Quas- queton to Coffin's Grove, a distance of twenty-three miles. At night a light was placed in the east window in the upper story of the house, so that wanderers out on the prairie could see the light as they were coming in from Coffin's Grove. Many poor fellows were lost out upon the boundless land, who have seen the light in Leather- man's house, and there found a place to rest their wearied bodies, and found also a host and hostess with hearts as large and open as creation itself. Never was one turned away in those early days, though it truly seemed there was not even room for one more, the house both above and below being crowded. Mr. Leatherman was born December 18, 1814, in Indiana, and was of German de-
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.
scent. Mrs. Leatherman was a native of Kentucky. He came to Iowa with ox and horse teams. He died on the farm where he first settled, on the twelfth day of Novem- ber, 1876, leaving a wife and ten children surviving him. His wife still owns and occupies the old homestead, and has the vigor of earlier and happier years. When he first came Mr. Leatherman employed much of his time teaming between Quasqueton and Dubuque, and the lumber of which his house was built was mostly drawn from Dubuque, a distance of seventy miles. He was one of the first magistrates, and he and his wife were members of the Baptist church in Quasqueton.
R. Stoneman settled here in 1855, near Leatherman's, he being Mr. Leatherman's first neighbor. Mr. Stoneman lived here probably ten years, and then went to Kansas, where he now lives. He had a family of some eight children, all of whom went farther west with their father.
George Smith was another of these early pioneers. He came about the same time as Stoneman in 1855. Here- mained here only about eight years; his wife died here, and then he soon emigrated to Kansas, where he still re- sides. He was a Wesleyan minister, and held the first religious services in the settlement.
William Broadstreet became a settler here in 1854, not far from Leatherman's, and on the farm now owned and occupied by William Braden. He remained but eight or nine years. He is still a resident of the county, living in Liberty township.
Mr. McWilliams settled in the township in June, 1854. He came from Ohio, of which State he was a native. He lived here until about the year 1865 and then moved to the south part of the State, where he died. He had a son in our late civil war-Henry McWilliams, who was killed in the same battle in which a son of Mr. Leatherman was killed.
Stillman Berry came to the State in May, 1855, set- tling first in Quasqueton, but the same year bought the land he now lives on in Middlefield township. He was a native of Maine and had but one child-a girl, who is now Mrs. Olive Perkins, who has four children and lives on the old homestead with her father's family.
CREAMERIES AND CREAM MANUFACTURE.
'Charles W. Cray established a creamery here in the spring of 1881. He has one churn with a capacity of fifty pounds of butter, and ordinarily churning once a day, uses the milk of six hundred cows; he also pur- chases cream from the farmers. He uses horse-power in churning. One man operates the creamery, and two teams are engaged ir gathering cream.
CHEESE MANUFACTORY.
A cheese manufactory was established here in the spring of 1881 by Mealler Brothers, on the farm of B. Dunlap. They make what is termed Swiss cheese, weighing from eighty to one hundred pounds each. They use the milk of two hundred cows. There are two men employed in their manufactory. They will make in the season four cheese each day, using a large copper kettle. The cloth in which the cheese is enclosed is imported from Switzerland.
CEMETERY.
A cemetery company was organized here about 1874. They have a good burying place. But previous to the organization of this company the people used the same grounds for the burial of their dead.
Buffalo creek passes through about the centre, enter- ing the township at the northwest corner and passing through to the southeast corner. There is another small creek in the south part of the township called Leather- man's creek.
A post office was established here in about 1872, and L. P. Stutson appointed first postmaster. W. T. Stut- son, his son, is the present incumbent. The office is called Middlefield. They have a mail here twice a week.
TIMBER, ETC.
The timber is mostly in the southeastern part. There are about two hundred acres in the township, and that along Buffalo creek. There are, however, about the dwellings of the settlers, some fine groves that have been planted by them.
The surface is a rolling prairie, the soil of a dark loam and is very productive.
The first birth here was that of Edward L. Leather- man, April 4, 1855. He died September 29, 1879, at the family residence in the township.
The first wedding was that of Willard S. Blair and Permelia Ann Leatherman, June 24, 1855. Mr. Blair is dead, and his wife is married to Mr. A. M. Benton, and now lives in Linn county, Indiana.
