USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 12
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W. F. Barr, dean of the College of Liberal Arts of Drake Uni- versity, at Des Moines, is a former superintendent of schools in Greene and Parkersburg. No man in educational circles in Iowa is more widely and favorably known than Professor Barr. But- ler county is proud to recall his connection with her educational interests.
Frank E. Howard, former county superintendent of schools, is at present at the head of the department of education in the Idaho State Normal, at Albion.
Professor C. L. Fullerton of the department of music in the State Teachers College at Cedar Falls is another former super- intendent of schools in Parkersburg whose present prominence in the educational world reflects credit upon his connection with Butler county.
These are but a few of the more prominent men in an edu- cational way who have been connected with the schools of Butler county. Space would not allow us to mention the large number of prominent men and women who have gone out from Butler. county's rural schools to positions of leadership and efficiency, both in the educational world and in other avenues of life.
Butler county has reason to be proud of the record made by- her sons and daughters and of the efficient work which has been done by the schools of the county in training and educating these boys and girls to become men and women of power and ability. However, progress is the law of life, and while present conditions in no way justify an undulv critical attitude toward school con- ditions in the county, vet a careful and comparative study of the schools and the other activities of the county justify one in ex- pressing a doubt as to whether in all instances the schools have kept pace with progress in other lines. With all just pride in the records of the past. the people of Butler county should look for- ward with full faith to a future of magnificent achievement for
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
her schools, keeping ever in mind as their motto the slogan "Bet- ter Schools for Butler County."
SCHOOL FUND COMMISSIONER
1854, James Griffith; 1856, John H. Morton.
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
In the year 1858 the office of school fund commissioner was abolished and that of county superintendent of schools was cre- ated. The names of the incumbents of the office just named ap- pear below:
1858, D. W. Mason; 1859, I. R. Dean, resigned, M. D. L. Niece (to fill vacancy) ; 1861, R. Merrill; 1865, W. H. Gue; 1867, W. A. Lathrop; 1871, J. W. Stewart; 1881, John D. Anderson; 1885, E. C. Bellows; 1889, George F. Wood; 1893, Frank E. Howard; 1897, H. B. Aikin; 1901, Ida F. Leydig; 1907, Mary A. Faint; 1913, Irv- ing H. Hart, resigned; 1914, BenjaminBoardman (to fill vacancy).
CHAPTER XIV
AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES
The following quotation from a former historian of Butler county gives in a very satisfactory manner the summary of the agricultural conditions up to that time:
THIRTY YEARS AGO
"Butler county is acknowledged as being among the best and most prosperous agricultural counties in Iowa. Its people are awake and keep step with the progressive march of the times in all that pertains to a civilization of happiness, industry and cul- ture. Its future possibilities may be set high among the cluster of its hundred sisters, a star of pride to the noble state. The early pioneers did not come loaded with wealth, and in fact few had more than enough to barely get settled upon their lands, but they came with that which in those days was equal to it-training in agricultural pursuits, brawny hands that were able and not ashamed to do hard work, and in connection with industrious habits, the energy and determination to win success. The coun- try was new, and there was no alternative but that success must be wrought from the soil, which was their only wealth and their only hope. And, in spite of all the obstacles and inconveniences to be encountered, success has attended their efforts, and the transformation from the primitive to the present comfortable con- dition of things was accomplished. Nor is the end yet reached, but the county still has a mine of agricultural wealth yet undevel- oped, which, as years roll on, will grow more and more valuable, and when years of cultivated maturity shall dawn to transform the yet unsubdued prairie to waving fields of growing grain, But- ler county will occupy a place among the foremost ranks of Iowa's banner counties.
