USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler County, Iowa: a record of settlement., Volume 1 > Part 29
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At the present time the township is divided into seven sub- districts. In educational matters the township is one of the most progressive and enlightened in Butler county. They have adopted a definite plan of rebuilding their rural schoolhouses, construct- ing one each year, beginning in 1911. In this year a new building was erected in sub-district No. 1. In 1912 a new school building was erected on the southwest corner of section 5 for sub-district No. 3. This building is the first rural school in Butler county to be furnished with a basement and a furnace for heating purposes.
In 1913 a school building was erected in district No. 7, a mile and a half east of Aplington, which in all respects is the finest rural school building in the county. A new site for the school was purchased at the southeast corner of section 28. The building is heated by a basement furnace, is unilaterally lighted and has an adequate system of ventilation. It is seated with the best desks obtainable, is provided with slate blackboards and has practically every essential of modern schoolhouse construction. The cost of this building was in the neighborhood of $2,100. It is planned to continue the rebuilding of the schools of the township in the future, one being constructed each year. If this plan is adhered to, within a comparatively short time Monroc township will be equipped with a set of rural school buildings that will be second to none in the state of Iowa.
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EARLY RELIGIOUS SERVICES
The early religious services were held in a building put up for a stable. The quarterly meetings were held in Mr. Cald- well's barn. The first, or one of the first sermons ever delivered in the neighborhood is a reminder of the old dissenters who posted their sentinels among the rocks. The good women of the neigh- borhood, having long been denied the privilege of hearing the word of God, proposed to their husbands to have a sermon from some source. The religious enthusiasm of the men had been over- come by a pressing necessity for active physical labor. A min- ister to perform regular service every Sabbath could not be supported, consequently a discourse from a minister from Hardin county, who could come no other time than through the week, was agreed upon. Mr. Parriott mounted a horse and hied him- self off for Rev. Mr. Crippin. The signal for his return on the following day was to be a blast from the dinner horn of Mrs. Par- riott's, in order to call in the hands, busy at work in the fields. The sound of the horn on the following afternoon apprised the settlers that their messenger had appeared in sight. Oxen and horses were turned to graze and rest, while the barefooted, ragged and dusty yeomanry assembled to hear the word of the Holy One expounded. Such a luxury could not often be indulged in, conse- quently the more appreciated. It is merely a single instance among thousands of a similar character which occur in the first settlement of a country.
POPULATION
1856, 135; 1860, 203; 1863, 151; 1865, 190; 1867, 407; 1869, 516; 1870, 644; 1873, 645; 1875, 692; 1880, 891; 1890, 1,088; 1900, 1,388; 1910, 1,362.
APLINGTON
In the summer of 1857 the village of Aplington was laid out and platted by the proprietors, Thomas Nash, R. R. Parriott, Zenas Aplington and Theodore A. Wilson. on section 29. At the time one house stood on the tract of land, which had been erected and occupied by Charles Savage, a New Englander, a settler of short duration. The town was incorporated in the '80s and has
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grown to be a lively and thriving trading point of five hundred people. No better soil or finer farms lie out of doors than those contributing to the wealth of this community and with the Iowa division of the Illinois Central Railroad good transportation facili- ties appreciably add to the desirability of Aplington as a place for business activity and easy communication with the outside world. The town was named by its promoters in honor of one of their number, Zenas Aplington, a resident of Illinois, who never lived here. He owned part of the land, however, and took a lively inter- est in the town's welfare until his death, which occurred while serving his country in the War of the Rebellion.
The first building erected in Aplington was built by Zenas Aplington in 1856. He also furnished a stock of general mer- chandise. The building stood on the south side of Parriott street, and the first Aplington merchant, George W. Hunter, sold goods over the counters here about one year for Mr. Aplington. He was succeeded by Chester Stilson, who ran the store eighteen months; then it closed its doors. However, in 1864, Isaac Hall opened a general store in this building. He sold his stock to C. S. Price, who a year later closed out at auction.
The father of Charles Savage was an early settler in this part of the county and set up a blacksmith forge in a roofless sod house. This was the first smithy in the southern part of Butler county. William Bisbee came here in 1857 and opened a blacksmith shop for Zenas Aplington and managed it one year for that enterpris- ing non-resident. He then engaged in the trade for himself and continued therein for many years.
