USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 33
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POSTOFFICE
A postoffice was established in the town of Shell Rock in the summer of 1855, with George Hawker as the first appointee by the Government as postmaster. He kept the office in a building later owned and occupied by J. W. Stewart as a residence. At that time mail matter was not received regularly; probably at first about every two weeks, then weekly, and later semi-weekly, and when the railroad began operations mail came daily. The first mail was brought overland by carrier, who made his trips on horseback from Janesville. Afterwards it was received at Cedar Falls and brought overland to Shell Rock. Postage stamps were then not in vogue and the recipients of letters were compelled to pay as high as twenty-five cents in advance before letters were placed in their hands. O. S. Newcomb was appointed postmaster in 1856 and some of his successors follow by name: John Smith, James Leverich, William C. Cotton, J. H. Carter, William Mullen, James Leverich. E. L. Thorp, A. G. Stonebreaker, James W. Stewart, James Jerolaman, L. E. Sherwood. Following the death of Mr.
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Sherwood, his widow, Mrs. Belle Sherwood was appointed. She was succeeded by the present incumbent, Frank L. Witt. This office began to issue money orders July 2, 1877. The first order was drawn July 2, 1877, for Dr. E. H. Dudley and the first order paid was to Minerva Wellman.
SHELL ROCK IS INCORPORATED
The municipality of Shell Rock became separate from the township of like name and was incorporated as a town under the special laws of Jowa of 1873. The first election under the new dispensation was held in 1875, when the following officers were elected: Mayor, Ephraim Town; recorder, R. D. Prescott; treas- nrer, J. W. Phillips; trustees, R. MeDonald, J. G. Rockwell, C. Sweitzer, Orville Jones and A. G. Stonebreaker. As this mann- script is being prepared for the press, the intelligence has reached the writer of the death of Mr. Town, the first chief executive of Shell Rock. His death occurred February 2, 1914. A complete sketch of this old pioneer will be found in the second volume of this work. In 1880, five years after Shell Rock was incorporated, the census for that decade gave the population as 719. The census of 1910, thirty years later, shows but a small growth. The figures for that year are 741. However, the commmity has progressed in other respects to a most gratifying degree. The character of the buildings has changed for the better, many beautiful resi- dences have sprung up here and there in different sections of the town. Briek business structures have taken the place of primi- tive frame affairs. Steel bridges now span the streams where formerly old wooden structures crossed them. The main business thoroughfares have been vastly improved and several miles of cement sidewalks have taken the place of the old board walks. A beautiful city hall adorns the main street and adds very much to the convenience of the city's legislators and officials. It also adds largely to the safety of public records. A good hotel enter- tains and provides for the comfort of the traveling public, and a handsome modern briek school building adorns the east side of the town. All in all, Shell Rock takes a place in the front rank of Butler's many little municipalities.
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CITY HALL
Shell Rock's city building is a two-story structure, built of concrete blocks, and was creeted in the fall of 1910. The first floor is devoted to offiees for the mayor and as a council chamber, also for the use of the fire department. The second story was paid for and is owned by the Masonic lodge. This building stands on the main street of the town and is an important addition to the general make-up of that thoroughfare.
Shell Rock has a municipal system of waterworks, which was built in the summer of 1898. The question of issuing $5,000 in bonds for the purpose of building waterworks was presented to the voters of the town in 1908 and was carried by a generous majority. The water is secured from the Shell Rock river and is pumped into a tank which stands upon a steel tower, 100 feet in height. This tank has a capacity of 50,000 gallons of water. The pumps are operated by power secured from the electric light com- pany, and the water flows through about one and one-half miles of mains, and is used only for emergency purposes. None of it goes into the homes of the residents for domestie uses. The plant, however, cannot be surpassed by any other of similar size in the State of Iowa and answers its purposes to the utmost satisfaction of all. The cost was about eight thousand dollars.
SEWERAGE
There is also a system of sewerage in this well put up little trading community consisting of eight-inch and six-inch sewer pipes. The outlet is below the intake of the waterworks, or in other words, below the dam. The sewers were built about the same time as the waterworks and make for complete sanitation in the territory drained.
ELECTRIC LIGHTS
An electric light plant was built here in 1901 by W. C. Wilson. and in 1902 the utility was in complete operation. The power house was built on the site of the old woolen mill at the rear of the west side mill. This improvement with the water rights cost about fifteen thousand dollars. Mr. Wilson operated the plant for some time and then sold it to William Toll and Ray
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Betts in 1910. The firm of Toll & Betts disposed of the property to Uri and W. W. Richards, March 1, 1912. Uri Richards, father of W. W. Richards, died in the fall of 1913. Since then W. W. Richards has been in charge of the utility and is giving his patrons good service, which, by the way, is not continuous.
