USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler County, Iowa: a record of settlement., Volume 1 > Part 25
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
LIGHTING SYSTEM
The lighting system in Greene belongs to a private corpora- tion, known as the Greene Electric Light & Power Company, whose officers are: President, W. H. Buchholz; vice president, Val. 1-19
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M. Blumer; secretary, R. Miner; treasurer, F. L. Stober. The company was incorporated July 1, 1906, and has two separate plants, one on the west side, the motive power of which is steam, and the other on the east side, which is run by water power. The first named plant was built by Charles Callender. Eventually, he sold the property to his father, John Callender, and T. B. Bowman, both deceased. The latter had disposed of their inter- ests in the utility to F. J. Fiffner, who sold out to the present proprietors. This plant is used only in cases of emergency. The East Side plant was started in 1909, by the Greene Electric Light & Power Company, who also own the mill property and dam. South of and adjoining the mill the power house, constructed of concrete, was built, and equipped with machinery to serve a direct current to its patrons.
FINANCIAL
The early history of banking in Greene probably should remain untold, as the end of the first institution of the kind established here, was in the nature of a disaster. The Bank of Greene, a branch of a Cedar Falls concern, opened its doors for business in the latter part of 1871 or early in 1872. But in 1875 the bank collapsed ; the cashier, J. L. Spaulding, left under a cloud.
The First State Bank was organized December 15, 1887, with a capital stock of $50,000. This institution is the outgrowth of the Shell Rock Valley Bank, which began business the 20th day of January, 1875, with a capital stock of $50,000. The promoters of the enterprise were N. B. Ridgeway, A. Slimmer, Joe Rosen- baum, M. B. Wamsley and Jeremiah Perrin. A reorganization took place December 11, 1883, and under a charter secured under the national banking act the institution continued operations as the First National Bank, capitalized at $55,000. A. Slimmer, C. H. Wilcox, Jeremiah Perrin, Andrew Glodery, Lewis Forthun, Samuel McRoberts, Sr. and N. B. Ridgeway were the incorpora- tors. The management continued under the Federal jurisdiction three years and on November 8, 1886, reorganized as the State Bank, reducing the capital stock to $50,000. December 15, 1887. the name and title were changed to the First State Bank, having for its list of officials the following named persons: President. Jeremiah Perrin; vice president, A. Glodery; cashier, M. Hart- ness. In January, 1892, upon the resignation of Mr. Hartness.
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O. C. Perrin was elected to fill the vacancy, and retained the position until January 13, 1903. From that time to the present the following officers have served the bank: O. C. Perrin, presi- dent; M. J. Perrin, vice president; F. L. Stober, cashier; D. H. Ellis and G. R. Watterson, assistants. The home of the bank is in a two-story brick building, which it erected in 1887. Capi- tal, $50,000; surplus and undivided profits, $100,000; deposits, $544,000.
There is no record of any other bank in Greene until 1883, when E. W. Soesbe, S. W. Soesbe and J. B. Shepardson started a private banking house. In 1892, S. W. Soesbe died, but the business continued on under the direction of E. W. Soesbe and J. B. Shepardson until 1903. In the year last named, E. W. Soesbe, J. B. Shepardson, C. H. Williams, W. W. Thorpe and Edwin Morrill incorporated the Merchants National Bank, with a capital stock of $50,000. The board of directors elected the fol- lowing officers: President, E. W. Soesbe; vice president, J. B. Shepardson; cashier, C. W. Soesbe. In 1904, E. W. Soesbe passed away and J. B. Shepardson was elected his successor to the presi- dency. For two years Edwin Morrill filled the office of vice president and retired in 1908, C. W. Soesbe succeeding him. D. H. Ellis followed Soesbe in the cashier's office and remained in the position two years, when he was followed by B. N. Mead. Mr. Mead served in this capacity two years and then gave way to the present cashier, G. A. Carney. The home of the bank was built by the Soesbes in 1883. Capital, $50,000; surplus, $10,000; deposits $225,000.