Mrs. Rachel Quinn built and presided over the first hotel in 1858. E. Y. Royce bought the property in 1866 and sold it to Edward Bourns in 1867, who continued the hotel a few years. The building was then purchased by Henry Kerns and used as a residence. The present hotel is an old frame structure showing the wear and tear of the elements. Yet the traveler is well taken care of and given a good, generous meal by the proprietor.
The first grain elevator in Aplington was built by Alonzo McKey, at the time of the coming of the Illinois Central Railroad in 1865. Among the several managers was C. M. Mead. The next was built by the firm of Wright Brothers and run by the firm until 1877. Several persons have been in charge of the busi- ness since then. The third elevator was built by S. L. Kemmerer in 1872. He sold the property to A. M. Whaley in 1876. In 1879,
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a fourth elevator was built. The firm of Chrystie & Prince, pro- prietors, disposed of their interests to Mr. Willis.
Aplington was early noted for its mills and creamery. Edward Hiller would have built a mill in the '60s, but being unable to secure on reasonable terms the right of way for a tail race, he gave up the project. However, John Matthews & Son, of Jack- son county formed a stock company, with a capital of $14,000, in 1872. A mill was built, but before its completion certain of the stockholders refused to meet their obligations on stock issued them, which retarded the industry for a while. The Matthews finally turned over their interests to William Dobbins and the latter disposed of a controlling amount of the stock to A. L. Morris & Son, who had the mill running in September, 1877. After this the mill had several owners.
Spring Hill Creamery began operations in the spring of 1881, on section 20. The proprietors at that time, Markley & Dodswell gave employment to a number of men and consumed vast quanti- ties of milk, which were delivered from the surrounding farms. One of the largest and most lucrative industries of this section of the county is dairying.
POSTOFFICE
The Aplington postoffice was established in 1858 and the first postmaster was Chester Stilson, who kept the office at his store. Harvey Quinn was the next appointee. He removed the office to his hotel and while in the army his sister, Maria Quinn, distrib- uted the mail. Others who have held the position of postmaster here are: Alexander Chrystie, E. A. Gilman, C. J. Fitzpatrick,. A. M. Whaley, C. G. Whaley, Dick Voogd.
Charles S. Prince located in Aplington in 1865, where he. engaged in mercantile pursuits of a varied nature.
Mention has been made of the building of the Illinois Central Railroad through Aplington in 1865; it also should be added that a depot was not built until two years later. In the meantime A. McKey, agent for the railroad company, maintained an office in his store room.
A. McKey, the first station agent, came to Aplington in 1865. He not only opened a general store, but also erected a warehouse. and bought grain.
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Alexander Chrystie was early in the field of business at this point. In 1868 he opened a general store, his stock consisting of groceries, dry goods, boots, shoes, etc. Mr. Chrystie became one of the prosperous and influential men of the place.
The firm of Lynd & Wright started a general mercantile busi- ness in 1868, having for headquarters a building on Parriott street. In 1869 these busy men built a business house on Tenth street where they installed a stock of goods, which was sold out in a lump within a year and moved away.
Doctor Whitfield opened the first drug store in 1868. Within a few months thereafter he sold out to Charles Prince and formed a partnership with Doctor Waterbury, which lasted but a short time. Lynd & Wright were the next proprietors of the stock of goods, then A. M. Whaley got hold of it and in 1873 disposed of his bargain to L. M. Swan.
In 1869 A. S. Burnham entered the furniture trade and at the expiration of a year's time took into partnership his brother, J. J. Burnham.
A wagon shop was established in Aplington in 1877, by George Lefever; Joseph Kellogg had a hardware store in 1875; E. Y. Royce opened a real-estate agency in 1868. Arends & Rans, hard- ware, 1878; H. Reints & Company, groceries, 1880; Dreyer Brothers opened up a grain and lumber business.