141
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
"Early in the development of this country, wheat was the main product, and for a number of years excellent crops were raised with scarcely a failure. At the present time it has partially given up its former place to other cereals, while the farmers find many other avennes in which to devote their time and energies. The general theory, or it might be more properly said, it is known in a general way, that the wheat belt has been traveling westward ever since it was first started at Plymouth, Massachusetts, when the Pilgrim fathers landed there over two hundred and sixty years ago. At first it moved on its westward march, not in a very rapid way, until fifty years ago the valley of the Genesee, in New York, was the great wheat raising region. But when Michigan, Illinois and Iowa were opened up for cultivation, the wheat-growing cen- ter began its kangaroo jumps toward the setting sun, and Iowa was for years its resting place, but how long it will be before its now receding line will pass clear beyond the confines of Iowa and land in Dakota and Nebraska, time alone can determine. The gradual increase in stock-raising has placed corn in the front rank at present. Flax of late years has been raised quite extensively. Rye, barley and all the cereals common to this latitude do well, and vegetables and small fruits grow abundantly where well culti- vated. It was formerly taught that apples could not be success- fully raised here, but the county now has many fine and thrifty orchards which have proven the matter quite to the contrary and have punctured this fallacy. About one-half of the area of the county is under a good state of cultivation."
The quotation above is interesting for the purposes of com- parison, and in connection with the comparative statistics given below will furnish striking evidence of the progress of Butler county in an agricultural way in the years that have lapsed since the publication of the work from which this quotation was taken.
IOWA'S PRIMACY IN AGRICULTURE
Iowa easily holds a foremost place among the agricultural states. Statistics of its soil products and the live-stock industry justify this claim and a careful study of climatic records and the vast resources of soil fertility will reveal the cause of this primacy in agriculture. Its location within the greatest corn producing area in this country, or in the world, is especially favorable. In fact it may be claimed without exaggeration that Iowa consti-
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
tutes the most productive section of the famous corn belt area and the statistical records will sustain this claim. The distinctive feature of the state is the fact that about 95 per cent of its area may be made to produce something of vahe.
In crop production the prime factors are the fertility of soil and a congenial climate, and the latter is the chief feature. There are millions of acres in this country comparatively worthless, although containing abundant supplies of fertility, the one thing lacking being a favorable clinate. The lack of moisture in the growing season or the prevalence of low temperature or frequent occurrences of frosts render the possession of the most fertile soil of little or no use.
THE CLIMATE OF IOWA
Situated near the geographical center of the United States, too far inland to be affected by the ocean winds, the climate of Iowa is strictly continental in type. This naturally involves a wide range of temperature, winters of considerable severity and summers of almost tropical heat and a larger percentage of sun- shine than may be found in regions nearer the coast. What is true of Iowa as a whole is true of Butler county in particular, there being comparatively little variation in climatie and soil conditions and productivity in the various sections of the state. However, the absence of great variations in altitude, the gen- erally level character of the country in Butler county, the fact that its river valleys have in the process of the ages reached a stage which is known as that of maturity, that its swamp lands which doubtless formerly existed in vast areas have been drained largely by natural causes, although in part by the agency of man in recent years, all have resulted in reducing the amount of waste land in Butler county to a minimum, and entitle it to a place in possibility as a leader in crop production in the State of Towa.
METEOROLOGY
There has never been a permanent meteorological station in Butler county. However, for about fifteen years, beginning with 1897. a station was maintained at Greene, under the control of J. L. Cole, who made regular annual reports to the Towa Weather and Crop Service Bureau. A summary of these reports indicates
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
a total average annual precipitation of about 29 inches of rain- fall. This is very close to the average for the north central dis- trict. The mean annual temperature for the same period is about 47 degrees above zero. The highest recorded temperature is 111 degrees above zero, and the lowest, 29 degrees below. From an agricultural point of view the most important feature of the climate of Iowa and Butler county is the fact that its maximum rainfall comes in the crop season from April to September, inclu- sive. The monthly averages of precipitation show that the aver- age winter precipitation is less than 2 inches. In the four most critical crop months, from the 1st of May to the 1st of Septem- ber, more than 50 per cent of the bulk of the precipitation is received. In the balance of the year the climate is relatively dry.
Naturally there are great variations in the amount of rain- fall from year to year but an actual study of the statistics will prove that there is no just basis for the claim that great changes are taking place in the amount of rainfall. In Butler county this variation ranges from about 9 inches in the four crop-growing months to 29 inches as a maximum, the average being in the neigh- borhood of 15 inches.
Killing frosts rarely occur at so late a date in the spring as to be destructive to crops. Occasionally the earliest killing frost in autumn, as the farmers say, "catches" the late corn, but this is not frequent.