THE THEATRE
The town of Greene has a theatre building that is certainly no discredit to the community. The structure was erected on Traer street in 1913 by Frank Phillips, of Clarksville, at a cost of $8,500. The front shows an arched entresol and the interior has a stage and opera chairs elevated from front to rear of the room. The place is given over to the "Movies," or picture shows, which are selected and conducted upon a high moral plane. The town also has an opera house, where a good class of traveling thespians often display their talents to admiring audiences.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Rev. S. W. Ingham, in the early territorial days of Iowa, was a Methodist circuit rider and while traversing his district of
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something near four hundred miles, he arrived on horseback at the home of James Griffith, in Coldwater township, on the 18th day of June, 1853. He stopped over-night at the hospitable cabin home and for breakfast the next morning he feasted on deliciously cooked venison, corn cakes and coffee. The informa- tion that he was a clergyman gladdened the hearts of his hosts and immediately they called in a few neighbors and to them the man of God preached the Gospel, which was the first sermon ever heard in Coldwater township. The visit of Rev. Ingham and his sermon was an incentive to his auditors to form a Methodist class and this might be considered the nucleus of the Methodist church in Greene. In 1854, Rev. William Gough was a preacher on this circuit. He was followed in 1855 by Rev. William P. Hol- brook and meetings were held at irregular periods in the homes of the settlers and in schoolhouses until in the spring of 1872, when Rev. Philip W. Gould formally organized "the Class of Greene" with the following named members: James Griffith and wife, Mrs. Ella Soesbe, Mrs. Mary Spaulding and Mrs. Court- right and daughter. J. H. Cooksey, class leader; James Griffith, steward. The year succeeding Rev. Z. R. Ward was in charge. Rev. James H. Gilruth ministered to the spiritual needs com- mencing his labors in 1874. Since then men of worth and sound intellect have followed in the footsteps of the early pastors. Their names follow: Revs. Enoch Holland, 1875-6-7; George B. Shoe- maker, 1878-9; David E. Skinner, who soon resigned on account of ill health and was succeeded by John A. Brown, who was fol- lowed by B. A. Wright, T. M. Anderson, W. A. Gibbons, P. J. Leonard, T. E. Taylor, C. R. Alderson, R. D. Black, George E. Shearer, C. S. Cole, F. Bindenberger, B. W. Soper, R. H. Puckett and L. S. Lockard, now in charge.
The Methodists built a church in 1877. which cost them $3.000. It was dedicated by a son of the circuit rider, Rev. S. W. Ingham, twenty-four years after his father preached to a small gathering of pioneers in the humble cabin home of James Griffith. In 1897 a wing was added to each side of the church and with interior decorations the sum of $1,500 was expended to cover the cost of improvements. Interior decorations in 1912 cost $1,000. A Sun- day school was established in 1877, with forty members; the attendance has grown to two hundred. The membership of the church is two hundred and ten.
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LUTHERAN CHURCH, GREENE
BRETHREN CHURCH, GREENE
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Rev. Richard Morrill organized the Presbyterian church in June, 1863, at the Hart schoolhouse on section 13. The charter members were Solomon Sturtz, Rebecca Sturtz, Henry McNabb, John Sturtz, Emanuel Leidig, Susan Sturtz, Elizabeth Sturtz, Anna E. McNabb, Rebecca Leidig, Sarah C. Sturtz and John Mc- Nabb. The society reorganized in 1872, as the First Presbyterian Church of Greene, through the offices of a committee from Water- loo, consisting of Revs. George Graham and W. R. Smith; Elders A. D. Barnum and Seman Armstrong. The charter members were Henry McNabb, Solomon Sturtz, Mrs. Rebecca Earnest, Mrs. Sarah C. Hart, Mrs. Ellen Paulsey, Emanuel Leidig, Mrs. Rebecca Leidig, Mrs. Jennie Bentley. The organization took place at the Moore schoolhouse and the first pastor was Rev. George Graham, of Clarksville, who presided at Greene alternate Sun- days for five years. His successors follow: Revs. David James, September, 1877-September, 1878; C. Gaston, intervals from November, 1878-May, 1881; W. H. McKee, May, 1881-Janu- ary, 1882; E. J. Marshall, May, 1882-August, 1882; J. F. Curtis, February, 1883-February, 1886; D. A. Murray, May, 1887- September, 1887; N. C. Green, March, 1888-February, 1890; Charles H. Wissner, May, 1890-November, 1890; Rev. McClade, April, 1891-April, 1892; U. G. Schell, May, 1892-October, 1892; J. M. Smith, January, 1893-February, 1895; J. S. Phillips, May, 1895-February, 1897; P. S. Davies, March, 1897-March, 1898; S. D. McFadden, May, 1898-October, 1904; R. S. Weinland, October, 1904-April, 1906; W. E. Fisher, August, 1906-May, 1913; John W. Chase, from June 20, 1913, as stated supply, and installed as pastor October 30, 1913.
The present membership of the church is one hundred and thirty-four.