APLINGTON INCORPORATED
Aplington long has been an incorporated town, but the exact date of its separation from the township was not obtainable for this article. After diligent search among the records in the court- house nothing was found pertaining to the court proceedings nec- essary and antecedent . to incorporation. Further, the early minute books of the recorder of Aplington are missing, so that, with these handicaps a connected history of the municipality is not possible at this time. However, the town held its initial elec- tion, the officials were properly inducted into office and the busi- ness of Aplington as an incorporated town has gone steadily onward without any serious interruptions. It is true the central part of the town was practically wiped out by fire in 1891. But the community survived the heavy loss entailed and the business part was rebuilt in a more substantial and expensive manner than ever. As a matter of fact, the business houses of Aplington rank
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well with other Butler county towns and as a trading point there is none better, when size and facilities are considered. The community is one of the wealthiest in the county as the highly . improved farms and town residences plainly attest.
MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT
Aplington stands well forward in the ranks of incorporated towns of its class, and is gradually acquiring the utilities found in her larger competitors. On the 26th day of July, 1913, the question of building an electric light plant and issuing $7,000 in bonds for the purpose was presented to the electorate at a special election, and was carried by a very generous majority of all the votes cast; in fact, the local sentiment was almost unanimous for the improvement. By the end of the year, this useful and con- venient utility was completed. A cement power house was erected, in which were installed a kerosene engine and large alter- nating-current dynamos. The merchants erected ten five-globe electroliers and now the business houses and many of the resi- dences are supplied with the modern and mysterious lights pro- duced by electricity. This plant also supplies the current for the public and private lights at Austinville, about five miles west of Aplington, in Washington township, a village named in honor of Henry Austin, a pioneer of Butler county. Henry Austin and his brother located in Washington township in 1867, where from time to time they purchased tracts of land, until their holdings amounted to two thousand acres. Henry, while driving his auto- mobile on the 22d day of February, 1912, sustained injuries which caused his death. William is now retired and makes his home with a daughter, Mrs. Dick Voogd. He is now in his sixty-eighth year.
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
The forerunner of the Exchange Bank was a private bank- ing concern, established by A. M. Whaley in 1878, This pioneer merchant was one of Aplington's busy and energetic town build- ers, engaging in several lines of industry, notably a flax elevator, which he often filled to its capacity of seven thousand bushels. In 1896, Mr. Whaley sold his bank to N. H. Reints and H. J. De Buhr, who still conduct the business and have a large clien-
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tele. In 1902, they opened a bank in Kesley and placed Herman N. Reints, a son of N. H. Reints, in charge. The firm of Reints & De Buhr also maintain lumberyards at Aplington and Kesley and the homes of both banks are substantial brick structures of modern designs. The Aplington building was erected by Mr. Reints in 1900 and the Kesley building in 1909.
The Farmers Savings Bank was organized under the laws of Iowa in 1906. The incorporators were Fred Weiss, A. Ontges, J. Jerdens, John Spieker, C. Primus, H. H. Dreyer and William Klingenborg. Capital stock, $15,000. First officials: A. Ontges, president; C. Primus, vice president; Dick Spieker, cashier. The latter resigned his position in 1909 and was succeeded by Albert Dreyer. The last statement of the bank shows the capital is $15,000; surplus and undivided profits, $7,500; deposits, $125,000. The bank's home is in the east half of a large modern brick build- ing recently purchased, which was erected for P. Arends' hard- ware store.
CHURCHES THAT HAVE BEEN
The oldest church building in Aplington belonged to the Meth- odist society, the first religious organization to be established in the town. The forerunner of this society was a series of meet- ings held at the home of R. R. Parriott in 1855 by Reverend Mr. Crippin, a circuit rider. Later meetings were held at the home of Thomas Nash on section 30. The society was formally organ- ized at the Parriott home and in 1860 the schoolhouse at Apling- ton was secured for holding regular services, Father John Connell presiding. In 1870 a church building was erected on lots donated by E. Y. Royce and dedicated by Elder Kendig, December 18, 1870. Reverend Platt was the first regular pastor. For many years this congregation held together, but in later years the German element became predominant in the community, acquiring the land and establishing churches of their own. As the Germans increased those of American birth decreased, the latter giving way to the newcomers and removing to other parts of the country. This militated against the Methodist organization to the extent that it was finally disbanded and the church property was sold.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The settlers affiliating with the Presbyterian church effected an organization at Aplington July 25, 1869, and held their first
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NEW GERMAN BAPTIST CHURCH, APLINGTON
TILE FACTORY, APLINGTON
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meetings at the schoolhouse and the Methodist church. Rev. R. Boag was the organizing minister and the first members were: George B. Smith, Eliza Smith, Lydia F. Smith, Margaret Stock- dale, James Stockdale, James S. Montgomery, Jane Montgomery, Mrs. T. Johnson, Mrs. Rachel Quinn, Alfred Burnham, Joseph Montgomery, Alexander McMullen.