The first religious services ever held in the township were by Rev. G. Smith, in 1855 or 1856, in the pioneer school-house that had just been built.
The first crop raised in the township was turnips, sod corn, and a few potatoes, by Patrick M. Dunn, in 1850. This, the first year that Mr. Dunn came to the township. This little crop gladdened the heart of Mr. Dunn and family.
The first wheat in the township was raised by P. M. Dunn in 1851. It was cradled and the crop was a good one.
W. T. Stutson keeps a general store in the west part of the township, which is a great convenience to the people.
The principal productions in this township are corn, oats, timothy seed, hay, flax, sugar-cane, and buckwheat.
In the early days of this township some of the farmers took their surplus products to Dubuque, but the expense of going there would frequently amount to more than their loads, the prices of everything then being very low -wheat not more than twenty-five cents per bushel.
There was in the early days considerable suffering in the winter of 1856-57, on account of the severe cold weather.
There was at the time the early settlers came quite a large quantity of game, and more especially when Dunn first settled away in the timber. There were deer, geese, lynx, catamounts, and a few otter along Buffalo creek. W. J. Dunn killed a large number of lynx, and they are occasionally heard now in the timber.
The first school taught in this township was in a school-
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.
house that Mr. Leatherman and one or two other resi- dents had built, and the first teacher was Malinda Gage- by, now Mrs. Samuel Braden, and living in the same township. The teacher was paid in the same way that the house was built-by subscriptions from the people.
Among the early teachers were Henry Blank, A. Scott, R. Stoneman, Nancy Merrill. A second school-house was built near Stillman Berry's, in about the centre of the township.
The first entry of land in this township was made by Patrick Dunn.
INDIANS.
In 1856 and 1857 the Indians frequently came to the township in large numbers, camping along the Buffalo, passing the time in hunting, fishing, and begging among the few settlers, but committing no hostility whatever. The Buffalo was a favorite haunt of theirs.
In 1858 the crop here was an entire failure; wheat killed by the blight and not worth cutting, and on the twenty-eighth day of August, 1858, a frost came and killed all the corn. Then their little all was gone, but yet they were hopeful, and with brave and true hearts, and by the strictest economy, they managed to live through the winter, and as one of these brave men ex- pressed it, living mostly on Johnny-cake, and he says, "although we had the school-marm to board, that's the way we lived." But now there is plenty and to spare throughout the entire length of the township; fine and beautiful farms, with tasteful, spacious residences.
TAME GRASS.
When the first settlement was made here the farmers were of opinion that tame grasses, like timothy, clover, etc., could not be successfully raised here, as also trees for groves. But now that doctrine has become entirely obsolete, the farms are entirely in tame grass, including the pastures, and the country is dotted all over with beautiful groves, giving it a fine appearance. Had not this opinion obtained such strong hold among the people, years ago trees would have been planted and grasses grown. But some strong minded persons broke away from this old fogy idea, and were at once successful; then others followed, until now we see the fine results.
PERSONAL MENTION.
J. W. Gilmore was born in Des Moines county, Iowa, in 1850, and resided there until he was eighteen years of age. He then came to this county and settled in Middlefield township, where he has since resided all but two years, when he was travelling. He bought his farm in 1878. It contains eighty acres, under good cultiva- tion, an orchard, etc .; altogether, a very pleasant home. Mr. Gilmore was married April 2, 1878, to Miss Emma Scott, who was born in Winnebago county, Wisconsin, in 1857. They have no children living. Their son, Charles M., died February 17, 18So, aged six months. Mrs. Gilmore is a member of the Methodist church. Mr. Gilmore is a good, sound Republican and a first- rate citizen. He is one of our most enterprising young farmers.
