USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 84
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These streams flow over rocky, pebbly, or sandy beds, are fed by numerous springs, and are, therefore, clear, cold and valuable. Their banks are usually high, but the channels formed by them are not always large enough to carry away all the water which falls upon the large area drained by them, during the severe storms of the summer months.
Pine, the larger of these tributaries, is a brook of per- haps twenty feet in width, and carries a considerable volume of water to the river. As it flows with con- siderable rapidity, and as a larger part of its course was through a formerly heavily forested region, dams were constructed at an early day across it and the power util- ized for sawing logs, and latterly for other purposes. Of the places dammed, one was at Pine Creek bridge, and the other further north at a place known as Eddie's mill.
Owing to the growing scarcity of timber, and the un- certain supply of water - and this last was probably ac- celerated as the surrounding hills became bald and no sheltering trees invited the clouds to give a regular sup- ply of water and retarded its rapid evaporation, thus forming reservoirs for the continual supply of the stream - these dams have been abandoned, and the water now flows with gentle, gurgling sounds where it was wont to plunge madly propelling the industrious saw, which caused the woods to echo with its music.
The power observed in the rapids at Quasqueton was that which first attracted man to this place. It was util- ized at a very early day, and since that time it has been an important factor in the development of this region and of a large part of the county.
INDIANS.
It does not appear that this vicinity was ever the home ---- if such their semi-permanent camps can be called-of any of the Indian tribes; but it was frequently their camping place during their hunting, fishing, and trapping expeditions. As they had been pretty thoroughly sub- dued prior to the immigration of the whites, there were not the difficulties and the horrors of Indian wars here that attended the settlement of other parts of the Mis- sissippi valley. The Indians were not particularly trouble- some, save when drunk, or from their invetcrate habit of begging. They were exceedingly jealous of each other in regard to the treatment received by them from the set- tlers. When on their begging tours each expected to receive from the givers the same amount of everything; and woe to him who expected to be rid of a band of these nuisances by giving to one of the braves or squaws the amount of meal designed for all.
No traces of these Indians remain, save the Indian trail, which is on the west side, nearly parallel with the river. When the grass is burned in the autumn this trail can yet be seen.
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.
There was once a grave of a noted chief, marked with a heap of stones, in front of L. Sall's residence, Quas- queton, to which the Indians would make periodical visits and make many expressions of great sorrow. This grave was opened before the war by a number of boys, the bones scattered about, and the skull sold to Mr. J. M. Berthall, of Quasqueton, in whose possession it still remains. The Indians were much grieved at this wanton act, and since have not visited the spot so frequently. All traces of the grave are now destroyed, even though at their first visit after the exhumation they gathered to- gether the bones, reinterred them, and piled stones over the spot.
SETTLEMENT.
The early settlement of Liberty township was not at- tended with the same difficulties and privations, nor fraught with the dangers from hostile Indians, and from other sources, as were an accompaniment in the early development of some of the western states; yet, they were of such a nature as would cause even the bravest and hardiest to hesitate before advancing to meet and grapple with them. Less than fifty years ago no prairie sod had here been turned by the plough; no tree had been felled with the ax, and no "saplings" so arranged as to form a shelter from the inclemencies of the seasons. Then there recurred the stretches of hill and dale, of soft emerald green, a sea of waving grass, an expanse variega- ted with beautiful wild flowers, or a waste of brown turf from the autumnal fires, or a broad, undulatory extent of drifting white. Then the springs and the brooklets run- ning deep and narrow from them, were difficult to find in the dense tall grass that bordered them; and no ob- structions, save those of nature, or the industrious beaver checked the waters of creek and river; then the forest trees grew large and the Indians and the wild beasts and birds enjoyed possession undisputed by those who have since made so many changes.
