History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 11

Author: Williams bros., Cleveland, pub. [from old catalog]; Riddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin), 1816-1902
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 574

USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 11

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Henry Sparling and family settled near the county poor farm that autumn, and Philander French and Ephraim Miller and J. C. Neidy, in the timber, between Independence and Quasqueton. John W. Me- lone came during the winter of 1850-51; also William B. Wilkinson. Melone entered the quarter section of land immediately east of Inde- pendence, and Wilkinson the quarter section northeast.

In the spring of 1851 came Casper Rowse and family; and in the

HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.

summer, Charles W. Cummings and family, and several others. Among them, Franeis Girten, Byron C. Hale, Amos B. King, Jacob S. Travis, and one Evans, who settled where Lyman J. Curtis now lives. In June, 1851, the river rose twenty-one feet above low-water mark -- the highest point it has ever been known to reach. The saw-mill on Pine creek was washed away, and some injury done the fences. No bridges were carried away, for there were none-and no great damage done, for there was but little to be damaged. That summer, Samuel Sherwood commenced the erection of a flouring mill at Independence, and completed it the next season. The timbers were cut above Little- ton and floated down the river, with incredible labor, such as none but men of iron constitution and steel resolution could or would have per- formed-Samuel Sherwood had both.

In the spring of that year, a State road was surveyed from Indepen- dence to Cedar Falls, and persons crossing the prairie were enabled, by following the line of stakes, to keep the same route, so that a visi- ble trace was soon formed. The line of the route was a little north of where Jesup now is, and through Pilot Grove.

In 1851, William Brazleton erected a frame building on Main street, in Independence, where now stands the First National bank building, and opened a general variety store; and in 1852 built the first hotel, on the opposite corner, where so long stood the "Montour house." C. W. Cummings also brought a stock of goods here in the fall of 1851. All goods were hauled from Dubuque, generally by ox teams. The roads were in such wretched condition that it was no unusual thing for teamsters to be compelled to unload their wagons and carry their paek- ages singly across the sloughs, and even to take their very wagons apart and carry them across in the same way. Such roads would now be considered absolutely impassable. The price paid for hauling was seventy-five cents to one dollar and a half per hundred weight; yet goods were fully as cheap, and many of them cheaper, than now. Brown sugar could be bought here at twenty pounds for a dollar, and seven or eight pounds of coffee for the same amount.

From 1852 the village and county settled very rapidly, and it will be hardly practicable to particularize individuals. In August, 1852, Jeff- erson township was carved out of Spring, and in April, 1853, Perry from Washington, and in August, 1853, Buffalo and Superior (now Hazleton) were set off as separate townships.

In September, 1854, Messrs. Parker & Hillery commenced the publi- cation of the first newspaper in the county, and named it the Indepen- dence Civilian. In 1855, Samuel Sherwood built the first bridge in the county, across the Wapsipinicon, at Independence. It was of wood and paid for by subscriptions of the citizens of the county, In April of that year, Newton and Alton (now Fairbank) townships were set off; and at the election that year the county polled five hundred and twenty-four votes.

In that year also, the first stage coaches were run from Dubuque to Independence. Heman Morse had settled here in 1853, and bought the hotel built by Brazleton, which he enlarged and kept until 1856. One Gould commenced running a line of two horse hacks in 1854, and during the years 1854-5-6, the "Montour" was crowded to its utmost capacity with travellers, and its capacity being gauged more by the number and necessity of the guests than by the size of the house, was truly marvelous.

Coaches ran night and day, and were sometimes forty-eight hours making the journey from Dubuque to Independence. Passengers were fortunate if, in addition to walking across the sloughs, they were not compelled to carry their baggage, and the coaches too, over the bad places.

In 1855 W. H. Gifford & Brother commenced the erection of the hotel now known as the Merchants hotel; completed it in the spring Of 1856, and during the summer sold it to Carl White and Thomas Sher_ wood, who gave it the name of the " White House" and occupied it as a hotel for several years, when they sold it to Leander Keyes. It was the first brick hotel erected in the county, and gave the city quite a metro_ politanair.

In April, 1856, Byron and Prairie (now Fremont) townships were set off, and at the spring election of that year seven hundred and eleven votes were cast in the county. That spring also, the Dubuque & Pa- cific railroad was projected, and efforts were made to induce this county to issue two hundred thousand dollars in bonds to aid its construction. The question was submitted to the people at a special election in May and defeated; re-submitted in July and again defeated.