Alonzo J. Foster was born in Parkman, Piscataquis county, Maine, February 22, 1841. His parents went to Boone county, Illinois, when he was about four years old. That region was then new, and emigration to it was only just begun. Mr. Foster lived there until he was fourteen, and then went with his parents to De Kalb county, Illinois, where he remained until he was twenty- eight, with the exception of the time he was in the army. He enlisted in the fall of 1861 in company C, Fifty-sec- ond Illinois infantry, and served nine months, when he was discharged on account of the disease scrofula. Mr. Foster enlisted as a private, was elected second sargeant, and afterwards orderly. He was in the battle of Shiloh, where nearly half of his company were killed. In 1869 Mr. Foster moved to Benton county, this State, where he engaged in farming four years. In 1873 he came to Bu- chanan county, and bought his farm in 1874. He has one hundred and sixty acres under good improvement, with good substantial buildings. His orchard produces a good supply of apples, as well as other fruits in their season. Mr. Foster was married in the fall of 1861 to Miss Mary Bishop, of New York city. She died in May, 1870, at the age of twenty-eight. She bore three chil- dren, two of whom died in infancy. The other, Frank E., died October 15, 1880, in his sixteenth year. Mr. Foster was married a second time January 11, 1873, to Mrs. Susan J. Henderson, nee Kapple. She was born in Lake county, Ohio, August 9, 1832. She had four children by a former marriage, three of whom are now living. Their names are Nona M. Henderson, born September 9, 1858, married John F. Seymour, of St. Peter, Minnesota; James K., bom February 9, 1860; Lizzie, born June 30, 1862: John, born December 9, 1864, died June 25, 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Foster have two children: Fred C., born December 11, 1874; and John W., born September 5, 1875. They have a pleas- ant home, well supplied with valuable books and an abundance of newspapers. Mr. Foster is a prominent man in his township, and is highly respected by his neighbors. In politics he is a Republican. His wife belongs to the Congregational Church and he to the Methodist. Mr. Foster was census enumerator in 1880.
Deacon Stillman Berry was born in Sumner, Maine, July 15, 1811. His parents, John and Deborah Berry, moved to Paris, Maine, when he was about four years of age, they being among the early settlers in that town. Here Mr. Berry passed his early days, and, after becom- ing of age, engaged in farming for himself. He stayed in Paris until 1855, and then came to Buchanan county. After residing two years in Quasqueton, he moved upon the farm he now occupies in Middlefield township. He is one of the very oldest settlers in this vicinity. Mr. Berry bought one hundred and sixty acres of prairie and forty of timber, but has since disposed of half of it. There were no improvements on the place worth men- tioning. The farm is now an excellent one; the build- ings, both house and barn, are good, and pleasantly situated. About the house is a grove, also an abun- dance of fruit trees. Mr. Berry has labored long and successfully in Buchanan county, and now enjoys a com-
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fortable home in his old age. He has seen the desolate prairie change its aspect and become the home of a thriving agricultural community; and knows as well as any other man what were the real difficulties and hard- ships which entered into the lives and labors of those who were our earliest settlers. Mr. Berry was married April 25, 1837, to Miss Persis Cushman, who was born in Bethel, Maine, November 16, 1813. They have had but one child, a daughter, who now lives in the same house with them. Mr. and Mrs. Berry have long been earnest and faithful workers in the Baptist church, which Mr. Berry joined at the age of twenty, and his wife at the early age of fourteen. He is a deacon of the Win- throp Baptist church ; also held the same office in Maine, and during his residence in Quasqueton. They are both exemplary Christians, and as such are honored and esteemed by a large circle of acquaintances.
Their son-in-law, Deacon A. W. Perkins, is also a Maine man and an old settler in this county, having come here in 1856. He was born in Woodstock, Maine, August 8, 1835. He worked at farming in vari- ous parts of his native county until he came west. Since coming here he has resided in this township, with the exception of the time he spent in the service of his country. He enlisted in August, 1862, and spent three years in company H, Twenty-seventh regiment Iowa volunteers. He took part in eleven engagements, but was fortunate enough to escape bullets, though his health suffered so greatly that even yet he has not entirely re- covered. For two years after he returned from the war his health was extremely precarious. Mr. Perkins was married January 22, 1857, to Olive, only daughter of Deacon Berry. She was born in Paris, Maine, March 23, 1838. Following are the names and dates of birth of their children: Julia A., horn December 30, 1857, married Rev. A. S. Leach, of the Methodist church ; Luther S., born May 5, 1859; Cynthia A., born June 27, 1862 ; Gilbert A., born July 23, 1868; Addie O., died August 30, 1879, aged four years and ten days. Mr. and Mrs. Perkins, Luther and Cynthia, are members of the Baptist church. They are all sound Republicans.