The first white settler in this township and in the county, was William Bennett, who, in February of 1842, came to Quasqueton from Ede's Grove, Delaware county. Bennett is said to have been a roving speculator, and not by any means a good man. He was attracted to this spot by the rapids in the river, which suggested the building of mills in order to utilize the power which he saw in the swiftly running water, and the locating of a county seat. The first house in Quasqueton was built by Bennett, who, with his wife and three little girls lived in it. This house was constructed of logs with a roof of bark covered with dirt. It stood on the bank of the river, some twelve rods above the mill, and near the foot of Walnut street. Before the last of April (1842), S. G. Sanford and family were living in a log house, a quarter of a mile south of Quasqueton on the Cordell place. His brother, H. T. Sanford, a carpenter, lived with him. Ezra G. Allen lived in a hut where S. Swartzel now lives. On the last day of April, a band of immigrants arrived in this township, two of whom are residing in the county at the present time. In this band there were seven men, two women, and three children, whose names were as follows: R. B. Clark, Dr. E. Brewer, Frederick Kessler,
J. Lambert,-Simmons and Dagget, Mrs. R. B. Clark and Mrs. Frederick Kessler, Mason, and Seth Clark, and Sarah C. Kessler. Messrs. Clark and Brewer built the first house on the west side of the river, near the spot where William Broadstreet's house now stands. These men came from Exeter, Greene county, Wisconsin, and immediately made claims. Dr. Brewer was originally from Middlesex county, Massachusetts, and since the founding of Independence, has been one of its leading citizens. Mr. Clark was born where Cleveland, Ohio, now stands, and his only playmates for several years, were one hrother and the children of the Indians then residing there. He was the hunter of his party and a hardy backwoodsman. Mr. Kessler was from Pennsyl- vania, and died many years ago in the mining camps of California. The last built an apology for a house, half a mile west of Clark and Brewer's, on the Boies farm. It was inhabitable during the summer time, but was not an adequate protection against the terrible storms and cold of the ensuing winter.
The spring of this year was an extremely early one ; at the time this company landed here, grass was two feet high on the lowlands. The following summer was very dry, and there was a frost every month that year, which nearly killed the potatoes and vines, and on the tenth of September there came one which killed the corn. There was but very little corn planted or growing, owing to the extreme dryness, and it was very poor before it was killed. Potatoes were small and few in a hill, and there was no wheat raised this year. The failure of the small crops that were planted did not make a very pleasing outlook for these settlers for the coming winter.
The first white child born in the township, and in the county, was born during this summer. It was Charles B. Kessler, who was born July 13, 1842. He was born in old Liberty, and gave his life that liberty might be to all the land. Enlisting in the war of the Rebellion in 1862, he served until April, of 1864, when he died in the south.
In the course of the summer one Styles came to Quas- queton and lived in a small cabin which was situated but a few rods from the mill. Soon after he enlarged his house and for a time kept a hotel. This was the first public house; but then, as for years afterward, every set- tler endeavored to feed and lodge all who might come to his house.
Besides these there were Hugh Warren, a loafer, and a few young men, who boarded and worked with Bennett. Their names were Jeffers, Warner, Day, Wall, and Evens. Bennett made claim to the "eighty" that includes the mill site, and during the summer built a log dam across the river, and, on the first of October, raised the frame of a mill. His men made large claims, and it is said that, by the first of July, nearly the whole of the middle portion of the county was claimed by some fifteen or twenty men. But it will be seen that these men re- mained only for a short time, and were of little influence in the development of the county.
On the fifth of October William Hadden came to the Brewer neighborhood and stopped with Mr. Kessler
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.
Meanwhile, Dagget and Simmons, hunters and trappers, were stopping with Brewer and Clark, preparing to take claims and commence farming. And on the fifteenth of the same month there came to the same neighborhood a brother of Mrs. Kessler and Nathaniel and Henry B. Hatch. Later in the fall there came to the township Wil- liam Johnson, who claimed to be the Canadian patriot who had lived for years among the islands of the St. Lawrence. He was accompanied by a very attractive young lady whom he introduced as his daughter Kate, the veritable queen of the Thousand Islands. Johnson located in the Postle neighborhood, about midway between Indepen- dence and Quasqueton. His object was to found a town which should become the county seat-a town in oppo- sition to the one Bennett was endeavoring to build up. He had no business, and was light fingered, and an im- postor.