FINANCIAL CONCERNS
Shell Rock has two strong banks, which are conservative in their methods and give to the patrons ample security of their funds. The Shell Rock Banking Company is the oldest institu- tion of its kind in the town. It was established in 1888 by F. M. Mansfield, J. H. Carter and O. S. Newcomb, with a capital of $15,000. Jim Carter was also one of the initial members of the concern and first filled the position of assistant cashier. This concern does a general banking business and now is capitalized at $25,000. Its president is Jim Carter; cashier, R. S. Stoddard; assistant cashiers. Carl Hummel and Carl Mansfield. The three senior members of this bank have died since it was first organ- ized, and O. S. Newcomb retired as an official. The present owners are Jim Carter, Mrs. Carrie Mansfield, Mrs. Kate J. Carter and R. S. Stoddard.
The Farmers State Bank was organized in 1907, capitalized at $25,000. The promoters of the enterprise were J. A. Graham, O. L. Mead. A. F. Yarcho, and J. B. Kelsey. The first officials were: J. A. Graham, president; J. H. Hutchins, vice president : M. F. Green, cashier. Mr. Hutchins died in the winter of 1912-13 and was succeeded in the vice presidency by O. L. Mead. In 1909 Mr. Green resigned as first cashier and was snecceded by F. C. Harmon. In the winter of 1909 the bank erected its present home -a two-story brick structure. It does a general commercial bank- ing business and is strong in the confidence of its patrons. The capital stock is $25,000; deposits. $105,000.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
As soon as three or four families could be gathered together at Shell Rock, religious meetings were held at the homes of the settlers. The first services were administered at the home of G. W. Adair, in the fall of 1854, by Reverend Mr. Burley. A sec- ond religious meeting was attended by the pioneers of this loeal-
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ity at the home of Hiram Ross in 1855. Reverend Mr. Burley delivered an interesting discourse on this occasion.
The Methodists organized the first religious society in Butler county, filing articles of incorporation June 26, 1855. This society held its first meeting at the home of Hiram Ross in 1855, and in February of that year Reverend Burley conducted a series of revival meetings, assisted by Reverends Kendall and Abram Myers, which resulted in the society acquiring thirty more mem- bers. A church building was erected in 1856 on the east side of the river on the site of the present structure. Meetings were held by the people of this faith as a class until 1871, when the society was reorganized.
Rev. J. W. Gould, who came in 1869 and remained two years, was the first regular pastor. He was succeeded in 1871 by Rev. L. S. Cooley, whose term of service covered two years. His suc- cessors in the pastorate were: Revs. Eugene Sherman. one year ; Timothy Anderson, six months: A. Critchfield, one year; W. S. Skinner, two years; S. Knickerbocker, one year; G. L. Garrison, two years; S. Sharon: J. O. Dobson, 1883-85 ; C. H. Taylor, 1885- 89; J. H. Davis, 1889-92; G. H. Brindell, 1892-95; W. H. Slinger- land, 1895-98; Daniel Sheffer, 1898-99; Walter Piper, 1899-1904; D. S. Stabler and J. E. Johnson, 1904-06; George B. Shoemaker, 1906-10; John Dawson, 1910-13; and Thomas Carson, the present pastor, who took charge in 1913.
The old church building was destroyed by fire in June, 1898. Immediately thereafter work on a new edifice was begun, and the same was dedicated in the following November by Rev. J. C. Magee, presiding elder, assisted by the pastor of the church, Rev. Daniel Sheffer. The church building is valued at $10,000. The present membership is three hundred and seventy-five, while the enrollment in the Sunday school is three hundred and fifty.
BAPTIST CHURCH
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The Baptist Church was organized in Shell Rock, January 18. 1864, by Rev. Samuel Sill, assisted by Rev. William Wood. The first members were Mary E. Sill, Menzo Best. Emily L. Best, Roxy Couch, Minerva Couch, James Chaffin, Deborah Chaffin, J. W. Whittaker, Nancy Whittaker. Serepta Copeland and Fannie Helason. The first regular pastor of the local Baptist church was Rev. Samuel Sill and services were first held in the stone
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building on Main street, now the property of O. L. Eastman, by Rev. I. R. Dean, who was the second county superintendent of schools for Butler county. Mr. Dean came from Kalamazoo,. Michigan, and went from here to Pike's Peak, and while on his way back lost his life. The successor to Reverend Sill as regular pastor was Dr. J. Hall, founder of the Kalamazoo Baptist Col- lege, and afterwards president of Granville (Ohio) College.