A note of sadness entered the history of this church when, in the month of August, 1882, the pastor, Rev. E. J. Marshall, lost his life in the Shell Rock river, while bathing. He was a young Englishman and only had been in this country a year. His death caused a gloom to settle over the whole community and was greatly deplored by his parishioners.
CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN
Elder Philip Moss with his family arrived in Coldwater town- ship from Indiana in October, 1855, and located on a claim near
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the present town of Greene. He began preaching at his home and the homes of his neighbors. As soon as schoolhouse No. 1 was completed services were held there and in June, 1857, a formal organization of the Brethren church was effected, with mem- bers whose names follow: John Hartman and wife, Jacob Reprogle and wife, Felix Landis and wife, Benjamin Eikenberry and wife, Jacob Harter and wife and a few others. Rev. Philip Moss was the pastor about five years. He was called to his final reward and his successor, Rev. John H. Fillmore, filled the pulpit for a period of three years. Others in charge were, namely: Revs. John F. Eikenberry, who at times was assisted by Revs. Ben- jamin Ellis, John E. Eikenberry, Humphrey Tallhelm, N. Trapp, E. Moore and J. B. Shank. In the regular pastorate Harvey Eikenberry followed J. F. Eikenberry. Next came William H. Hood, whose assistant ministers were W. H. Pyle and Edward Eikenberry. Hood's successor is the present pastor, Rev. J. F. Butler. The membership of the church is one hundred and eight; attendance at the Sunday school averages one hundred and forty.
A house of worship was built by this church in 1873, costing $4,000, and at the time was the finest building of its kind in Butler county. It is built of stone and the ground dimensions are 40x60 feet.
UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST
This denomination effected an organization in Coldwater township in the year 1859, Revs. John Buckmaster and Israel Shafer assisting. The first services were held at the home of Widow Hall and the first pastor was Rev. James Murphy, who has had a number of successors.
ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH
The members of the Roman Catholic faith living in and near Greene attended mass, held by Father Flavin, early in the begin- ning of the town, in a church south of the place, which had been erected before Greene came into existence. Father Coyle and others also preached to this congregation. The first resident pastor was Father S. McNulty, who was offered two lots for build- ing purposes, by Judge George Greene, president of the local railroad. But the offer was not accepted. After the town began
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to grow, Father McNulty's flock met for a time at Feyereisen's hall and soon they had a small church building of their own. This was succeeded by a large and more commodious structure, which is now in use. Rev. Father J. L. Kirby was the second pastor. He was succeeded by Father Patrick Smith and in 1898, the pres- ent resident priest, Father James Sheehy, was placed in charge of the parish. The church has grown vastly in strength and pros- perity, having at the present time a membership of four hundred and property valued at $25,000. This consists of a substantial frame church building, a priest's residence and a magnificent two-story school building trimmed with stone, which cost $12,000. This henceforth will be known as St. Mary's Academy and will be in charge of Franciscan Sisters, whose residence is opposite the academy.
FRATERNAL ORDERS
The Masonic lodge at Greene has one of the finest and best equipped temples in northern Iowa, in a new building the upper story of which belongs to the organization. This body is strong in numbers and has a treasure chest well filled. Alpha Lodge, No. 326, A. F. & A. M. was organized June 5, 1873. The charter mem- bers were E. S. Thomas, G. L. Mills, C. S. Stranahan, E. S. Case, W. H. Nichols, E. Jordan, F. D. Mabee, Frank Beals, Charles Klobe, S. T. Hotchkiss, C. C. Huckins, W. H. Smith, A. Glodery, Hugh Johnson. First officers: E. S. Thomas, W. M .; G. L. Mills, S. W .; C. S. Stranahan, J. W .; W. H. Smith, Treas .; C. C. Huck- ins, Sec .; E. S. Case, S. D .; W. H. Nichols, J. D .; Hugh Johnson, Tyler.
May Day Chapter, No. 287, Order Eastern Star, an auxiliary of the Masonic lodge, was organized on the 24th day of October, 1900, with twenty-six charter members. The chapter is mainly composed of the wives and sisters of the main body.
Elm Springs Lodge, No. 318, I. O. O. F., was organized Octo- ber 21, 1875, and now has a membership of one hundred and fif- teen. The lodge is in good condition financially and joined the Masons and Knights of Pythias in building a handsome hall, where the three lodges meet. This hall is also the headquarters for other fraternal bodies.
There is also an auxiliary body, Greene Lodge, No. 381, Daugh- ters of Rebekah, which was established October 22, 1897.