CROP PRODUCTION
Corn is the chief product of Butler county farmers, the total number of bushels raised in 1913 being 3,744,000. The average yield per acre in this year was 36 bushels. The state average was 34.9 bushels. Of the ninety-nine counties in Iowa, Butler ranked forty-first in the total number of bushels produced, and forty- seventh in the average yield per acre. Iowa leads the world in corn production, not because it grows more bushels per acre but because it possesses the largest area of farm land adapted to the production of this great cereal.
The hay crop which ranks second in the state is relatively less important in Butler county, if we are to leave out the considera- tion of the acreage of farm lands devoted to pasturage. The pro- duction of hay in the county in 1913 was 40,500 tons of tame hay and 14,700 tons of wild hay.
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
The oat crop fills a very important place in the agriculture of the county, the total production in 1913 having been 2,465,000 bushels, an average of 29 bushels per acre. In the total produc- tion Iowa ranks eighteenth among the counties of the state but in the average production per acre it ranks ninetieth. Evidently too many Butler county farmers consider the oat crop as merely a convenient means of resting the land between the years when they can raise corn thereon. The state average for 1913 in the bushels of oats per acre was 34.2.
OTHER STATISTICS
The agricultural statisties show that in 1860 there were 379 farms in Butler county. This number increased steadily to 1905, when there were 2,209. In 1912 the number had decreased to 1,976. Since 1880 the number of acres in farms in Butler county has increased from 290,728 to 334,769.
The following taken from the crop and farm statistics for 1912 indicate accurately the present productiveness of Butler county soil: Total number of farms, 1,976; total acreage in farms, 334,769.
Total Acreage
Total Yield
Corn
105,458
Bushels 4,915,284
Oats
83,339
3,060,996
Spring wheat
601
10,398
Winter Wheat
881
66
14,969
Barley
1,532
41,495
Rye
3,095
66
57,089
Tame hay
22.457
Tons
25,385
Wild hay
11,042
11,842
Alfalfa
14
66
28
Potatoes
1:483
Bushels
149,945
In pasture
90,404
Apples total vield 7,303 bushels
In orchards
49916
Total number silos. .
81
STATISTICS OF LIVE STOCK
Total number horses. 15,015: mules, 271: hogs. 88,987; cattle, 44.368: sheep, 1,693; pounds of wool chipped. 21,043; poultry, 383,319; total dozen eggs, 1,108,343, est.
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES
THE BUTLER COUNTY FAIR
The first definite agricultural association in the county was known as the Butler County Agricultural Society which held its first meeting at Butler Center, on March 15, 1866. Previous to this date, the society had existed under a system of annual mem- berships. Fairs had been held at different points in the county for a number of years previous but under this system the grounds were but temporarily fitted up, the interest of the members but temporary and there could be no permanent basis for success.
There is some question as to where the first fair in Butler county was held. An early historian says: "The first fair held in Butler county was held at Willoughby village about 1856 or 1857. It was a small affair but a good time was had. The village at which the fair was held has long since been counted a thing of the past." Thomas Hunt, of Clarksville, at the date of the present writing perhaps the oldest citizen of the county both in years and in point of residence, says: "To the best of my knowl- edge the first fair in Butler county was held at Clarksville in 1856. Another fair was held here in 1857. Thereafter fairs were held at Butler Center, Willoughby, New Hartford and Shell Rock, approximately in this order. Later the fairs came to be held regularly at Shell Rock." Martin Bailey. the first secre- tary of the permanent organization says in his report to the Auditor of State in 1866: "Fairs have been held at different times in the county for the last seven years, no one place having it for two successive years."
At the meeting at Butler Center referred to above, plans for organization on a more permanent basis were discussed and it was finally decided to appoint a committee to secure as many as fifty life members, who would agree to subscribe the sum of $10 to the association. This committee consisted of James W. Davis, Martin Bailey, J. H. Hale and John Palmer. This com- mittee also was to prepare articles of incorporation.
On the 2nd of June another meeting was held at the court- house in Butler Center, at which time it was reported that fifty subscribers for life membership had been secured. Articles of incorporation were reported and adopted. The names of the incorporators were as follows: A. Converse, M. Hollenbeck, J.