After the society had been fully organized and during the win- ter of 1868-9, very interesting and enthusiastic revival meetings were held, which meant forty-two additions to the church enroll- ment. The lots upon which the church stands and most of the labor for its construction were secured by the Ladies' Mite Society, in the numerous ways they had of obtaining money for church purposes. A church edifice was built at a cost of $5,500, a frame structure, 35x60 feet in dimensions. The present membership of the church is one hundred and thirteen, with an enrollment in the Sunday school of one hundred.
Those who have served in the pastorate from 1882 to the pres- ent time are as follows:
Revs. J. J. MeIntire, November, 1882-May, 1884; J. B. Edmonson, April, 1884-February, 1886; A. Whitman, December, 1886-November, 1889; D. L. Clouse, November, 1890-July, 1892; C. H. Hands, July, 1892-July, 1893; N. E. Chapman, December, 1893-March, 1895; J. G. Johnson, June, 1895-October, 1897; O. P. Sonner, October, 1897-October, 1898: Fletcher E. Hudson, December, 1898-May, 1903; George Frederick Reinking, July, 1903-September. 1904; C. H. H. Moore, December, 1904-Sep- tember, 1905; Russell D. Robertson, December, 1905-December, 1906; A. B. Bush. September, 1907-June, 1910; N. H. Daily, September, 1910, until his death, November 22. 1912; D. E. Kil- loren, August, 1913.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
The Congregational Society was organized in the spring of 1892 and before the close of the year a good substantial frame church building had been erected and dedicated. Among the first members of this society are remembered H. K. Porter and wife and W. H. Dryer, Charles Austin and wife, S. J. Gould and wife and Mrs. F. W. Remington. In all there were about forty charter members. At first services were held in the opera house
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and the first pastor was Rev. J. D. Wells, who remained three years. It was Reverend Wells who planned and assisted largely in building the house of worship. The Congregational church now has about sixty communicants and a good attendance in the Sunday school. The present pastor is Rev. P. H. Fisk.
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ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH
In the territories contiguous to the town of Shell Rock there has been for many years quite a sprinkling of people of the Roman Catholic faith. In 1891, through the instrumentality of Father Coyle, a church was established here and a building erected for the convenience of its members. Among those who first assisted in the formation of St. Mary's parish were Mr. and Mrs. James Heery, the John Drumms, Michael McCormicks, Patrick Drummns, Peter Heery, John Heery, Albert Heerys, Dennis Hollands, Wil- liam Leary, Martin Gleason, Thomas McCarty, Joseph Walker, William Rafferty, Patrick McNamara, Nicholas Pray, John Flynn, Joseph Cantwell and Dennis Evans.
Father Shields held the first mass in the home of Michael McCormick, and for some time thereafter the members were unable to secure the services of a priest but about once a year. This was during and immediately after the Civil war. Then came Father Flavin, who held mass at the homes of his parishioners until 1891, when a priest was supplied regularly from Waverly. Since 1891 the following priests have attended this church: Fathers Murphy, Scanlon, McMahon, Smith, Ryan, O'Farrell, Comerford, Murphy, Coyle, O'Reilly, Sullivan, McCauley, Gil- christ, Grady, Doherty, Fitzpatrick, Mulligan and Dennis Lun- don. Services are held here about once a month and there are about twenty-three families in the parish.
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
In January, 1914, a Young Men's Christian Association was organized at Shell Rock by Vernon Neal and Earl Johnson. The new society has secured rooms in the old News block and later on will complete its organization by the election of officers.
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GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
Shell Rock Post, No. 262, Grand Army of the Republic, was organized at Shell Rock in 1883, with twenty-eight charter mem- bers. The old veterans held meetings for some years but, by rea- son of death in the rank and file, removals and other causes the membership dwindled away until scarcely a corporal's guard could be gathered together. This led to the disintegration of the society and about twenty years ago regular meetings were dis- continued. The first officers of the society were: J. F. Wright, commander; E. M. Dudley, vice commander; J. W. Walter, Jr., V. C .; W. W. Murray, Surg .; B. Pierce, Chap .; L. H. Meade, Q. M .; W. J. Re, Officer of the Day; George Adair, Officer of the Guard; J. R. Gibson, Serg. Maj .; J. A. Morrison, Q. M. S .; L. T. Bristol, Adjt.