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Butler Lodge, No. 155, Knights of Pythias, was established October 7, 1885, by C. H. Wilcox, J. W. Osier, Louis Hushburg, C. M. Greene, Charles W. Lyford, G. E. Delavan, F. B. Cheney, J. Nevins, O. D. Barnum, John Montgomery, G. W. Burbank, G. W. Wilson, S. A. Van Sann, J. E. Miller, A. M. Trent, Joseph T. Stokely, Fred Morrill, C. A. Witzel, E. J. Moyer, F. W. Huckins, H. W. Johnson, Will D. Grace, W. H. Morrill, G. C. Thomas. The lodge has a membership of one hundred and sixty.
The Pythian Sisters, Charlton Temple, No. 146, was organized October 9, 1902, by Allie Greene, Elsie Doore, Floy McRoberts, Emma Baker, Jennie M. Baker, Lulu Shaffer, Louise Yates, Aud Rosburg and Carrie Carney. They meet in Knights of Pythias hall.
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC ....
Greene Post, No. 22, G. A. R., organized November 18, 1898, with the following charter members: Ed Morrill, W. W. West. Jacob Hoffman, F. G. Etter, C. B. Weston, W. H. Rupert, J. Blanden, J. J. Winterburn, W. J. Crouse, Levi Sheets, James Mettler, W. H. Fleak, C. Crabtree, James Deardorf, D. R. Free- man, Albert Boggs, J. Adams, W. A. Keister, A. E. Austin, Rich- ard H. Brooks.
The Modern Woodmen of America and their auxiliary, the Royal Neighbors, have lodges here.
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CHAPTER XXIII
DAYTON TOWNSHIP
Dayton township is bordered on the north by Floyd county, on the west by Coldwater, on the south by Jackson and on the east by Fremont township. Its surface is broken by three streams -the Shell Rock river, which traverses it from northwest to south- east; Coldwater creek, which flows diagonally through sections 19, 20 and 29 to its junction with the Shell Rock; and Flood creek, which flows south through sections 2, 3, 11, 14, 23, 26 and 27. The Minnesota branch of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad passes through the township, with a railway station at Packard, although the settlement there consists of but little more than a few houses. The land along the streams is more or less heavily timbered but in general the character of the surface of the town- ship is such as to render it particularly adaptable for the purposes of agriculture.
The first settler in Dayton township of whom any record is left, was William Goheen, who on November 8, 1851, entered one hundred and twenty acres of land on section 19. In the spring of 1852, Mr. Goheen settled here with his family. On his claim he built a hewn log house, where with his family he lived until June, 1853. His death on this date was the first in the township. He was buried on the banks of Coldwater creek in section 19. Later his body was removed to the Hardman cemetery. A copy of the will by which his holdings in the township were disposed of to his sons has been given in an earlier chapter. These sons, E. R. and J. W. Goheen, are also mentioned somewhat in detail in con- nection with the early history of the county. They were hunters and do not seem to have remained in the county for many years after the death of their father.
James Griffith, who has been treated at length in the history of Coldwater township, settled on section 18, Dayton township, in 1852. He remained here only a short time before taking up his abode in the township to the west.
R. W. Butler was another early settler in this township.
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Levi Burress came in 1852. He built a cabin on section 27, on the west bank of the Shell Rock river. Mr. Burress came from Kentucky and his cabin was always open to the traveler and became a stopping place for many of the emigrants on their way to new homes in the county. Mr. Butler achieved considerable fame as a hunter and was numbered by his contemporaries as a man of imposing presence and of hearty good will. He died on his home farm in the fall of 1882.
Other early settlers were James Blake, Philip J. Ebersold, William Gough, Hugh Thomas, Delano McCain and others.
John F. Eikenberry, pioneer preacher of the Baptist church, located here and is remembered as one of the early ministers of the gospel in this section of the county.
Tobias Miller, an associate of the Goheen brothers in their hunting operations, located in June, 1853, on section 20.
OFFICIAL ORGANIZATION
The territory now comprising Dayton township was originally divided equally between Butler and Coldwater townships. It was finally given separate organization in September, 1860. An elec- tion was ordered November 6, 1860, at the house of Richard Chellew. The first township officers were: Hugh Thomas and Levi Burress, justices of the peace; Richard Chellew, Reuben Strohecker, constables; Thomas Haggarty, supervisor; John F. Eikenberry, clerk; Phineas Clawson, assessor; John V. Boggs, Philip J. Ebersold and Lemuel Carter, trustees.