Speculation, especially in lands and town lots, ran wild. Gold seemed a drug. The land office was crowded with pur chasers. Any- body could go to Dubuque, give their note for two hundred and eighty dollars, due in a year, and get a bond for a deed for one hundred and

sixty acres of land, on payment of the note. The county was full of such bonds, and they were bought and sold as valuable property. The most worthless vagabond could give his notes get such a bond or bonds, and trade it or them for goods stock, watches, jewelry, and sometimes money. The last foot of land in the county was entered; lots and land were bought and sold in many cases for more than they will bring now, after the lapse of twenty years. In 1857 the bubble collapsed, and al- most every business house failed in consequence. Expedients innumer- able were devised to stay the disaster. "Wild Cat" companies were organized, that issued "shinplasters" in the shape of bank notes, for circulation in place of money. Early in 1857, a company was orga- nized, with a project for a railroad up the Wapsipinieon, called the Wapsipinicon Valley railroad company. They, like the Dubuque & Pacific company, asked the county to take two hundred thousand dol- lars of stock, and issue bonds for the amount. The question was sub- mitted at a special election in May of that year, and carried; but re- submitted in June and defeated. Some members of the company then organized what they called the Wapsipinicon Vallley Land company" and issued scrip in the shape of bills, for circulation, absolutely worthless, yet quite extensively circulated for a time, as money, such were the desperate straits to which business men were driven.

The rapid influx of people, from 1854 to 1857, is shown by a com- parison of the vote, which, in April, 1854, was only three hundred and fifteen, and at the special railroad election in June, 1857, was twelve hundred and sixty-eight, an increase of over nine hundred and fifty votes, or four hundred per cent. in about three years.

The township of Madison was set off in April, 1857, and also the town of Sumner. That spring also, the erection of the first court house (the same now used) was commenced by O. H. P. Roszell, who had control of the county business from August, 1851, at which time he was elected county judge, up to August, 1857, when he was superseded by S. J. W. Tabor, who was appointed fourth auditor of the United States treasury, in 1861, which position he now holds. The county finances were in a healthy condition notwithstanding the general crash, there being about six thousand dollars surplus county fund in the treasury . The court house was completed by Judge Tabor in the fall of 1857. The lumber was hanled by ox teams from Dyersville, that being then the terminus of the Dubuque & Pacific railroad.

In December, 1856, Rich & Jordan commenced the publication of a weekly newspaper called the Quasqueton Guardian, at Quasqueton, and continued its publication there till June, 1858, when they removed it to Independence and changed its name to the Buchanan county Guar- dian.

In October, 1858, Cono and Middlefield were set off as separate townships, and the boundaries of all the townships arranged about as they now are. The population of the county continued to increase with remarkable rapidity; so that in 1860, at the Presidential election, there were polled sixteen hundred and ten votes.

The Dubuque & Pacific railroad was completed to Independence the last of December, 1859.

When the war of the Rebellion broke out Buchanan county was among the foremost to respond to the call for troops, and continued to respond with volunteers to every call during the war, raising her full quota without draft. The first company was organized in June, 1863, and was commanded by Captain D. S. Lee, who settled here in 1852, and was the first regular professional lawyer who located in Indepen- dence. His company was one of those composing the Fifth lowa regi - ment and infantry. I would like to honor this sketch by inserting therein the names of the many brave citizens of the county, who risked and lost their lives in defence of the national flag, but the list is too long; and to make selections from the number would be invidious. Notwith- standing the war, and the drain upon the population for troops, the county continued to prosper and to increase in numbers. The Dubu- que & Pacific railroad extended its line westward through the county. The village of Winthrop on the railroad eight miles east of Inde- pendence, which had been laid out by A. P. Foster in 1857, and in which the first building had been erected by A. E. Dutton in 1859 grew to be a thriving town, with stores, shops, grain warehouses and elevators, and a population of several hundred. Nine miles to the west of Independence, on the same road, sprung up the village of Jesup in the same manner.