MASONIC
Escallop Lodge, No. 261, A. F. & A. M., was organized April 22, 1869. The first officers were: Asa Lowe, W. M .; Julius Preston, S. W .; G. C. Hawley, J. W .; E. W. Metzger, Treas .; J. G. Scoby, Sec .; O. S. Eastman, S. D .; Charles Hitchcock, J. D .; Alonzo Coastes, Tyler. This is one of the strong lodges of the town and has a good working membership. Its hall is nieely located and well appointed and the paraphernalia is quite an expensive one.
ODD FELLOWS
Shell Rock Lodge, No. 270, I. O. O. F., was organized January 26, 1874, with the following officers: F. Mason, N. G .; R. D. Prescott, V. G .; L. F. Bristol, Sec .; J. D. Powers, Treas .; J. Mul- len, O. G .; J. H. Meade, I. G. This lodge is also in good condition as to its finances and membership.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS
Imperial Lodge, No. 283, Knights of Pythias, was organized August 13, 1891, with the following charter members: F. O. New- comb, William Ross, William H. McGregor, George E. Tabor, Will F. Brown, Jim Carter, F. M. Mansfield, E. L. Jones, H. E.
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Fourtner, O. C. Miner, all of whom were the first officials: T. L. Williams, E. J. Moyer, George A. McIntyre, 1. W. Morris, F. E. Thorp, W. H. Smith, George E. Hammonds, William H. Jenks, T. S. De Witt, W. C. Thompson, J. H. Carter, Phil Pray, George E. Meade, J. W. Wheat, V. L. Olney, Robert Richardson.
Harmony Temple, No. 30, Pythian Sisters, was organized August 10, 1893. The first officials were: Carrie Mansfield, Hat- tie Tabor, Ella Smith, Sadie Nelson, Parthena Hammonds, Lil- lian Carson, Kate JJenks, Mary Bement, Kate J. Carter, and in addition to these, other charter members were: Minnie Jones, Minnie Wilcox, Celesta Carson, Julia Cain, Lillian Wheat, Nettie Meade, Emma Miner, Baldwin Cain, C. M. Carson, J. II. Carter, W. F. Brown, W. H. Jenks, George W. Jones, C. P. Bement, George Ilammonds, E. D. Wilcox, Jim Carter, F. M. Mansfield, George Meade, William Wheat, W. H. MeGregor, W. H. Smith, W. L. Nelson.
MODERN WOODMEN OF AMERICA
White Oak Camp, No. 2418, Modern Woodmen of America, was organized July 28, 1894, with the following charter members: Robert S. Connor, Mayrand R. Farr, Abb Medders, Pat McCoy, Francis K. MeCague, John H. Poorman, Emil Sebastian, William A. Willis, De Witt C. Fyler, Wilhelm Vosburg, William C. Wil- son, Charles Winchell.
CHAPTER XXX
WEST POINT TOWNSHIP AND BRISTOW
West Point township is one of the tour central townships of the county and contains the present county seat. From an agri- cultural point of view, it is one of the most desirable portions of the county, there being no marked differences in the elevation of land. Its surface is rolling and there is practically not a foot of soil that is not available for cultivation. A small stream known as Kilson's creek, rises just a little north of the center of the township and flows south into the West Fork. Another small creek rises in section 23 and drains the extreme southeastern part of the township.
Near the southern line of section 36 in this township along the banks of this creek there are several mineral springs, situated in a sort of peat bog. The water of these springs has been analyzed and is said by experts to be of a quality equal to that of the famous Colfax springs. The land on which these springs is located was formerly a part of the Iowa Central Stock Farm and at one time the Messrs. Stout, of Dubuque, owners of this farm, seriously eon- sidered the advisability of developing the resources of these min- eral springs. Nothing, however, came of that project. These springs were discovered by accident through the miring down of a horse, ridden by an employe of the stoek farm. Later these springs were boxed in and the water was piped to several large tanks, which were used for watering cattle in the pasture in which they were located. Since that time no further effort has been made to utilize the water of these springs and at the present time nothing remains to mark their location, except the rotted tanks and enclosures of the springs. They are easily located, however, by the sulphurate deposits which are found in the stream near at hand. It is possible that at some time advantage will be taken of the presence of these mineral springs.
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The soil of West Point township is a rich black loam, with a clay sub-soil. Originally there was no native timber within the limits of the township. At present, however, the township is dotted with artificial groves in such numbers and profusion as to make it appear almost like a naturally timbered country. Refer- ence has already been made to the grove of artificial timber on the Iowa Central Stock Farm. There is also a fine artificial grove known as Walnut grove on sections 21 and 22.