On the eleventh of November it began snowing and blowing at a terrible rate. As Kessler's house was but poor protection, it was determined to move that family to the house of Clark and Brewer. These gentlemen had a large and comfortable log house, well finished, and having a stone fire-place. The roof was of log shingles, or "shakes," as they were usually called, laid in tiers, with poles to hold them down. The floors were of split logs, and were quite smooth and white. Although the distance between these places was less than a half mile, yet the men, carrying the two children and circling Mrs. Kessler, were almost exhausted when they reached their destination, so great was the fury of the storm. There were nine men in the house, and, during the most severe part of the storm, even they were frightened at its vio- lence. The storm lasted two days. On the morning of the third day the sun rose clear. It was then found that three feet of snow had fallen in the timber, and it lay from one to fifteen feet deep on the prairies. As soon as the weather permitted, the men started to find the de- serted house. It was found almost hidden by the snow, which had drifted into the house until it was filled solid. Mr. Kessler dug out a room six feet square over the spring, which he called "crystal palace," from the fes- toons of crystal which were formed by the steam arising from the warm water of the spring. A road to the tin- ber was broken, which was covered again and again with the snow, and this being packed down, made the road quite as high as the house. Nine steps were made in the snow to get to the wood and fourteen to get down to the spring. As the snow continued to drift it was found im- possible to go for corn, of which they were likely soon to be in need. The amount raised was not sufficient to last them through the winter, especially as there was a camp of Musquakie Indians north of them who were very poor and depended largely upon these settlers for food. When starvation began to stare them in the face H. B. Hatch started down the Wapsie with two yoke of oxen in search of corn. He succeeded, after going twenty miles, in securing that many bushels of corn. The wea- ther was quite pleasant when he left the settlement and remained until he got about half way back, when there came on a terrible blinding snow storm. In order to
make the oxen face the driving tempest, he was obliged to go on the "off " and windward side and keep them in the right direction by holding to their horns. The cut- ting wind and the blinding snow precluded the idea of seeing at all. There were no beaten tracks that could be followed, no fences to guide; and as there was nothing to direct save the "sense of direction," it seems almost a miracle that at length, after hours of toil, he should have reached the "lone tree," a land-mark very near to his destination, for which he was aiming and which he did not see until within a few feet of it. Had he missed the tree he must have perished, and his friends would have suffered for food. This large family then feasted on boiled corn and honey and venison; but corn prepared in this way does not satisfy the hunger; it has rather the effect of increasing it, so that when very hungry they would grind corn in a coffee mill and make griddle cakes. At times, by way of variety, they would procure the bark of slippery elm, and this was considered a great treat. For six weeks they did not have a bit of bread in the house. The nearest mill was on the Maquoketa, sixty miles away. At the time of the storm Clark and Kessler had seven- teen deer, besides a large supply of honey, but all this was not a large supply for so large a number, and the snow was so deep that the deer could get nothing but browse to eat ; consequently they were very poor, and many were found dead in the drifts.
Besides the difficulties in procuring food and in keep- ing from freezing, there was another in endeavoring to keep a cheerful mind in the midst of these barren soli- tudes and in the tedium of such a life. The nearest post offices were far away, at Dubuque and Marion; so there was no daily mail, with its letters and papers, to vary the monotony of this long, cold winter. The hardships of this band on the west side of the river were suffered no doubt by others who had settled in the township; but while these scenes were enacting in the Brewer neigh- borhood, there were events happening on the east side of the river that cause the history of Liberty to be of more than ordinary interest. The principal characters in these were Bennett and Johnson. Bennett, fearful that the inhabitants might think more of Johnson than of him- self, and that he might be successful in building up a county seat, became jealous of him and determined that he should leave the country. The Indians were afraid of Bennett, and the gang of which he was the leader had a similar feeling. As Bennett kept whiskey, he was enabled through the love his followers and some of the Indians had for it, and by means of a small sum of money, to ac- complish his purpose. He induced ten whites and five Indians to drink, and while they were under the influence of liquor it was resolved that the one leaving before ac- complishing the object should receive twenty lashes, none but Bennett, however, knowing what was the ob- ject. They then started for Johnson's house, taking plenty of whiskey with them, and gained entrance by pretending that they had been out hunting and were nearly frozen. Johnson, not suspecting their intentions, made every effort to make them comfortable. When the men arose as if to go, by an adroit movement Johnson
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.