EDUCATIONAL
The early records of the district township of Dayton are apparently lost. It has retained this form of organization to the present time. There are now ten sub-districts in the township and its schools are maintained in a manner in keeping with the prosperity of the communities which they serve.
A proposition for the consolidation of the schools of the town- ship and the establishment of the consolidated school at Packard was defeated by the electors in a school election held a few years ago. Inasmuch, however, as the township has no town within its limits, it would seem probable that within a comparatively few years such a step would ultimately be taken. There are a large
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number of progressive school patrons of the township who favor some action of this kind. In the meantime, however, they are in favor of supporting the schools as they are and of raising them to the highest possible degree of efficiency.
The schools of the township are at present presided over by an exceptionally capable and earnest body of rural teachers. The board of directors is a representative body of the best citizens of the township. The affairs of the school may be left in their hands without fear that they will do anything but the best for the inter- ests entrusted to them.
THE FARMERS' CLUB
The Clarksville Star, in its issue of the 20th of May, 1875, con- tains the following remarks from the pen of Van E. Butler:
"Among the educational institutions of Dayton township is the 'Farmers' Club,' which was organized in 1864, the object being to increase the interest in agriculture, horticulture and floricul- ture. How much influence it has exerted within a period of ten years is seen by the superior thrift, the intelligence, improved style of farming, and the general neatness of the homesteads of its members. Mutual intercourse and interchange of ideas on farm- ing and other topics have kept its members posted on the issues of the day; and if a stranger should step in when the club is in session he would no doubt conclude that the farmers kept their best stock at home and sent the poorer material to the Senate or Legislature, on the same principle that they select their best seeds ยท for propagation and send the inferior article to market."
POPULATION
1863, 239; 1865, 213; 1867, 275; 1869, 339; 1870, 383; 1873, 425; 1875, 513; 1880, 636; 1890, 667; 1900, 641; 1910, 633.
FREMONT TOWNSHIP
Fremont township lies in the extreme northeastern corner of Butler county, bordered on the east by Bremer county, on the north by Floyd county and cornering with Chickasaw county on the northeast. On the south and west lie Butler and Dayton town- ships. The surface is a gently undulating plain, broken by no
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marked variations of contour. There are no streams of any size within the township limits. It is the only township of the county which has a road on every section line. Every point of the town- ship is thus accessible and every foot of its soil is today in a high state of cultivation.
The character of the soil is somewhat different from that in the central portions of the county by being somewhat lighter, rather a sandy, than a clayey loam. Portions of the township are underlain by limestone which renders it peculiarly adaptable to the raising of cereal crops. The center of the township is traversed by a broad and shallow valley, known as Pleasant val- ley, which slopes to the southeastward toward Cedar river.
The township has no towns and no railroads. It is served for market and other commercial purposes by the towns of Nashua, in Chickasaw, Plainfield, in Bremer county, and Clarksville, in Butler county. The farms are in a high state of cultivation and the farm homes and buildings evidence the prosperity and energy of their owners.
The only natural timber in the township is a tract in the extreme northwestern portion, about five acres in extent, but the farm homes are so universally surrounded by large groves of artificial timber as to give it the appearance almost of a timbered country.
No farming section of the state may be considered superior in its general features to Fremont township for the purposes of diversified agriculture. The traveler through this township is impressed with the large number of silos, which have been built in recent years on the farms. No better evidence may be given than this of the progressive character of the residents of the township.
EARLY SETTLEMENT
Fremont township was one of the later regions of the county to be settled. As has been suggested, elsewhere, the first settlers all located as near the streams as possible, and inasmuch as Fre- mont township has no running water and comparatively few natural springs, it was not until the locations which were then considered more favorable had practically all been occupied that the attention of the early settlers of the county was turned to the fertile acres of this township. The first settlements within its
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limits may be considered as extensions of the settlements previ- ously made around Nashua, Plainfield and Clarksville. The first entries of land in Fremont township were made in 1854, and for the most part were made merely for commercial purposes.
In June, 1854, William Pringle, George Foster and W. J. Barney made entries of land in sections 31 and 32. Elwood Mod- lin and Jacob Schaffer also made entries of land in this year. All these entries were made in the southeast corner of the township.
The first actual settler in the township is believed to have been McCarty Bement, who came here in 1855 and located upon a farm in the eastern part of the township. In the same year Shad- rach Bonwell, Samuel Lenhart, James Trobaugh and Jackson J. Cross settled in the township.
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