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
H. Hale, James Collar, W. A. Lathrop, E. Landphier, J. A. Wood, B. Leavens, M. Bailey, S. Rice, J. G. Scoby, J. Bishop, E. W. Metzger, J. H. Carter, E. Town, F. Leavens, J. Palmer, J. F. Wright, R. R. Parriott, C. B. Simons, W. Adair and O. S. New- comb.
The name chosen for the association was the Butler County Agricultural and Horticultural Society. The location of fairs to be held by the society was fixed at Shell Rock. The incorpora- tion was for a period of twenty years. According to the terms and articles of incorporation, the business and object of the society was to hold fairs and offer suitable premiums for the encouragement of agricultural, horticultural and mechanical pursuits, and the improvements of the stock and productions of the county.
Thirteen directors were provided for the first board con- sisting of the following named persons : A. Converse, R. R. Parriott, J. F. Wright, John Hickle, J. H. Hale, M. Hollenbeck, James Collar, C. B. Simons. James Wood, Charles Ensign, M. Bailey, B. Leavens and J. H. Carter. These articles of incorpora- tion were filed for record June 2, 1866.
The first officers chosen were: James Collar, president; C. B. Simons, vice president ; S. Rice, treasurer; and M. Bailey, secre- tary. In consideration of publishing done for the society William M. Palmer, editor of The Stiletto, was elected to membership in the association. At this first meeting of the permanent organiza- tion thirty-four members paid $10 each to the association. The dates of the fair were fixed for Oct. 2 and 3, 1866.
During this year a committee of the board of directors pre- pared and adopted a set of by-laws to govern the society and pur- chased a site for the fair grounds of James W. McCague for the sum of $200. This site stood west of the present town of Shell Rock.
The sum of $600 was appropriated for fencing the fair grounds.
At the elose of this first year the secretary, Martin Bailey. made a report to the Secretary of State, from which we quote the following: "The premium list was published in our county paper, The Stiletto on August 2d. The fair, held on October 2d and 3d, was a decided success. The list of horses entered was ex- tensive and embraced several excellent stallions of different breeds from the ponderous Samson to the stylish Black Hawk. There were several fine thoroughbred Durham cattle, a few very
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
good sheep and several choice blooded swine upon exhibition. The display of farm products was not very extensive, but grass seed, wheat, oats, etc., were represented. Garden vegetables were fine and there were two entries of apples that were credit- able."
The report of the treasurer on this first year is as follows: "Receipts: Funds of the old society, $50: membership, $460; entrance fees, $91.55; gate fees, $215; total, $816.55. Disburse- ments: Fences and buildings, $522.50; printing and stationery, $58.75 ; expenses of fair, $54.35; total, $635.55; balance, $181. In- debtedness: Premiums, $191.50: Due on grounds, $200, showing an excess of indebtedness over the balance on hand of $210.
In the annual meeting in June, 1867, the premiums awarded in 1866 were ordered paid in full. The receipts of the fair held in 1868 were not sufficient to pay the premiums, expenses and other indebtedness, the weather having been extremely unfavorable. A tax of $2 was therefore levied upon each life member at a special meeting held on September 24th.
The Clarksville band was hired for the fair in 1870.
At a special meeting held Jan. 28, 1871, the question of sell- ing a right of way through the fair grounds to the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota railway was discussed. It was agreed to adjourn to meet later to decide this question. At a meeting held the last of April this railroad was given the right of way through the grounds. Inasmuch as this would result in rendering the grounds unfit for use for fair purposes an arrangement was made with Sylvester Rice to lease a tract of land belonging to him and lying immediately south of the former site for the purpose of holding the succeeding fairs. Mr. Rice gave this lease free of charge on condition that he be allowed to pasture the lands at times when the fair was not being held.
At the regular annual meeting in 1871 the old fair grounds site was sold to Sylvester Rice ontright and twenty acres south of the former site were leased from him for twenty years.