In 1889 the church edifice was erected and on the last Sabbath day in December of that year the dedicatory exercises and sermon were discussed by a large assemblage of members and visitors. The parsonage was built during the administration of Reverend Beebe and since the beginning the church has prospered and now has a membership of sixty. Names of its pastors are given below :
Miles Smith, J. W. Van Emman, C. H. Gravenstein, W. A. McMinn, G. M. Tourtellot, David F. Williams, George Earhart, Wilson Ardale, L. M. Beebe, T. N. Buchanan, Elmer Ankerman, H. W. Stillman, S. F. Rederus, George Ballinger and T. N. Buchanan.
GERMAN BAPTIST CHURCH
The membership of the Baptist faith of German nationality organized the German Baptist church at the schoolhouse in dis- trict No. 3, Washington township, in 1874, under the guidance of Elder Schroeder. In a little while the society began attending the church at Pleasant valley, but in the year 1884, or thereabouts, a church building was erected in Aplington by the society, which prospered and grew so rapidly that in 1904 a larger building became necessary. To this end a handsome structure was built in the last mentioned year at a cost of $7,000, which was destroyed by fire in 1912. This was replaced by a larger and handsomer edifice which cost $9,000.
The first members of the local German Baptist church were H. Dreyer, Sr., and family, Henry Dallman, David Meyer, Lubert Luberts, Garbrand Roos, Amos Beckhoff, Herman Reints, O. Althoff, J. Muntinga and several others. Rev. J. Engelmann was the first pastor. He was succeeded by William Paul, C. Tietge, William Pheiffer, Louis Wiesle and the present pastor, Detmar Koester. The membership is one hundred and seventy.
THE GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH
The Reformed church was organized at Aplington April 23, 1908, with the following charter members: Mr. and Mrs. K.
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Brouwer, Mr. and Mrs. A. Bengen, Mr. and Mrs. J. Haan, Mrs. H. O. Muller, C. Groninga, Mr. and Mrs. T. Busemann, Miss R. Busemann, Mrs. R. Busemann, Mr. and Mrs. H. Ebens, Jacob Busemann, Mr. and Mrs. J. Gersema, C. M. Janssen, Miss F. Janssen, J. Tjabrings, Mr. and Mrs. Klingenborg, Ecko Mennen, Mrs. E. Mennen, Rieke Busemann, Mrs. R. Busemann, Mrs. A. Jurgena.
The first services were held in the Methodist Episcopal church and in October, 1910, this society bought the property and placed some needed improvements. There has been but one pastor, Rev. G. Zindler, who is still attending to the spiritual needs of a pros- perous and worthy congregation.
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CHAPTER XXVII
PITTSFORD TOWNSHIP AND TOWN OF DUMONT
Pittsford township consists of what is known as township 92 north, range 18 west. It is situated in the west central part of the county, being bordered on the west by Franklin county. Its surface is rolling prairie, varied by the presence of the valleys of several streams, most of which are bordered by some natural timber. The valleys of these streams are none of them of great width but are of sufficient depth to render the surface of some portions of the township rather irregular. The main branch of the West Fork traverses the township from northwest to south- east, entering on the west near the line between sections 17 and 18 and flowing out into Madison township near the southern end of the line joining sections 34 and 35. Boylan's creek flows through the township from north to south, principally in the eastern part of the township. This stream west of Bristow is bordered by lime stone bluffs which were formerly quarried and the stone burned for lime in several kilns which have now been abandoned.
Two lines of railroad pass through the township-the Chicago Great Western and the Minnesota division of the Northwestern. These roads cross at Dumont, which is the most important trad- ing point of the township. Bristow is situated on the border between Pittsford and West Point townships.