was seized, stripped, tied to a tree, and given thirty-nine lashes, and told that if he did not leave within twenty- four hours he would receive a more severe scourging. As soon as they were gone his daughter Kate, and his niece, who was now with them, assisted him, then in a lacerated and almost frozen condition, into the house. They then packed up, and at 2 o'clock at night, in December, 1842, fled down the river, the nearest house after leaving Clark's being over twenty miles. They reached Clark's about daylight, where they got their breakfast, and where Dr. Brewer dressed Johnson's wounds. There was a heavy fall of snow the next afternoon, and after several days of travelling through the deep snow they reached Marion. In about two weeks Johnson returned, leaving his family at Marion, with Sheriff Gray, of Linn county. They found Bennett with his gang, but they refused to be arrested. The sheriff, not having a sufficient number to overpower them, returned for help. The next day Bennett, with Jeffers, Warner, Day, Wall, and Evens, started for Coffin's Grove. It is said that Bennett barely escaped the officers; that several times they were in sight of him, but that he was enabled to elude them, as he had snow-shoes, and, they being mounted on ponies, he had the advantage. By others it is stated that he himself escaped on a horse. His followers were not so well pro- vided for. There was twenty inches of snow on the ground when these five fugitives started out, taking with them plenty of whiskey, but no food. The first day they got as far as Buffalo creek, where they encamped for the night, without food and without sufficient protection for such inclement weather. The night was extremely cold, and before daylight they resumed their journey in order to keep from freezing. Before they had travelled far, Warner was taken with a cramp and buried in the snow. Day and Wall could not travel as rapidly as the remain- ing ones, and were left behind. . Two besides Bennett succeeded in reaching Coffin's Grove, but so great was their numbness and exhaustion that they were unable to speak. A Mr. Muckley yoked up his oxen and started out to find the missing ones. Wall was found, pitched forward, with extended hands, and with an icicle extend- ing from his mouth to the snow. He had remained there from 8 o'clock till 2, and as a result of the exposure he' lost both feet, and the flesh came off from his hands. Warner lost one foot. Just how many of these finally survived the effects of this trip is not positively known, but it is stated that the one who endured it with the least harmful results, was the one that took no whiskey with him.
In January deputy sheriff Taylor, with Green and Thompson, followed Bennett up to the Turkey river, where they found him living with the Indians. He drew a revolver on his pursuers, which, being accidentally dis- charged, killed an Indian. He then fled. Styles, Par- ish and Reece were arrested as accomplices in the flogging affair, and were imprisoned. Johnson moved off the next spring to the Skunk river country, in Mahas- ka county. A short time afterwards he was shot through the heart while in his own house. As Bennett was seen lurking in that vicinity about that time it is supposed
that he fired the shot. Bennett was the last survivor of this gang, and was last known to be in Potose, Wiscon- sin, where he was carrying on a low groggery. Such is the story of those " first settlers," those unworthy precur- sors of civilization.
The spring of 1843 was very cold, and the summer also very cold and wet. Teams crossed the river on the ice at Quasqueton on the seventh of April, and the ice did not go out of the river until the last of that month. In June of this year the river was the highest ever wit- nessed by the oldest Indians.
There were, in the spring of 1843, the following occu- pied habitations on lands: Sanford's, afterwards the Cor- dell place; Ezra Allen's, at the "Spring, " now S. Swartz- el's farm; Clark & Brewer's, now Broadstreet's; Frederick Kessler's, now the Boies farm; Spencer's, afterwards Mal- com McBane's. During this spring Malcom McBane and John Cordell came to this township. Mr. MeBane was born in Virginia, and lived for a number of years in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where he was engaged in farming. On his arrival here he entered the eighty, which now forms a part of the village of Quasqueton, his house being on the same site as that on which "Smoky " Taylor's now is. He was one of the progressive, public- spirited kind, and was one of the three composing the second board of supervisors of the county. He remained here until his death, which occurred April 25, 1865.