On the night of March 16, 1864, the office safe of the county treas- urer was broken open, and robbed of about twenty-six thousand dol- lars in money. Two men-Knight and Rorabacher-were accused of the crime, arrested and convicted, but no part of the money was ever recovered. This loss, together with the large expense incurred in dis- covering and trying the burglars, proved a serious inconvenience to the

HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.

county, and is the only loss ever occurring to the county through rob- bery, or through defalcation of officers. In August, 1864, Independ- ence was incorporated as a city, and Daniel S. Lee chosen its first mayor. In 1868 an act of the legislature provided for the erection of a hospital for the insane at Independence, and the erection of the build- ing was commenced in 1869. In the summer of 1873 the Milwaukee division of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota railroad was completed through the county, and on the line of that road there at once sprung up the flourishing village of Hazleton, nine miles north of Independence, and of Rowley, about the same distance south. No great disaster, either by fire or flood, occurred to mar the prospect of the county, or any part of it, until 1873. In November of that year quite a serious fire occurred in Independence, destroying nine buildings on Main street, most of which were of wood. But on the twenty-fifth of May, 1874. a disastrous conflagration broke out which destroyed about forty buildings, nearly all of brick, on Main and Chatham streets, and mostly stores, filled with valuable goods. The total loss on buildings and goods amounted to near half a million dollars; but before the close of the year nearly all were rebuilt and the traces of the conflagration almost obliterated.

I have now in a manner, necessarily imperfect, sketched the history of the settlement and growth of this county. If it were practicable within the limits prescribed by time, space and your endurance, I would add a more particular account of the schools, churches, etc. A brief mention is, however, all that can be allowed.

The first school taught in the county was at Quasqueton, in 1844. by Alvira Hadden. Some of her pupils are still living in the county, among them Mrs. Norton, daughter of Frederick Kessler. The first school taught in Independence was by Edward Brewer, in 1848-9. In 1850 there were not more than three school-houses in the county, all log buildings. One of them was near John Boon's, built in 1848, and a Miss Ginther taught there in the winter of 1848-9. The first house built in Independence for school purposes was in 1851, and William Brazelton erected it at his own expense. It was of hewn logs, and about fourteen feet by eighteen in size. O. H. P. Roszell taught the first school in it. In 1852 a school-house was erected in Hazleton township, at the place now called "Coytown," where the first white men in the township-Samuel Sufficool and Daniel C. Greeley-had located in 1847.

At Spring Grove, in Newton township, a school-house was built in 1853, near R. C. Waltons; and Ward, Ross and Whitney built a school-house in the timber between their cabins, in 1853, the very first year they settled in Madison township. In fact, the pioneers of this county had hardly got a roof on their cabins to shelter their families, before they began to think about schools for their children. These first houses were all built either by some single individuals or by sub- scription of communities, and the first schools were maintained in the same way. Until 1847 there were no regularly defined school districts, and up to 1859 the schools were supported by private subscription or by rate bills against the patrons. In 1860 there were about thirty schools in the county. In 1875 the number of school-houses was one hundred and thirty-six, valued at one hundred and fourteen thousand dollars, and the last log house had disappeared, or ceased to be used as such. The first union or graded school in the county, was organized at Independence in 1867, with Professor Wilson Palmer, as principal; the first building for that purpose being completed at the same date. There are now two graded schools at Independence, one at Winthrop, one at Jesup, and one at Quasqueton.

Of churches it is not easy to obtain statistics; but the first church building in the county was at Independence, and built by the Methodist Episcopalians in 1855, and the next at Quasqueton in 1856. There are now twenty-eight church buildings in the county, of which two are in Newton township, one in Homer, three in Jefferson, three in Liberty, two in Winthrop, eight in Independence, three in Jesup, two in Fair- banks, and three in Madison. Three of them are Catholic-Fairbanks, Independence and Newton having one each. The value of these buildings is not less than one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

Of mills and manufactories, I have stated the value in 1847 to have been two thousand nine hundred dollars, there being then but one flouring-mill and two saw-mills. In 1848, another saw-mill was built on Pine creek; in 1852 Daniel Greeley built another on Otter creek, in Hazleton township; the same year Samuel Sherwood, a flouring-mill at Independence. In 1854 Messrs. White & Little erected a saw-mill at Littleton, and in 1863 a flouring-mill was erected at Littleton, and about the same time one at Fairbanks and one on Otter creek. There are now eight flouring-mills in the county, and their value probably about one hundred and fifty thousand dollars; one in Independence,

built in 1867, valued at seventy-five thousand dollars. Among other manufactories there are cheese factories in Fairbanks and Byron town- ships, and one near Winthrop; also three creameries in Madison town- ship.