E. J. Wigg was born in Norfolk, England, May 13, 1820. When he was eighteen years old he started for America alone. After spending two years in New Jer- sey and one on the Hudson, he settled in the western part of Ulster county, New York, where he engaged in farming for twenty-one years. In 1863 he came to Bu- chanan county and purchased the farm on which he now lives; this farm contains one hundred and forty acres of prairie and thirteen acres of timber. There is a good orchard on the premises, as well as shade trees, etc. Mr. Wigg was first married in 1841 to Miss Harriet Giles, a native of England. She died in 1848, leaving two children-Harriet A., who died at the age of cigh- teen; and Cordelia E., who resides in this township. He was again married in 1857 to Mrs. Mary A. Burnett. She was born in Greene county, New York, in 1832. They have five children living and four deceased, two of whom died in infancy. Their names are: Ellen A., born April 16, 1859; Christina .A., born March 16, 1861;
Eddie P., born August 13, 1864; John R., born March 10, 1868; Alice B., died at the age of two years and four days, and Charles W. when seven months old; their youngest, William J., was born November 9, 1876. Mrs. Wigg had one daughter by a former marriage, Sarah E. Burnett, born August 18, 1854, married J. B. Lewis and lives in Republic county, Kansas. Mrs. Wigg belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Wigg is an earnest Greenbacker. He is a prominent and highly esteemed citizen, and has held several important local offices. He served one term as county supervisor; was justice twelve years, secretary of school board thirteen years, and has been township assessor four years. He is a man of whom everybody speaks well.
H. T. Stutson was born in Hillsdale county, Michi- gan, February 18, 1844. When twelve years of age he came to Muscatine county, Iowa, where he resided until 1861, and then moved to this county and settled in Mid- dlefield. His father, Mr. L. P. Stutson has been in this county the same length of time. Mr. H. T. Stutson en- listed August 15, 1862, and served until January 16, 1863, when he was discharged by reason of a surgeon's certifi- cateof disability. Mr. Stutson purchased his farm of eighty acres in 1868. He has one of the finest young orchards in this vicinity which produces yearly a variety of choice fruit. His farm was unimproved when it came into his possession, but it is now a pleasant home-made so by the labors of Mr. Stutson and his wife. He was married November 4, 1869, to Mrs. Cordelia E. Campbell, nee Wigg. Mrs. Stutson has four children by her former marriage. Their names and ages (in 1881) are as fol- lows: William H. Campbell, nineteen; Edward V., six- teen; Cordel E., died in 1866, aged one year; Cordelia C., thirteen. Her children by Mr. Stutson are: Charles H., aged ten; Earnest A., eight; Harriet E., six; Vernon C., two. Mr. Stutson is postmaster at Middlefield, and has held that office the past eight years. He has also been constable for several years. Mr. and Mrs. Stutson are agreeable and pleasant people, and well spoken of by their neighbors. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is an earnest Green- backer. His ancestors have all been patriots. His great-great-grandfather was one of seven brothers, all of whom were in the Revolutionary war. Two of his uncles were killed in the Rebellion.
Charles W. Cray, one of the very oldest settlers in this county, was born in Harrison county, Ohio, October 7, 1831. He worked at blacksmithing from the time he was sixteen years old until he was thirty-four, and has since been a farmer. He came to Quasqueton in 1852, when that town was the only one of any importance in this region. Emigration had just begun to find its way to Buchanan. Mr. Cray worked at his trade in Quas- queton until 1864, though he purchased in 1862 a part of the farm on which he is at present. He has added to it and now owns four hundred and eighty acres-one of the largest and best farms in the county. Mr. Cray is finely situated; his is the best set of farm buildings in the township. His residence, built in 1875, is two-story, large and beautiful; it is on a fine site, surrounded by
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.
trees, etc. He has a large orchard of choice trees. Al- together, he is now in a position to enjoy fully the good things of this life. He is a large and successful farmer, deals quite extensively in stock-usually keeps one hun- dred and fifty head of cattle, one hundred and fifty to two hundred head of hogs, and sixteen horses. In past years he has kept a large number of sheep. He now has forty cows and runs a creamery. Mr. Cray has seen Buchanan county changed from a wild prairie, inhabited by Indians, wolves and wild game, to a large and pros- perous community, enjoying all of the privileges of ad- vanced civilization. Mr. Cray was married July 23, 1855, to Miss Elizabeth Parker. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio, November 30, 1836. They have six children-Charles W., born May 1856; Elmer E., born February 11, 1860; Viola M., July 9, 1862; Nora Louretta, December 16, 1865; Mary A., May 3, 1869; Reverdy G., November 8, 1875. All are living at home at present. Mrs. Cray belongs to the Congregational church. Mr. Cray and wife merit and enjoy the esteem of their fellow citizens.