The farm land of the township is all in a high state of cultiva- tion. The farms for the most part are occupied by resident land- owners and the improvements are such as to make this township rank as one of the best farming regions of the state.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS
The township was first settled in the fall of 1852 when the families of John Boylan and James M. Parks came from Bureau county, Illinois, and settled on portions of sections 13 and 24.
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The next settler was Samuel Moots, who came with his family and settled in the eastern part of the township, some time in the winter of 1852-3.
No entries of government land were made at this time in the township, as the land here was under the control of the Des Moines land office and most of the settlers had come from the eastern states and considered a journey to Des Moines too difficult to make at that time. Instead, most of them took up what was called "settlers' claims," which were made generally by laying the foundation for a cabin, constructed of four logs, with some- times an addition of the claimant's name cut in a tree. A num- ber of such claims were made soon after the arrival of Boylan and Parks but they were made by men who were merely tran- sients and who made no later attempt to render the basis of their claims permanent by entry in the government land office.
Reference has been made elsewhere to the large number of buffalo, deer and elk that were found in the township at the time of this first settlement and also to the conditions which led to the practical extermination of wild game.
These three families-the Boylans, Parks and Moots-were all of them interrelated by marriage, James M. Parks being mar- ried to Eliza Boylan, a sister of John Boylan, and a daughter of Samuel Moots having married James W. Boylan. Another of the Boylan family, Isaac, came with his family and settled in the township in the summer of 1853. This family was prominently identified with the history of the eastern portion of this township throughout the early period and a number of descendants are still residing in the township. The first settlement to be given a name was Boylan's Grove, later known by the uneuphonious name of Pilltown, situated in the center of sections 14 and 23, about a mile and a half west of Bristow. A schoolhouse and cemetery still mark the site of this village.
W. R. Jamison and family came to the township in the sum- mer of 1853, seeking a location for a home. They came first to Boylan's grove, a tract of timber land containing at that time about a thousand acres. Mr. Jamison was anxious to secure some of this timber land and knew that inasmuch as no legal entries of land had been made he was privileged to select any site which he chose. However, he recognized the fact that the settlers already on the ground would consider it a decided intrusion if he should fail to recognize the validity of their settlers' claims.
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Being anxious to avoid any trouble with his future neighbors, Mr. Jamison took Mr. Boylan's advice, and under his guidance set out to look at a grove of timber near by. This grove, which was later known as Jamison's grove, was situated in sections 19 and 20. Being satisfied with the location and the quality of the land which he found, Mr. Jamison selected three hundred and twenty acres, one hundred and twenty in section 19, and two hun- dred acres in section 20. On the 11th day of August, 1853. Mr. Jamison made entry of this half section of land in the land office at Des Moines, Iowa, thus making the first original entry of land in the township, and so far as the records show, the first in the western half of the county.
To this new home Mr. Jamison brought his family in Septem- ber, 1853, bringing them from Buchanan county, where they had been living. Mr. Jamison brought into the township the first span of horses and covered carriage that was known in the town- ship. He also brought with him a fine herd of Berkshire hogs. . The other early settlers were rather inclined to ridicule him for taking the trouble to bring hogs into this new country on the ground that meat was so much more easily procured from the wild game, which was still plentiful. However, during the win- ter of 1853-4 the deer and elk began to be less numerous than they had been and it was not long before the wisdom of Mr. Jamison, in providing a somewhat more stable supply of meat for the future, became very evident. This first year Mr. Jamison sold his carriage and traded his span of horses for several yoke of oxen and in the following spring he broke the first prairie sod for a crop.
The other settlers followed Mr. Jamison's example in making proper entry of their land. On May 2, 1854, Alexander Frazer, John Boylan, H. A. Early and Seth Strong are recorded as having made entries on claims which they had previously taken up, and on the 11th day of May, 1854, James and Ephraim Mckinney also entered land in this township. These constitute the first land entries as shown by the records of the general land office.
Other settlers who located in the township in 1854 were the Rev. Richard Merrill and his brother, Joseph; James Woods, two Germans by the name of Kniphals and Peterson, Comfort Williams, James W., William H. and Asa Boylan and Thomas Dumont.
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