The mercantile interests has increased in a still greater ratio; for, while in 1850, there was but one store in the county-that at Quasque- ton-kept by S. V. Thompson, and with a stock of goods not worth more than five hundred dollars, there are now mercantile houses scattered all over the county, at least a hundred in number, and the value of goods kept in stock must exceed half a million dollars. Besides these, there are dealers in lumber, grain, stock, farm machinery and produce, in Independence, Winthrop, Jesup, Hazleton, and Row. ley, and each of these places have elevators and grain warehouses. There were shipped from Winthrop during the past year five hundred and seventy-four car-loads of grain, and one hundred of stock; and from Jesup nearly as many, and as many more from the two stations of Hazleton and Rowley; from Independence about one thousand cars of grain and stock, one dealer, W. A. Jones, having shipped during that time nearly three hundred cars of stock, mostly hogs.

Of the professions, Dr. Edward Brewer was the first practicing phy- sician in the county; Dr. Lovejoy the first at Independence, and died there in 1848. Dr. R. W. Wright was the third, having settled in Independence in 1851. Dr. H. H. Hunt comes next in order, and has practiced medicine in the county for over twenty years.

The pioneers among the lawyers were Captain D. S. Lee, in 1852; James Jamison and J. S. Woodward, in 1853; Colonel Jed Lake, in 1855, and W. G. Donnan, in 1856. All are still residents of Inde- pendence and practicing their profession.

In the ministerial profession the Methodists were, as usual, the first in the field. I have not been able to learn what missionary earliest penetrated the wilderness to this county. George I Cummings, Wes- leyan Methodist, was one of the earliest at Quasqueton, and was the pioneer preacher in Independence. Rev. Mr. Brown was the first reg- ular Methodist Episcopal preacher located here, and the Rev. William Poor, whose son now fills the responsible office of county treasurer.

Of secret, social and benevolent societies, the first organized was cf Odd Fellows, in 1855 or 1856, at Quasqueton; and the next of the Masons at Independence in 1856 with John Bogart as W. M. The first chapter of Masons was organized at Independence in 1857, with George Warne, H. P. There are now lodges of Odd Fellows and Masons at Quasqueton and Independence; of Masons, at Independence, Winthrop, Jesup, Faitbanks and in Cono township; of United Work- men, at Winthrop and Independence; and of Granges, being organiza- tions of farmers for mutual protection, improvement and enjoyment, in every township in the county except Newton, having a membership of over seven hundred and fifty. The first county agricultural society was organized in 1858, dissolved and reorganized in 1870 as a joint stock company, since which time it has been in successful operation and holds annual fairs, and now owns forty acres of land and buildings thereon, near Independence, valued at ten thousand dollars.

The earliest organization of fire companies in the county, was in 1862, when two hook and ladder companies were formed in Independ- ence. One of them composed exclusively of Germans soon purchased a hand engine, and became an Engine Co., but after a few years dis- banded and donated their engine to the city, but reorganized in 1874. and now have charge of the same engine. The other, organized as "Hook & Ladder Co., No I," maintained their organization till June, 1874; when, the city having in the previous month purchased a steam fire engine, they reorganized as a Steamer Company, and have now charge of the steam fire engine.

The first bank of issue in the county, was the "First National bank of the City of Independence," which began business in December, 1865, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars, since increased to one hunt- dred thousand dollars. A second, "The People's National bank, " was organized in the fall of 1874. The first bank of exchange was that of Brewer, Bemis & Roszell," in 1854, and "Older, Lee & Co." in the same year, both of which were drawn into the whirlpool of speculation in 1855. -6,-7, and perished in the general wreck of 1857, -- 8.

The first post office in the county was at Quasqueton, established in 1843; the next, at Independence, established in 1848, with S. P. Stoughton as postmaster. The total proceeds of the Independence office in 1850, did not exceed six dollars. Now, there are fifteen offices in the county, and the salary of the single office at Independence is over two hundred times the total postage received in 1850.

Gas was first introduced into Independence in the winter of 1874 -- 5. In addition to the newspapers 1 have mentioned, both of which are now published in Independence, one as the Independence Conservative

HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.

and one as the Buchanan County Bulletin, a third is now published at Jesup, styled The Vindicator.