William Harrison Blank was born in Niagara county, New York, May 18, 1840. When he was about five years old, his parents, Jonas and Salome Blank, moved to Du Page county, Illinois, where he resided until 1870, excepting a lengthy term in the service of his country. Mr. Blank enlisted in the fall of 1861, in company K, Thirty sixth Illinois infantry, and served until November, 1865. He took part in some of the great battles ; was in the following engagements : Pea Ridge, Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga, Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain, and several others. He enlisted as a private, but was promoted to corporal. He received a rupture in the en- gagement at Resaca, which has since caused consider- able inconvenience. Mr. Blank came to Buchanan county in 1870, and purchased his farm the same year. He has recently added forty acres to it, making a farm of one hundred and sixty acres of very good land. He built the house and barn himself; both are substantial and well made. There is an orchard on the place. Mr. Blank does a good farming business and is engaged in dairying. He was married November 30, 1865, to Miss Martha A. Plank, who was born in Memphis, Missouri, January 26, 1845. They have two children living, one deceased : William Henry, born September 2, 1866; Franklin Wentworth, boin February 14, 1869 ; Jonas Sylvester, born January 24, 1872, died February 12, 1874. Mr. Blank is a thorough Republican. His family has a high social standing. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mrs. Polly Leatherman was born in Knox county, Kentucky, September 18, 1815. Her father was Castle- ton Wilson ; he died before she was born. Her mother married John Lynch, and Mrs. Leatherman was brought up in his family. They moved to Indiana when she was three years old, and it was there she passed her early years. She married Daniel Leatherman, January 8, 1835. They lived in Putnam county, Indiana, two years, then moved to Cook county, Illinois, where they remained seventeen years. In 1854 they came to
Buchanan county, and settled in Middlefield township, on the farm where Mrs. Leatherman still resides. They camped two weeks while building a house. Before the house was finished the family occupied it, the boys sleep- ing out-doors in wagons, and the girls and their mother making themselves as comfortable as possible by putting up sail cloth to keep off rain. They even passed one night in the house with an umbrella over their heads to keep off rain. Despite these rough experiences, Mrs. Leatherman was never homesick or discouraged. There were but one or two houses in the township when they came here, and only two houses in sight on the prairie. March 11, 1854, Mr. Leatherman entered three hundred and sixty acres of Government land, two hundred and eighty of which Mrs. Leatherman still owns. In 1854 Dubuque was the principal point for trade ; thence was brought a large part of the lumber used by Mr. Leather- man in building his house. Wolves were plenty upon the prairie, and it required great vigilance to keep them from the sheep and other stock. In the face of such obstacles Mr. Leatherman and wife made themselves a comfortable home and reared a large family. Mr. Leatherman died November 12, 1876, in his sixty-second year. He was a man of sterling integrity and was wide- ly known and respected. Following are the names and dates of birth of the children: Pamelia Ann, November 14, 1835 ; married Willard S. Blair for her first husband, is the wife of Moses Benton, Newton township ; Lucy Frances, September 21, 1837 ; married Joshua Perkins, Quasqueton ; Castleton, November 19, 1839, was killed at the battle of Champion Hills, May 16, 1863 ; Simeon, May 6, 1842 ; married Miss Helen Brown, resides in Liberty township ; Hannah, April 3, 1844 ; married Henry Blank, resides in this township; James Wesley, August 16, 1846 ; married, resides in Republic county, Kansas ; Mary Ann, February 4, 1848 ; married A. B. Patterson, Liberty township ; Armilda, March 23, 1852 ; married Dwight Manson, Cono township ; Eva Rosetta, August 23, 1853 ; married G. W. Blank, Quasqueton ; Edward Daniel, April 4, 1855, died September 23, 1879; Rhoda, June 28, 1858 ; Mary Ellen, November 8, 1860, married Ora Coffin, this township. Mrs. Leatherman enjoys good health, and is well contented. She is the oldest settler now living in this township, with one excep- tion. She is a member of the Baptist church.
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