A person traveling through West Point township will be impressed by the large number of magnificent farm homes, evi- dencing better than anything else could the excellent quality of the soil of this section of the county. The towns of Allison and Bristow are both situated partly within the limits of this town- ship. They are connected by the Chicago Great Western rail- road, which furnishes a commercial outlet for the products of the township. The western side of the township approaches within a short distance of what was formerly known as Boylan's grove. This was, as has already been stated, the location of the first settlement in this part of the county. As a result, the earliest set- tlement of West Point township commenced in this district in the western part.
EARLY SETTLEMENT
The first entry of land in the township was made by H. P. Early, on May 2, 1854. Other early entries were as follows: Samuel Moots, August 21, 1854; W. W. Willingham, August 21, 1854: W. H. Sarber and Adam H. Sarber, October 2, 1854; and Elizabeth Rush, November 1, 1854. All these entries were made in sections 18 and 19.
Philip Miller and George Lash were the earliest settlers of West Point township. They were brothers-in-law and came to the county in the fall of 1854. Mr. Miller preempted eighty acres of land on section 20. He is the father of W. P. Miller, at present a resident of Allison, and owner of the Pilot Rock Stock Farm, in section 22.
Sammel Moots first located on section 19. Later he became a resident of Pittsford township. John Lash, William and Adam Sarber, mentioned above, and Seth Strong were among the set- tlers in the township in the year 1854.
In 1855 Lewis Kilson and John Hewitt located in the town- ship. Mr. Kilson was a native of Norway and came to America in
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1838, landing in New York city on the first day of September. He came west by way of the Hudson river to Albany, Erie canal to Buffalo and by boat across Lake Erie to Cleveland, by the Ohio canal to Portsmouth, and on the Ohio river thence to Cincinnati on a flatboat. From Cincinnati he went after some months to Quincy, Illinois, by water and settled in Adams county, Illinois, where he remained for about twelve years. After a short resi- dence in Wisconsin, he returned to Illinois and in 1855 came to Butler county. He entered two hundred and forty acres of land in West Point township, upon which he lived to the time of his death. Several children, among them Frank S. and Charles G., are still residents of the county.
John Hewitt settled on section 19. He had several children and was related by marriage with the Moots, Boylan and Early families, all of them early settlers.
In 1856 Charles V. Surfus came to the township from Indiana. He first settled on section 18 and later removed to section 30, on a farm which still remains in possession of the family.
Among other early settlers were Robert Smith, William Gough, George Trindle, Hiram Bell, Charles Thompson and Joseph N. Neal.
William Gough first settled on a farm in Dayton township in 1853. Later he removed to a farm on section 4, in West Point township. Mr. Gough was a native of England and was well known as an early preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Two sons, Joseph J. and Thomas A., are still residents of the township and are noted at length in the biographical volume.
Hiram Bell is the father of Walter S., John A. and George H. Bell, all of them still residents of the township.
Charles Thompson, a native of England, was for several years the superintendent of the Iowa Central Stock Farm. Later he purchased a farm on section 33, where he resided to the time of his death. His sons. Charles H. and R. E., are at present residents of Allison. Another son, Will, resides on a farm in the town- ship.
Joseph N. Neal was at one time the owner of over one thou- sand acres of land situated on and near section 16.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION
West Point township was originally a part of Ripley, which at the time of its formation included the greater part of the western
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half of the county. In 1856 West Point township was organized including at first the present boundary of Pittsford township. In 1858 Pittsford was given separate organization and West Point assumed its present limits. John Lash was duly authorized to call an election in West Point township, as now bounded, on the 5th day of April, 1858. The name of Seth Strong appears as judge of election at this time. John Hewitt was elected township clerk. C. L. Jones, constable, and Seth Strong, justice of the peace.
GENERAL ITEMS
The first birth recorded in the township was that of Orrin Lash, son of George and Mary Lash, born in November, 1855.
The first marriage occurred in January, 1856, between Seth Strong and Miss Mary Cannon. Justice of the Peace W. R. Jami- son officiated on this occasion. The death of Mrs. Strong was the first recorded in the township.
The first hotel was kept by John Lash, in a log house built by him in 1854. This was near the present site of Bristow.
IOWA CENTRAL STOCK FARM
This stock farm, which at one time comprised more than two thousand acres of land and was one of the best known farms in the state, was originally owned by R. A. Babbage, of Dubuque. It included all of sections 35 and 36, West Point township, and section 1, Ripley, and portions of a number of adjoining sections. This land was purchased originally as a matter of speculation by Mr. Babbage, who sent Charles Thompson out to open it up and put the land on the market. Later Mr. Babbage decided to make a stock farm of it.
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