As early as 1867 a substantial premium was offered by the society for the best artificial grove planted and cultivated under conditions set forth in the premium list. In 1872 a committee of the board of directors was appointed to investigate the condition of groves planted in accordance with the requirements. There is, however, no record of a report by this committee until the annual meeting of 1874, at which time on recommendation of a committee
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
the premium for the best artificial grove planted and cultivated under the premium offer of 1867 was awarded to Amos Ressler, of Shell Roek township. The grove for which this premium was awarded consisted largely of soft maple, with some blaek ash and white elm trees. The trees were said to average twelve feet in height and to be in excellent condition. There are records also of premium awards for the best acre of wheat, the best acre of oats and the best half acre of potatoes, showing clearly that the society was endeavoring to the best of its ability to carry out the aim and object of its organization-improvement of farm crops and production in Butler county.
At the annual meeting in 1877 the president reported that the grounds had been removed without expense, to a new site north- east of Shell Rock, on what was known as the Williams place. This is the location of the present race track southeast of the Great Western depot.
The original term of incorporation for twenty years expired in 1886. In preparation for reorganization, a meeting was called in August, 1885, at which general plans for reorganization were discussed. On Oct. 17, 1885, it was voted to renew the articles of incorporation for twenty years and new articles of incorporation were adopted.
The question of reorganization, however, was not yet settled. The location of Shell Rock at the extreme eastern side of the county was unsatisfactory to a large majority of the people of the county. So much dissatisfaction with the location had been expressed that even the people of Shell Rock reached a point where they were willing to consider a relocation of the site of the annual county fair. In the meantime, as will be noticed later, an agricultural organization had been formed at Clarksville which had been holding annual fairs for a number of years.
The question of reorganization and relocation was discussed at a number of adjourned meetings in the carly part of 1886. Fin- ally at a meeting held in Shell Rock in May, J. R. Jones, Jeremiah Perrin and Cyrus Doty, representing the Clarksville Agricultural Association, appeared and proposed to consolidate the two socie- ties and to provide for annual fairs to be held in alternate years at Clarksville and Shell Roek. This proposition was first voted upon at a meeting in August, 1886, with the result that thirty- four votes were cast in the affirmative and thirty-two in the negative. Inasmuch, however, as this consolidation involved an
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
amendment to the constitution and required a two-third vote of the members present, it was declared lost.
At a meeting held in October, the proposition of the Clarksville Society was again presented and again lost on the lack of a two- third vote, the vote this time being forty-one for to twenty-six against. At the same meeting the proposition to secure the removal of the fair to Allison was presented and was defeated for the same reason by a vote of twenty-one to seventeen, the Clarks- ville members of the association not voting.
It became evident, however, that it would be impossible to con- tinue the location of the fairs at Shell Rock and it was equally evident that the Clarksville location would not be any more satis- factory to the majority of the members. As a result, on the 30th of October, 1886, at a meeting of the stockholders, article 1 of the constitution was amended by substituting the name "Allison" for "Shell Rock" as the place of holding the fairs, the vote being sixty- five to nine-a decisive majority. It was voted to tear down the buildings on the Shell Rock fair grounds and pile the lumber pre- paratory to moving it to Allison.
A committee consisting of Jeremiah Perrin, S. Rice, R. Stanley, L. J. Rogers, I. M. Fisher, G. M. Craig. J. W. Wright, James Collar, S. M. Baldwin, S. B. Dumont and N. O. Olmstead was appointed to secure a new location near Allison. This committee secured twenty-three acres of ground, partly within and partly out of the corporate limits of the town of Allison, the land being purchased from H. L. Stout and the Allison Town Company, for a considera- tion of something over one thousand dollars.
The annual meeting of 1887 was held in the court room at Allison. At that time the by-laws were amended so as to have one director from each township and the date of the annual meeting changed from the first Saturday in June to the first Wednesday after the first Monday in January. The first board of directors representing the sixteen townships was: N. H. Larkin, Fremont; Levi Baker, Dayton: Samuel McRoberts, Coldwater: M. Wilson, Bennezette: W. R. Nichols, Pittsford; J. II. Neal, West Point; Cyrus Doty, Jackson; J. Perrin, Butler: G. W. Adair, Shell Rock; S. M. Baldwin. Jefferson: F. A. Randolph, Ripley; W. Watson, Sr., Madison; J. J. Burnham, Washington; Joseph Linn, Monroe; James Collar, Beaver.
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