Mr. Cordell was born in Liverpool, England, and came to America when about seventeen years old. He lived in Belmont and Tuscarawas counties, Ohio, engaged in farming, the greater part of the time, until he came to Iowa. He immediately, on his arrival, entered the farm that is called by his name.
This is said to have been a very hard season for these pioneers. In addition to the depressing influence of the cold and wet spring and summer, there was not a plenti- ful supply of food for immediate consumption, and there was great difficulty in getting clothing and shoes. For several years if a man was seen who was not dressed partly in skins he was at once set down as a stranger. During this time the majority of the people wore mocea- sons, made in a peculiar manner from the skins of deers' hind legs. At this time there was only a small pair of "eorn buhrs " in the mill, which was not yet enclosed. All the bolting was done by hand. The season was not conducive to health. Late in the autumn all of John Cordell's family, save himself, were sick, and one of the children, Allen, died, this being the first death in the township.
During the fall of 1843 James Biddinger, then a young unmarried man, came to this township from Tus- carawas county, Ohio, and deeded the eighty on which he now lives. Save Dr. Brewer, he is the oldest living resident in the county. At the raising of his house every man, woman and child in the county was present.
In 1843 there came also Hugh Warren, who made claim to land north of Quasqueton, David Stiles and J. A. Reynolds, a blacksmith. In 1844 Levi Billings set- tled on the Swartzel place, and James Cummings on the farm now owned by John Merrell. There also came for
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.
a short time R. L. Thopson, a physician. Two years afterwards Joseph Collier and Isaac and J. F. Hathaway located two miles cast of Quasqueton, and Samuel Cas- key, now a resident of Quasqueton, entered the Cecil farm. He afterwards sold this claim, intending to buy one from the Scott brothers, in the Miller neighborhood, which embraced a large tract of land, extending to the river. They wanted two yoke of oxen and ten dollars, which was regarded by Mr. Caskey to be too large a price. He then deeded the Russel Halstead place.
In March, 1846, occurred the first marriage in the township and in the county. Miss Mary Ann Hathaway was married at this time to Dr. E. Brewer, Joseph A. Reynolds, the justice of the peace for Delaware county, officiating.
During these years and afterwards the Indians were the most numerous class of human beings. Wandering bands of the Musguakies and Winnebagoes encamped in the timber west of town and near the "mouth of the pine. " They and the settlers were very friendly, and often traded with each other. The account books of Dr. E. Brewer show entries against Magotoke, Petake- ma, Apalove, Apalnpe, Nolloosick, Wana, and others of the former tribe, and against Coeapaboe, Chuchul, Wamanoo, and others of the latter tribe of Indians.
The settlers were wont in those early days to diversify their labors with hunts after bears and bee trees, and the common deer. Of bee trees there were many, and, at times, some of the pioneers had even barrels of this honey at one time. During the spring and early sum- mer they used to go to the prairies between the rivers to the westward, going sometimes as far as Ackley, to hunt buffaloes and elks, principally to capture their young. At the time they would go for the latter purpose, the young of these animals would be about the size of a young calf, and would be taken by running them down with horses. They would take cows with them so that the captured infant elks and buffaloes might have their customary food, and arrange cages or pens on their wag- ons in which to bring them home.
One such trip was made by R. B. Clark, James Bid- dinger, and two others, who took with them a team, one cow, and horses to ride. They returned with three young elks.
In the spring of 1844, Clark, Kessler, and several other men, started out on an elk and buffalo hunt, taking several cows, tents, fast horses, ox-teams to haul their loads, and provisions to last six weeks. They returned with eleven buffaloes and seven elks. Only one buffalo and two elks lived. It being so late in the season when they started they had to chase them so much they died of overheat.
In the spring of 1845 the company started out earlier, and took more cows. They were gone seven weeks, and came in with a drove of little fellows. Seven elks and four buffaloes lived. The first buffalo that was captured Clark kept until it was three years old ; it got so cross he had to kill it. The others were sold to Asa Blood, sr. He broke the elks to harness, and drove them before a sleigh. They would go as far as one would like to hold
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