In 1820, there was not a bridge of any description in the county. Now, the Wapsipinicon is spanned with wrought iron bridgesat Quas- queton, built in 1874; Independence, built in 1872, and Littleton, built in 1876. Besides these, there are two other, wooden, bridges across the main river ; and an iron bridge at Fairbank, and Otterville; and every stream in the county is substantially bridged at each highway crossing.

The population of the county in 1846, was one hundred and forty- nine; in 1848, two hundred and fifty; in 1850, five hundred and seven- teen; in 1860, seven thousand nine hundred and six; and in 1875, seventeen thonsand three hundred and fifteen.

The total valuation of all property in 1850, was forty-six thousand nine hundred and fifty-eight dollars; and in 1875. four million eight hundred and twenty-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars. The total taxes levied in 1850, were three hundred and seventy dollars and twenty cents; and in 1870, one hundred and twelve thousand four hundred and sixty-four dollars.

I would be glad to have written with more particularity of the settlement and growth of the several townships and villages in the county; but it was impracticable in the time and space allotted. 1 would that I could have graced these annals, not alone with the names, but with a personal sketch of all those pioneers whose brave hearts led them to this wilderness of prairie, which their sturdy hands have converted into a garden of cultivated fields, glowing with golden grain, -whose industry, intelligence, and taste have changed the very face of nature, so that this endless expanse of treeless plain which they found spread before them like a sailless sea, is now green, not only with the verdure of meadow and the waving corn, but with the groves that the hands have planted around each dwelling of the thousands which every where adorn the lovely landscape. I would I might have space to write of the Meriills, the Morgans, Mckinneys, Beckleys, Neidys, Wil- sons, and Logans, whose dwellings were among the first along Pine creek, and between here and Quasqueton; of Davis, Hadens, Thomp- sons, Cummings and Parker, and Hastings and Mowrer, who wrought so faithfully to build up the thriving village which marks the spot where stood the cabin of the first settler in the county; of Foreman, and Glass, and Hoover, and Holland and Carson and Cooper, who thirty years ago, and more, settled where they or their children now reside, in the township called Newton; of Everett, and Patterson, and Myers, and Conable, and Wright, who created the village of Fairbanks, and Clark, whose name leads all the rest in Fairbanks township; and Melrose, whose name and speech reminds ns of the ancient Abby " in "Old Scotland," where he was horn, whose little dwelling of one room above and one below, used, a quarter of a century ago, to accom- modate twenty weary travellers and more, of a night, as I can testify; and had it been as large as his heart, creation could not crowd it; of Little, whose memory is perpetuated in Littleton village, and not less worthily in the sons and daughters who have succeeded him. Of the Greeleys, and Kints, and Bounce, and Phillips, and Barr, and Ross, and Mintons, and Curtises, whose hearts and hands, and cabin doors, were never locked; of Smyser and of Sparling, and of Isane Sufficool and his good wife, just gone together to a better land to receive their records for the glorious virtues which their lives so nobly illustrated; of Richardson, the sturdy representative of the pines of Maine, and of Richmond, the compeer of Sevmour and Ross and Ward in the early settlement of Madison ; of Elliott, whose shanty was the first in the prairie sea in the north of Fremont ; of Leatherman and Rise- ley, who were first to brave the mid-ocean of Middlefield ; of the Greys, William and Henry, the hardy borderers the smoke from whose cabins first floated over the timber of Spring creek in Jefferson; of Day and Beach, whose dwellings first relieved the loneliness of the road to Brandon; and of the Nortons, who for twenty-three years have tilled the soil of Sumner, Homer and Liberty townships ; of the Boones, noble representatives of the family from which they sprung, so famous in the early annals of Kentucky ; ot Sherwood, as true and trusty and indomitable as the granite of his native State ; of S. S. Allen, and Olders, and Whaits, and P. C. Wilcox, and the Clarkes; of S. S. McClure, whose opulence in intelligence and wit and gener- osity and frankness made every man his friend, yet whose poverty in that worldly wisdom which acquires and retains wealth leaves him, in middle age, a homeless wanderer from the city which he founded in his youth, and fostered faithfully and fondly in his young and vigorous manhood; and of many others, whose skill and labor and energy de- serve a better monument than this, but it may not be.

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History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 11

Author: Williams bros., Cleveland, pub. [from old catalog]; Riddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin), 1816-1902 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Cleveland, Williams brothers Number of Pages: 574

Author: Williams bros., Cleveland, pub. [from old catalog]; Riddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin), 1816-1902
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 574